Tour guide

A tour guide (U.S.) or a tourist guide (European) is a person who provides assistance, and information on cultural, historical and contemporary heritage to people on organized sightseeing and individual clients at educational establishments, religious and historical sites such as; museums, and at various venues of tourist attraction resorts.

These trips include hiking, whitewater rafting, mountaineering, alpine climbing, rock climbing, ski and snowboarding in the backcountry, fishing, and biking.

[3] The CEN (European Committee for Standardization) definition for "tourist guide" – part of the work by CEN on definitions for terminology within the tourism industry – is a "person who guides visitors in the language of their choice and interprets the cultural and natural heritage of an area, which person normally possesses an area-specific qualification usually issued and/or recognized by the appropriate authority".

Non-licensed guides caught performing guide-interpreter activities can face a fine of up to 500,000 Yen[9] In India it is mandatory to have a license approved by the Ministry of Tourism (India) to work officially as a tourist guide.

[10] In South Africa tourist guides are required to register in terms of the Tourism Act 3, 2014.