International Tourist Guide Day 2001

21 February 2001

Read the report on ITGD 2000
Read the Observer's report on ITGD 1999

EVERY YEAR ON 21 FFEBRUARY, registered tourist guides around the world organise free events to celebrate International Tourist Guide Day. Some of these tours are run for anyone who turns up, others are organised for special groups. International Tourist Guide Day is a worldwide event - on the same day, all around the world, tourist guides are doing something for their communities.

Here are some of the activities organised by APTG members:

Some members followed the spirit of International Tourist Guide Day by helping groups within their community...

• Liz du Parcq took a group of children and their helpers from one of the lowest income housing estates in south London on a visit to the Tower of London. These children almost never have the opportunity to take part in such outings, and they thoroughly enjoyed their visit. The London Borough of Lambeth provided the coach and community organisations paid the entrance fees.
• Chris Moreau-Feodorov and Alla Butterwick took a group of west London school children and their parents to Westminster.
• Barabara Pukwana took the International Club of St Martin in the Fields to Oxford for the day. The club is composed of senior citizens who do a lot of fund raising for St Martin in the Fields' charities. Christchurch College in Oxford was generous enough to offer the group free entry.
• Sue Gil took a Jewish study group interested in Anglo-Jewish history on a tour of the National Portrait Gallery.

Other APTG members felt it appropriate to promote good relations within the tourism industry by showing people involved in other areas of the industry exactly what we do, and how much we appreciate the good working relationship we enjoy with them...

• Freda Bates and Blue Badge colleague Ian Godfrey took the volunteers and some of the marshalls from Westminster Abbey on a visit to Tilbury Fort and other historic sites in Thurrock. This event was supported by local MP Andrew Mackinlay. The event was covered by Meridian TV.
• In order to demonstrate APTG's appreciation of the support it receives from MSF MPs and Peers, APTG invited MSF Members in the House of Commons and the House of Lords on a tour of Westminster Abbey which Judy Pulley was kind enough to guide, and for which the Abbey generously offered free entrance.
• Rosamund Forrester thought it time that coach drivers had a chance to visit one of the sites to which they are always bringing clients, but which they never have chance to see for themselves, and she took them on a tour of the Tower of London.

In 2001, several members ran free tours for the general public...

• "The Financial City" by Muriel Jones
• "The City of Dickens and Shakespeare" by Sue Jackson
• "Chelsea" by Alan Cross and Richard Palmer

These tours, together with tours run by other Blue Badge Guides, were promoted by Time Out and on local London radio. Thus raising raising media awareness and an appreciation amongst the general public of the work we do.
Free coaches were provided by Epsom, Cavalier and Armchair.
APTG members ran these events within the context of other International Tourist Guide Day activities organised by other Blue Badge Guides in London and the rest of England, and other registered professional tourist guides around the world.