Quality guiding requires intense preparation, detailed local and general knowledge, great care and attention for the audience, but most importantly enthusiasm and the skill to let others share in it. It is hard work organising and fronting an escorted tour in Europe - but it has to look easy...
In recognition of the role of guiding, the British travel magazine Wanderlust has just opened nominations for its 2012 World Guide Awards. The awards were established in 2005 in memory of the magazine's co-founder, Paul Morrison, who regarded the guides who lead escorted tours as the "unsung heroes of the travel industry", the very people who bring the sights and sites, wherever they be, to life for travellers. The Award is unique: nominations can only be made by the travelling public, any guide in the world can be suggested, and the final deliberations are made by a panel of travel experts and journalists. In recent years, the panel has included the writer Bill Bryson, the director Michael Palin and the zoologist/photographer Mark Cawardine.
If you have recently experienced a great guide, wherever you have travelled, ideally on one of our own gulet cruises or escorted tours in Turkey, Greece or Italy, please nominate them here.
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