british guild of tourist guides

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British Guild of Tourist Guides

10 things to know about british guild of tourist guides.

1. What year was the British Guild of Tourist Guides established, and where is the headquarters?

The British Guild of Tourist Guides was established in 1950. Our office is located at Unit 5, Baden Place, Crosby Row, London SE1 1YW

2. What is the primary mission/goal of the British Guild of Tourist Guides?

As the largest and longest established national membership organisation for Blue and Green Badge tourist guides in the United Kingdom our aim is to ensure our members are the ‘go to’ guides for visitors in our country, offering professional, enjoyable tours by car, on foot, public transport or coach to individuals and groups in English and a range of other languages. The Guild is also a leading provider of guide training.

3. How does someone become a qualified tourist guide in the UK?

In England and Northern Ireland by undertaking a course accredited by the Institute of Tourist Guiding and passing the relevant exams at the end of the course. Durations vary depending on where the course is running but anything between 1 and 2 years. The European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (FEG) has accredited the ITG Blue Badge course as complying with the BSEN15565:2008 standard.

Wales and Scotland, which have each developed their own national training and qualifications systems, have both received a similar endorsement of the compliance of Blue Badge qualifications with the standard, Scotland via the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA), and Wales by FEG.

4. After becoming qualified, what are some of the professional development classes that guides typically take to enhance their knowledge and skills?

As a membership organisation we offer an extensive programme of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) throughout the year to our members ranging in format from 1 hour walks or lectures to 5-week intensive art courses and residential conferences that develop commercial and marketing skills. We have also developed a subscription series of online lectures during the pandemic that we will build on for the future.

5. Is there an official badge that qualified tourist guides in the UK wear?

On passing exams as set by the Institute of Tourist Guiding, or in Scotland and Wales by the Scottish Tourist Guides Association and the Wales Official Tourist Guides Association respectively, guides are rewarded with the coveted Green or Blue Badge for their own region or country. Sample copies are displayed here below. In addition to the metal badge, there is now also a photocard worn on a lanyard when working as a guide.

6. How many qualified tourist guides are members of British Guild of Tourist Guides and what are their diverse backgrounds? Also, how many languages do they guide in, and do they specialize in themed tours?

We have a membership of over 850 Blue Badge Tourist Guides and 600 Green Badge guides located throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from all nationalities. Languages range from Arabic to Welsh. A total of 30+ languages are offered by our membership. As the largest membership organisation in London and nationally, the Guild works closely with many other regional and local guiding associations, as well as with colleagues in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

7. What are some of the top reasons for using a qualified tourist guide in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

As the recognised ‘gold standard’ in Guiding, qualified Blue and Green Badge guides are often the only guides recognised in some of our most popular attractions and sites including, but not limited to, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London.

8. What are some of the popular places to visit in England and Northern Ireland?

Our membership offers personalised, bespoke tours to some of the most popular sites but also hidden gems. On our website http://www.britainsbestguides.org guests will be inspired by more than 120 tour ideas ranging from The Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, Peaky Blinders locations (TV programme) in Liverpool, royal palaces and noble stately homes, gardens in Kent, pre-historic Stonehenge, industrial heritage sites, the Jurassic Coast in Dorset or a walking tour on the coastline of the Islands of Jersey or the Isle of Man, as well as popular sites such as York Minster, Bath, the Tower of London and the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge.

9. What are some general tips you would give to potential visitors planning a vacation to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

Use a Blue or Green Badge tourist guide to ensure you make the most of your visit. They will help to make your visit memorable for all the right reasons. Think about your interests and what you would like to see or experience during your stay. Plan ahead! Some sites and attractions are booked up weeks or even months in advance. While central London remains the principal gateway for many visitors, don’t underestimate how much more there is to see and do in the wider London area or in other regions of our great country.

10. Where can potential visitors to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland find out more information about the British Guild of Tourist Guides and also find a qualified tourist guide?

Our helpful office team are also here to help source the perfect guide. Contact them via our email [email protected]

Find us and like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/britainsbestguides/

Watch more about us here: https://vimeo.com/212095903

FEG is a member of

CEN-CENELEC,

Europa Nostra

World Travel Market

European Council of the Liberal Professions

In partnership with.

European Network for Accessible Tourism

Tourism Manifesto

European Travel Commission

World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations

Live - Private Guided Tours

Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe

An initiative of the European Commission

July 23, 2020

Covid-19 Guidance for Tour Guiding

In these uncertain times, people considering taking a guided tour in London and beyond may understandably have concerns about their health and safety. But with the UK’s professionally qualified and highly trained Blue Badge Tourist Guides, you will be in extremely capable hands.

As part of their thorough general training, Blue Badge Tourist Guides are experts in effective and sensitive group management techniques, on streets and at tourist sites, churches and museums.  In addition, as members of Guide London/Association of Professional Tourist Guides, they are following the Covid-19 Guidance for Tourist Guides developed in conjunction with the Institute of Tourist Guiding, the British Guild of Tourist Guides,  and the Driver-Guides Association.

