The Blue Badge, awarded by the London Tourist Board and the Regional
Tourist Boards, guarantees that the holder has been officially trained,
examined and registered and is able to communicate his/her extensive knowledge
in an interesting and entertaining way.
 | The Blue Badge is the qualification of the UK's professional, registered
tourist guides. |
| The first Blue Badges were awarded to tourist guides who were trained
for the Festival of Britain in 1951. |
| There are now around 2,000 Blue Badge guides in England and Wales,
just over half of whom are London-based. |
| Blue Badge guides work in over 40 languages in coaches, in cars,
on foot and on site. |
| Blue Badge guides are the only guides (other than in-house people)
authorised to guide in the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's
Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, Spencer House, Oxford
and Cambridge Colleges, Shakespeare Birthplace, York Minster, Palace
of Holyrood House and Edinburgh Castle. |
| Their training normally lasts eighteen months with eight rigorous
written and practical examinations. |
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