A process of certification of labor competencies and improving standards in the delivery of their services is what is sought to be done in Puerto Varas, for which the National Tourism Service (Sernatur) Los Lagos, the Port Captaincy and the Municipality of Puerto Varas met with the union of boatmen Sitraem.
The boatmen of the “city of roses” have been unionized since 1995 and are currently part of the formal tourist offer, registered as nautical walks in Sernatur. They comply with the Tourism Law and the regulations of the maritime authority, but their ten members do not yet have the certification of general guide.
“In Puerto Varas many people offer tourist activities and among them are the boatmen. This program seeks to formalize them, support their knowledge and minimum competencies to operate and accredit them so that they are certified as general guides. Our goal is that they are also part of the National Registry of Tourism Service Providers, so they can access the programs and benefits,” explained Paulina Ros, regional director of Sernatur.
The partners will have to complete a formalization process that will be executed by a certifying house. This consists of a series of interviews and an evaluation in the place where they carry out the tourist activity. They must have knowledge about the history of the city, legends and tourist attractions. Once the evaluation has been successfully completed, they will be able to obtain their certification.
Danery Carrasco, president of the Sitraem union of Puerto Varas, commented that “for us it is very important to be able to keep up with all the demands and regulations that any tourist guide must have today. For that there is a certification of labor skills and general tourism guides, in which we want to be in accordance with what the requirement asks of us, to be able to develop our work in a better way in the summer season”.
“The important thing is to serve people well, to be able to interact with them, to let them know what Puerto Varas is, to give them a good impression of being able to enjoy here what tourism and landscapes are,” added Danery Carrasco.
This weekend begins recreational fishing in Lake Llanquihue and in December group or family walks through the bay of Puerto Varas. The boatmen are located on the dock of the city, where those interested can agree on the dates and times to develop the family activities they offer.
Commander Arturo Aninat, port captain of Puerto Varas, reported that “we are preparing for the summer season and the applications of the new directives. The improvement and formalization of them so that they can give a better service, which is safer and thus also better for the people who come during the summer. They can be tour guides qualified by Sernatur, who comply with current maritime regulations, they already comply with it, but this will improve and reinforce the service”.