Guides who are members of these organisations are expected to abide by this guidance during the Covid-19 crisis.

1. Guides will ensure they are familiar with the most up-to-date public health guidelines and will adhere to these for the duration of the tour.

2. Guides will maintain government-recommended social distancing between themselves and clients at all times. On tours where the group includes different households, guides will encourage and help clients to adopt appropriate social distancing between each other too.

3. When guiding groups from different households, guides will follow government guidance to determine the maximum possible group size.

4. Guides will avoid shaking hands or any other physical contact with clients.

5. Guides will apply rigorous hygiene practices, including thoroughly cleaning and waiting for hands to dry before guiding, and use a personal hand sanitiser when this is not possible.

6. If requested, guides will consider wearing a mask or visor.

7. Badged guides will know where public toilets/hand-washing facilities/hand sanitiser points are available.

8. Remote audio devices (such as Whisper, Vox and various apps) can be effective for social distancing on guided tours. Guides will happily work with tour companies using these systems.

9. Badged guides are experts in the tourist sites they visit with clients. Guides will ensure they are fully aware of sites’ specific Covid-19 requirements and comply with them.

10. Badged guides know the towns and cities where they lead tours intricately. Guides will be familiar with more crowded areas and will make best efforts to negotiate them, or if appropriate, avoid them.

11. Where appropriate, guides will liaise with coach companies and private vehicle companies and drivers to ensure vehicles have been thoroughly sanitised.

Beyond the above, many guides are also getting certified through  Visit Britain’s newly released We’re Good To Go industry standard. This is designed to help offer additional assurance that you will be as safe from transmission risks as possible as the tourism sector reopens.

GUIDE LONDON represents the membership of the Association of Professional Tourist Guides which includes 600+ Blue Badge Tourist Guides in London.

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Heart of england, hello and a very warm welcome from the, heart of england tourist guides....

… Welcome from the Heart of England Tourist Guides. We represent the highest standard of tourist guiding in the Midlands and Cotswolds. Our mission is to give you the best guiding experience your money can buy. To find out where we go and why you should choose a Heart of England guide, read on.

Our local knowledge and experience

For the best stories, ask a local. Our guides live and breathe the Heart of England – our local knowledge will make any trip memorable and entertaining.

Our professional approach

We plan in advance to make sure that everything goes smoothly. If something goes wrong, we will deal with it.

Our familiarity with local conditions and facilities

Need to know the best places to stay? We do. Need to know the best places to eat? We do. Need to know which roads are closed, are impassable, or have weight limits? We do. This means you have complete peace of mind that the trip will go smoothly.

For more information about professional guiding, see:

The British Guild of Tourist Guides and Institute of Tourist Guiding

HIRE LOCAL GUIDES AND DRIVERS

The British tourism industry supports 2.6m jobs across the UK

GOV.UK – Nov 2019

Where is the Heart of England

The Heart of England, “Midlands” includes the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and North Oxfordshire. A coastline is about the only natural feature you won’t find here and whatever the period in English history, the Heart of England will have played a part.

We’ve the largest piece of Roman building remaining in Britain (at Wroxeter) and a Saxon Chapel (Odda’s Chapel at Deerhurst). Want mediaeval castles? How about the stately opulence of Warwick Castle or the romantic ruins of Kenilworth or Ludlow Castles.

Well, you can’t really top having Shakespeare as a local! But just in case that’s not enough, we’ve also given the world David Garrick (Hereford), Samuel Johnson (Lichfield), George Eliot (Nuneaton & Coventry) and Ellis Peters (Shrewsbury) to name but a few.

The “triple jewels” of the Midlands,’ the cathedrals of Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester are as beautiful as any in England. But the unusual baroque of Birmingham, the three spires of Lichfield and Coventry’s emotive old and new together all add to the mix.

Historical set pieces

We were central to the Baron’s War, Wars of the Roses, Gunpowder Plot and the English Civil War and traces of conflicts from the Roman invasion to World War II are here to be discovered.

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© 2023 Heart of England Tourist Guides Association | Heart Of England Tourist Guides Association & OS12 – Working Together

The Association of West Country Tourist Guides

Welcome to the association of westcountry tourist guides.

Established in 1974 and about to celebrate our 50th anniversary on April 1st 2024, The Association of Westcountry Tourist Guides aims to promote tourist guiding services of the highest standard across the South West of England - Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Whether you are looking for a guided walk, a themed tour, a visit to a museum or gallery, conference or incentive travel, coach sight-seeing, tour by private car, boat, train or even helicopter we can assist!

Our South West England qualified tourist guides operate as individuals, having their own guiding style, special interests and sense of humour. Sustainable business for tourist guides operating in South West England is encouraged alongside development of the tourism industry.

