Report on International Tourist Guide Day 2000

International Tourist Guide Day 2000

Blue Badge promoted on BA London Eye

Read the Observer's report on ITGD 1999

AS PART OF THE ITGD PROGRAMME, APTG member Judy Pulley guided a group of 10 and 11 year olds from Wellington Primary School in Bow on a panoramic tour through London for a ride on the BA London Eye, which the children loved. There, the group were to have been met by Susan Kramer, the Lib Dem mayoral candidate. However, there was a last minute change of plan and Ms. Kramer and press, together with a BBC film crew, arrived at the school to join Judy on her tour! Needless to say, Judy rose to the occasion and they had nothing but praise for her ability to keep her young audience's attention. They were also impressed by the standard of the Anderson's coach and the professionalism of Patrick, the driver.

Susan Kramer is now aware how important the Blue Badge is for quality tourism in London and the rest of the country and APTG received coverage in Metro and the local east London press.

The Aquarium and the Hall of Fame were kind enough to offer free entrance to anyone wanting an alternative to the Eye.

The Blue Badge received good publicity on London's local radio thanks to our two guide-broadcasters, Diane Burstein and Marc Belben who both have regular radio spots covering tourism.

Several colleagues, both APTG and GRTG members, gave their time to offer free walking tours to the general public of:

Soho, Primrose Hill, Greenwich, the Albert Memorial, Royal Palaces, Clerkenwell and the City

Other guides provided free tours to various groups. Here are some examples:

Staff from the German Embassy (including the First Secretary, 2nd in command to the ambassador) visited Docklands.

Senior citizens from the St. Martin in the Fields International Club went on a tour to Hampton Court, where they were generously offered free entrance.

2 tours of St. Paul's in German for the general public and one for VIPs from some of the German banks in the City. The Cathedral was kind enough to allow them in free of charge.

Tower of London staff were taken to Cambridge for the day.

Senior citizens from Wimbledon were given a guided panoramic tour of London, via Hampton Court, Windsor and Westminster (to see the Eye).

School children were taken on a tour of London with a ride along the Thames.

Members of the Kensington and Chelsea National Trust Association discovered just how much they could learn in their own backyard with a walking tour of Chelsea.

Many of these events are only possible thanks to the coach companies who are generous enough to offer their services free of charge:

Anderson, Armchair, Brentons, Cavalier, Epsom, Tellings Golden Miller.