The town of Pezinok and its surroundings offer a wealth of attractive sites of historical and cultural interest. They simply need to be discovered. Uncovering the stories and exploring the beauty of our town and its surroundings was the goal of the participants of the accredited course Training of Local Tourism Guides for Educational and Guiding Activities, held as part of the INTERREG SK-AT project*.
Over the course of five months, Fridays and Saturdays became an inseparable part of the course participants’ lives. They managed to form an excellent team under the guidance of expert lecturers, not only from the field of tourism. The participants completed training in tourism adapted to European standards, a professional-level training trip, and other activities.
The course culminated in the second half of February 2025 with a final exam, which tested participants on their theoretical knowledge of tourism, history, and culture, as well as their practical skills. A new generation of experts is thus emerging in the town of Pezinok, ready to represent Pezinok and its history. Thanks to their newly acquired knowledge, our new guides will be able to promote the beautiful sites of the entire Malé Karpaty region — and especially the town of Pezinok and its immediate surroundings — presenting them professionally to both domestic and international visitors.
A total of 11 successful graduates ceremonially received their certificates on Wednesday, 12 March 2025, from Deputy Mayor Kvetoslava Štrbová; Prof. Ľudmila Novacká, Chairwoman of FIJET SLOVAKIA and course lecturer; Miroslava Petrušová, Head of the Strategy and Development Department of the town; Jirko Vitáloš, representing the non-profit organization Barbora and INTERREG SK-AT project partner; and historian and lecturer Assoc. Prof. Ľubor Matejka.
“The town of Pezinok has a wonderful location and great potential thanks to its history, its people, and the enthusiasm they bring not only to this project but to the entire area. I would like to thank everyone who has been and will continue to be involved in this project, and I also thank you, the participants, for staying with us and remaining loyal,” said Deputy Mayor Kvetoslava Štrbová, highlighting the project’s significance for the town of Pezinok.
Ľudmila Novacká emphasized not only the importance of understanding the connections between knowledge in the field of tourism interpretation: “Tourism is not just about knowledge — it’s about human relationships, experiences, and the pleasant moments that can be enjoyed through tourism. Thank you for the wonderful atmosphere during the training sessions.”
We would like to sincerely thank all the participants of this course for their determination, perseverance, and enthusiasm, as well as for the time and energy they chose to invest in it. Your effort and desire to improve in the field of tourism and to represent Pezinok are invaluable. Thanks also go to the lecturers, who enriched the course with their expertise and experience, and to the partners for their support and cooperation in implementing this project.
We hope that all the knowledge and skills gained by the course graduates will find practical use. We believe that everything they have learned will help create unforgettable experiences for all visitors who choose to explore our beautiful region. Already, your work is bringing benefits not only to tourism but to the whole of Pezinok. However, your journey does not end with the exam and the certificate. The course participants have become part of the CoDe MoRe project and have committed to guiding a certain number of hours for the town’s needs, staying in contact with the project’s stakeholders and continuing to collaborate on its further development.
You can listen to the Rádio Regina Západ report on the certificate ceremony HERE.
* The Training of Local Tourism Guides for Educational and Guiding Activities was carried out as part of the INTERREG SK-AT project /Common Development of the Model Regions Geopark Malé Karpaty, Biosphärenpark Wienerwald, Naturpark Rosalia-Kogelberg/ CoDe MoRe, in cooperation with the civic association FIJET SLOVAKIA, as the holder of accreditation No. 3859/2023/127/13 for lifelong learning, issued by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, which is required for the creation and subsequent implementation of the aforementioned educational program with examination. The educational program is provided in accordance with Act No. 568/2009 Coll. on Lifelong Learning, as amended.
FIJET Slovakia: Interpretation of the Malé Karpaty Region within the INTERREG SK-AT Project
