The finals of the 3rd National Tour Guide Contest sponsored by China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, All China Women’s Federation and Trade Union of Financial and Commercial Workers, Light Industry and Textile Workers, Tobacco Industry Workers were officially held in Huangshan City, Anhui Province on March 20, 2017. ATA provided technical services for this contest including testing system, e-voting and scoring system as well as technical support.
 

Wang Xiaofeng, deputy director of China National Tourism Administration, addressed the opening ceremony of the 3rd National Tour Guide Contest

Wei Hongtao (left), deputy director of China National Tourism Administration, attended the opening ceremony of the finals of the 3rd National Tour Guide Contest

Compared with the previous contests, the 3rd National Tour Guide Contest made breakthroughs and innovations in its form, contents and mechanism. The knockout system was introduced for the first time. For the five question & answer sections in the first round of six matches, the system would select randomly the test questions from among 1,000 test questions; in the second round of matches, the player killing system was adopted for each two contesters, and the judges made judgments through their PADs. The regular paper-based voting and scoring system was abandoned in this contest. Instead, an e-voting system specially designed by ATA for this contest was adopted for the first time. As one of the highlights of this contest, the paperless e-voting system ensured the technical security and error-free operation of the contest, as well as the fairness and justness of the contest results.

The contest was also recorded from the beginning to the end and broadcasted by stages for the first time. The knockout system was introduced in the finals of the contest. The section of “test through practice” was also introduced for the first time. The tour guides participating in the contest were required to guide tourists in a real scenic spot. A film production unit would shoot the whole process of tour guidance so that experts could assess the practical guiding skills of contesters. The person in charge of the relevant department of CNTA said that these innovations would bring the contest in line with technological development, and better reflect the progress of the times as well as the reforms and innovations in China’s tourism industry.

A total of three gold award winners, seven silver award winners, and 20 copper award winners will be commended after several rounds of strict matches were held. In addition, Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China will grant the title of “National Outstanding Young Expert” to the gold and silver award winners who satisfy relevant conditions according to procedures; All China Women’s Federation will grant the title of “National Female Pacesetter” to the gold and silver award winners who satisfy relevant conditions according to procedures; following the suggestions of the organizing committee, Trade Union of Financial and Commercial Workers, Light Industry and Textile Workers, Tobacco Industry Workers will recommend to All-China Federation of Trade Union one of the gold award winners who satisfies relevant conditions to be granted the honorary title of “National May 1 Labor Medal”. The finals of the Contest and the award-granting ceremony will be held on April 20 in Beijing.

This contest provided tour guides with a platform for displaying their professional dedication and skills. It is also an important “drilling of soldiers” in the efforts to develop a contingent of national tour guides. The person in charge of the Supervision Department of China National Tourism Administration said, the holding of National Tour Guide Contest is aimed to further promote the cultural and ethical progress in the tourism industry, display the professional dedication and skills of tour guides, enable tour guides to exchange their service experience, encourage them to improve their vocational morality and ethics as well as their service skills, and spread the positive energy of the industry throughout the society.

The 3rd National Tour Guide Contest was another successful case of ATA in furthering its services to the tourist industry, following its provision of technology and operation services in 2016 for the first time for National Tour Guide Qualification Test organized by CNTA.