Tourist Guide Institute offers both full time and online courses to individuals who want to become registered tour guides and/or tour operators in South Africa.

WHY USE TOURIST GUIDE INSTITUTE?

We are Cathsseta accredited.

Covid-19 and POPIA compliant.

We are the oldest and most experienced tour guide training institution in Cape Town.

We are an amalgamation of the previous Cape Guide Training and Tourist Guide Institute giving our students the best of both companies.

Our courses are uniquely 45% theory and 55% practical including a full day wine course.

We specialise in training tour guides for large groups as well as driver/guides for smaller groups.

We are active tour operators as well as guides with up to date experience.

Our initial course covers 5 sub-regions of the Western Cape with an option to incorporate the rest within the cost of the course.

We administer extension exams towards being able to guide nationally.

From 2021 we also offer online tour operating courses.

TGI is a member of Cape Town Tourism.

Take the first step towards your new career!

To be a tourist guide you must have a love for this country, be able to work with people and have a desire to learn more about South Africa. Learners must be able to work hard and have access to a computer. Non-RSA residents must be in possession of a valid work or residence permit before they will be registered as a tourist guide.  All learners must be able to communicate in basic English. The full time courses are 2 weeks (10 days) long made up of theoretical and practical training. Thereafter there is a period of 6 weeks in which to complete the set Unit Standards Assessments and a written examination at the end. The training is provided by accredited tourist guides who have the experience and expertise. Our Online Courses are 8 weeks long, offering lectures in the form of videos and then end with 5 days face to face practicals. In order to work as a Tourist Guide a person must be registered with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). Every province has a Registrar of Tourist Guides. In the case of the Western Cape the registrar falls under the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT). DEAT stipulates that the potential Tourist Guide must successfully complete a Tourist Guiding Course with a CATHSSETA accreted training provider. Tourist Guide Institute has CATHSSETA Accreditation and B-BBEE Level 4 status. Once the potential Tour Guide is in possession of a Tourist Guiding Certificate he/she can register as a tourist guide with DEAT for the area indicated on the certificate. Additional areas/provinces can be added to a tourist guide’s qualification/s after the successful completion of an exam on the additional area/s. The South African tourist guiding industry is controlled by the Tourism Act (Act no. 72 of 1993 + the Tourism Amendment Bill 2001) and states that no person who has not been registered as a tourist guide shall, for reward, act as a tourist guide. Note: The Act furthermore stipulates that tour guides must renew registration every three years and that prospective tourist guides should complete a prescribed training course at an accredited training institution approved by CATHSSETA (Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality & Sports Education & Training Authority).

What do I need to register as a tourist guide?

1. Register online https://www.westerncape.gov.za/service/registration-tourist-guide
2. Certified copy of ID document / Passport and Work Permit, Resident Permit, Refugee Status Document
3. Certified copy of your First Aid Certificate (Level 1)
4. Certified copy of the Wine Certificate (optional)
5. Certified copy of Tourist Guide Institute Certificate (or other accredited provider)
6. Certified Cathsseta Certificate or Cathsseta Letter of Competence
7.  Colour ID size photograph
8. Certified copy of SA driver’s license and PDP (if you have one
9. Certified copy of Highest Education Qualification
10. Proficiency Language certificate (Should you apply to guide through the medium of another language besides English or any other official languages in RSA)
11. R240 Registration Fee or R30 in the case of an extension