Hamid Oumezdou, was recently voted the best tourist guide in the world by receiving the highest distinction of the Wanderlust World Guide Awards during the annual ceremony which rewards international guides. For MoroccoLatestNews, he reveals the secrets that have made him a unique tourist guide.
Among more than 3000 nominated international guides, Hamid won the Gold Award, the ultimate accolade for the best mountain guide in the world. He was able to “deliver an authentic and sustainable experience for travelers that truly supports local communities”.
Hamid was born and raised in the village of Tighza in the High Atlas Mountains, and has been a guide for over 13 years. He has led his traveling clients on countless mountain hikes and city tours. He shares with these travelers from all over the world an authentic insight into the Moroccan way of life.
Contacted by MoroccoLatestNews, Hamid said he felt on top of the world after this distinction. ” It’s a great feeling when you get recognized for something you love and you work so hard to achieve it. It is also a great pleasure to see my country, Morocco, ranked at the top of the others thanks to me “, did he declare.
” For me, a good guide is someone who makes his guests feel special, helps them experience the real life of the country, and makes sure his clients have fun while exploring the region visited. I think my guests confirm my words and that’s why they voted for me “, he told us.
Its average rating as a guide with Intrepid Travelers is 4.98 out of 5, and it was also on the list of nominees for the World Guide Awards in 2015.
The guiding profession is filled with extraordinary people, and “all my fellow nominees were of a very high standard”, he stressed, noting that it is difficult to say why he was elected among the others, but according to him , the secret lies in the connection established with the travelers whom he does not consider as customers but as his “guests”, and in the capacity with which a tourist guide helps his customers to connect with the country.
“Hamid constantly makes sacrifices to ensure that his groups not only have a safe and enjoyable trip, but leave feeling like they are the most special guests to have ever visited the Marock”, noted travelers from Intrepid Travel.
Other travelers have said that the Moroccan guide is the best they have encountered in their lives and travels. ” Hamid is not only an amazing guide, he is also a wonderful human being full of kindness, caring and compassion. His local and historical knowledge completely blew our minds. He went above and beyond to make our trip memorable. To this day he is my favorite guide I have met in my last 15 years of traveling around the world,” can we read on the reviews of travelers.