Blue Badge Tourist Guides are affiliated to the Institute of Tourist Guiding - ITG - which assures quality of service. To help you choose a suitable tourist guide for your needs members are listed on pages against the qualification they hold. For peace of mind all our members are covered by public liability insurance.

Click here to find a Blue Badge tourist guide

Newsletters and a professional development programme offer AWCTG members the opportunity to sharpen knowledge through lectures and outings in the off season months so that we have the latest views on the locality and remain up to date on what is available for visitors.

The AWCTG is affiliated to the British Guild of Tourist Guides and subscribes to the Institute of Tourist Guiding’s (ITG) standards across the tourist guiding sector.

AWCTG guides are here to help - to use their knowledge and experience of SW England to make your visit enjoyable by giving you a ‘feel’ for our region. When planning a visit to South West England AWCTG members can assist with:-

• Coach Tours
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• Countryside, Town & Coastal Walks
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• Cultural & Sporting Events
• Conferences & Corporate Events
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• Illustrated Talks & Lectures
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Tourist Guides Benevolent Fund

About the Fund

'Tourist guides work in a profession dependent on both a thriving economy and their own physical and mental well being. The current pandemic has taken work away from the majority of guides, many of whom have been excluded from government help. In addition any one of us can suffer an accident, loss of voice or temporary incapacity.  At such times it’s comforting to know that totally confidential support is close at hand.

The Benevolent Fund has been working for over 50 years, helping qualified tourist guides of whatever region or association in time of need.  As a registered charity (Number 211562), the Fund's activities are governed by Rules – details and accounts are published on the Charity Commission website.  The Fund relies for its work not only on investment income but also on donations* from current guides.

The assistance provided is not only financial.  It might be a friendly voice at the end of the phone, an unexpected bunch of flowers at a difficult time, a hospital or home visit, a helper with the shopping, or your hosts at the annual outing for guides that the Fund has helped over the past year.  All of this work quietly goes on, respecting the privacy and confidentiality of the mission of the Benevolent Fund.

Get in Touch

[email protected]

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Fees for Tour Guiding – Talks & Presentations – Training

Tour guiding.

Our tour guiding Fees are based on those quoted by the British Guild of Tourist Guides and the Driver Guides Association.

In order for Guides to be able to take a morning and an afternoon engagement on the same day, morning tours are expected to finish by 1300 and afternoon engagements are not expected, in general, to start before 1330, to allow for adequate transit time for the Guide.

The fees negotiated will vary from client to client. Higher rates may be agreed for customised tours, or tours that require a good deal of reconnaissance, for specialist knowledge, or because of a client’s or tour operator’s particular requirements.

Tour Guiding Fees fall under two categories 1) Driver Guiding, 2) coach guiding and walking tours.

Driver Guiding

Fees : As members of the Driver Guide Association our Fees are based on the current DGA Fee scale https://www.driver-guides.org.uk/fees.html Fees are dependent on start and finish locations and are a per vehicle (not per person) Fee.

They are inclusive of parking, road tolls & congestion charges but excludes client travel literature, client refreshments, entry fees etc.

Payment : A 10% deposit is required on booking and the balance payment is required at least 14 days prior to the tour. Payment can be made by Bank transfer, (or by Paypal, in which case a minimum transaction fee will be added). An invoice with bank details will be provided when a confirmed booking is received.

Guided Coach and Walking Tours

The following is based on ‘Step on guides’. Coach Hire Fees are subject to separate negotiation where applicable.

Guiding Fees : Our Fees are based on the current British Guild of Tourist Guides Fee scale and our fee for arranging guides for your tour. Guide Fees – British Guild of Tourist Guides

Payment : A 10% deposit is required on booking and the balance payment is required at least 14 days prior to the tour. Payment can be made by Bank transfer, (or by Paypal, in which case a 2.5% – 4% transaction fee will be added). An invoice with bank details will be provided when a confirmed booking is received.

Cancellation Terms:

By the client : Should the hirer wish to cancel any Guiding arrangement; the company reserves the right to charge a cancellation fee for any cancellation made within 30 days of the tour date on the following scale.

• 30 – 14 days prior to tour date: 10% of full tour price
• 13 – 7 days: prior to tour date: 50% of full tour price
• 6 – 1 days: prior to tour date: 100% of full tour price

Where government restrictions are in place within the above periods, these terms may be adjusted to reflect short-term special arrangements in relation to the Covid Pandemic

By the Company : In the event of any emergency, riot, civil commotion, strike, lock out, stoppage or restraint of labour or on the happening of any event over which the Company has no control (including adverse weather and road conditions) or in the event of the Hirer taking any action to vary agreed conditions unilaterally, the Company may, by returning all money paid and without further or other liability, cancel the contract.

Talks, Presentations, Heritage Guide and Speaker training.

Fees & Terms are subject to negotiation and are dependent upon services required.