Daniël

That first day. I remember it well. All new people with completely different backgrounds. What we really had in common was that we were all a bit uncomfortable that first day. What exactly is this? What exactly are we all going to do? Training days? Questions, questions and more questions.

Coming from marketing & communications, I very consciously chose a career change. But what exactly was in store for me? I like to compare the IVOR Inbound Tourism training course to building a house. The individual bricks don’t tell you much yet, but gradually you see something emerging; something is actually being built.

The coin dropped for me on the first practice day in Utrecht. The whole group had prepared well and I held an introductory monologue on the history of Utrecht. The preparation alone was a treat. Whereas before I was busy with vague reports that ended up in a pile somewhere, now an entire city came to life for me. Did you know, for instance, that Utrecht was the Dutch capital for a very short time?

The whole day – together with my fellow students – was a great success. I was finally starting to see what this craft is all about. And how much fun it is! This was followed by another practical day in Amsterdam and the practical exam in Den Bosch. Never knew there was so much to tell about the beautiful Sint Jan. As I write this, it has just been a week since Notre Dame was hit by that terrible fire. St John’s also experienced fire. At such a time, you start to embrace these beautiful, historic buildings even more.

The exam was successfully completed some time ago. Looking back, I realise how much I learned and how much I grew. In a classroom environment, you try even harder and you are watched more closely. You are under a magnifying glass. This gives you a lot of experience and insights that you can use every day in your work. As a freelance guide, I now show people from all over the world my beautiful city of Amsterdam. And every day is different.

I once had a group of people from India with me. It was unforgettable. First of all, the whole schedule was upended. ‘Daniël, I heard from Zansesjans, is that better than the Riekermill?’ Anyway, we headed that way. They loved it. Because the guests liked something like the Zaanse Schans (because that’s what he meant) so much and this tasted like more, I also took them to Volendam for a visit. That was not as successful. In the village, all the Indian ladies held their noses. Turned out my group was vegetarian! At the Peace Palace in The Hague, they asked me which emperor lived there, and the Blaak in Rotterdam was surprisingly the biggest success. I never had to take so many photos before. That was a day of touring the Netherlands. On the way back, the whole bus was singing out loud. I had given people a great day.

Compared to staring at a screen all day, something like this is a relief. I am full of stories and more are added every day. For any questions or requests, I can be reached through my website Daniël van Veen.

Kind regards and perhaps see you soon,

Daniël van Veen

IVOR comment: Daniel is ANVR certified tour manager