Regional Google Local Guides Summits -Chances for Lots of Active Local Guides

[AnuradhaP]

I was a part of the last year's Google Local Guides Summit and it was an amazing experience. I learnt a lot and get to know people around the globe. What I loved most is, I found life long friends who will be there for you from around the world. 

As I noticed this will only provide an opportunity to 150 local guides(in 2017 edition) from around the world, As @OSAMA mentioned in his latest post, there are over 50 million local guides around the world. It will be difficult to provide a chance for lots of local guides who are actively contributing to the Google Maps to help others. I saw some local guides had issues in getting visa to USA last year.

What I am suggesting is to have few regional summits before or after the main summit. For example an Asian-Pacific and European summits would be ideal. This will provide chance to more local guides to participate and get a recognition for their contribution. 

This was originally posted in Idea Exchange. I am posting it here again with slight modification.

[StephenAbraham]

@AnuradhaP I agree with your thoughts about this. Last 2 summits, many great contributors could not get to US because of the very strict US Visa rules. Regional Summits can complement this and motivate many more local guides.

[AnuradhaP]

@StephenAbraham Yes, for some it was really difficult to get visa. @ErmesT What do you think about regional summits? 

[LucioV]

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@AnuradhaP wrote:

I was a part of the last year's Google Local Guides Summit and it was an amazing experience. I learnt a lot and get to know people around the globe. What I loved most is, I found life long friends who will be there for you from around the world. 

As I noticed this will only provide an opportunity to 150 local guides(in 2017 edition) from around the world, As @OSAMA mentioned in his latest post, there are over 50 million local guides around the world. It will be difficult to provide a chance for lots of local guides who are actively contributing to the Google Maps to help others. I saw some local guides had issues in getting visa to USA last year.

What I am suggesting is to have few regional summits before or after the main summit. For example an Asian-Pacific and European summits would be ideal. This will provide chance to more local guides to participate and get a recognition for their contribution. 

This was originally posted in Idea Exchange. I am posting it here again with slight modification.

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Thanks for your idea @AnuradhaP it's really nice!

[Vivekananda18]

@AnuradhaP @LucioV This is a fantastic idea in itself. It can give proper exposure to lot more deserving LocalGuides.

[BishowvijayaP]

This is a best way to make the summit diverse @AnuradhaP. Last year during selection night we had discussed about it on comments. Let's hope for this kind of initiation from this year.

[NalinK]

good idea @AnuradhaP ! i completely support this idea. personally i think it will give more expose to local guide community and it will give more opportunity to local guides who couldn't get selected to main summit.