Our Association

Founding
The Heidelberg Association of Tourist Guides (HDGV) was founded in 1982 under the name of Heidelberger Fremdenführerverein.

November 2014: Group photo on the terrasse of Castle Heidelberg

Membership
Today the Association comprises some 143 members, who offer tours in a total of 22 languages. Guides who work in connection with the Heidelberg Association of Tourist Guides give tours in Heidelberg and the surrounding areas.

Objectives
 - To represent the vocational and professional interests of its members vis-à-vis the  funding agencies and tourism organizations of the city.
 - To further the continuing education of its members through advanced training courses.
 - To provide a platform for contacts and the exchange of experiences between tourist   guides.
 - To offer relevant and current information to its members on a regular basis through the internal post of the Association and its paper, Heidel-Guide.
 - To expand and up-date the Theme Tour program of its members.
 - To co-determine the tourist guide qualifying course in accordance with the new guide-lines of the Federal Association of German Tourist Guides (BVGD), as per DIN EN 15565, the first officially certified tourist guide training program in Germany.
 - To establish contacts and cooperative endeavors with other tourist guide associations on a regional and national level.

How do I become a Tourist Guide?
In Heidelberg, the local Office of Tourism (Heidelberg Marketing GmbH) joins with the Heidelberg Association of Tourist Guides to conduct the course of instruction for new guides. The training comprises an extensive course of several months' duration, and culminates, after a successfully completed, three-part examination, in the presentation of an official diploma.
This course provides the tourist guide's basic education. After a number of years of guiding and participation in further training courses, the guide may acquire the BVGD-Certificate, based on European guide-lines and a uniform qualifying concept (DIN EN 15556).

International Tourist Guide Day

The International Tourist Guide Day takes place on February 23 and 24, 2019.
In Germany, the National Association of Tourist Guides selects each year a nation-wide theme which serves as a motto for special tours and activities in all participating cities.

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