Registration as a Tourist Guide
DESCRIPTION:
tourist guide badge and card
All tourist guides need to register as a tour guide (Tourism Second Amendment Act No. 70, 2000)

Visitors to the Western Cape/South Africa are encouraged to make use of registered tour guides. Registered guides are bound by the Tourism Act which requires them to be suitably qualified and to act professionally in their clients' lawful best interest.

Before you can register, you must complete tourist guide training, through an accredited training organisation.

If you intend to be contracted or employed as a tour guide by a company, close corporation or tour operator, you must be registered with the Tourist Guide Registration Office of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Western Cape.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Basic steps for registration as a tourist guide in the Western Cape:

TRAINING

Get training as a tourist guide from any accredited trainer.In order to make sure you're able to register as a Tourist Guide, you are responsible for making sure that you train through an accredited trainer. A full list of Trainers and Assessors can be obtained on the THETA (Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority) website www.theta.org.za or you may enquire with the Tourist Guide Registration Office.

REGISTRATION

Once training is complete, you must register with the Tourist Guide Registration Office at the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (Waldorf Building, St Georges Mall, Cape Town) where you will be issued with a unique tourist guide number (WC number), tourist guide badge and ID card.

In order to register you need are required to supply the following information:

  • Completed and signed application form, specifying the type of registration.
  • Signed original of the Code of Conduct and Ethics.
  • Certified copy of Proof of Assessment from the THETA accredited Assessor/Training Provider
  • Certified copy of a Training Certificate from the THETA accredited Training Provider/Assessor.
  • Certified copy of a THETA certificate (this will be provided to you by THETA).
  • Certified copy of your South African ID/passport/a Permanent Residence or a valid Work Permit allowing you to work as a Tourist Guide.
  • Certified copies of all tourist guiding and related qualifications.

  • A valid and certified First Aid Certificate (trainers should be registered with the Department of Labour).
  • Certified copy of proof of language proficiency for each foreign language in which tours will be conducted (ie. a letter from an authority stating that you can speak a language and/or that you are able to guide in a particular language).

  • Four Passport size colour photos (print name at the back of the photos).

  • The registration fee of R240.00 per person, (all cheques payable to the Department of Economic Development).

Cashier's Office:
The Ground Floor, NBS Waldorf Building,
80 St Georges Mall, Cape Town.
Open Monday to Fridays from 08:00 to 15:00 (closed from 12:30 to 13:30 each day).

MARKETING

Once you have been trained, assessed and registered, you will need to market yourself as a registered tourist guide by contacting tour operators for work.


CONTACT DETAILS





Uveshnee Ragavan (Registrar: Tourist Guides)
Tourist Guide Registration Office
Ground Floor, St. George's Mall
80 Waldorf Building, Cape Town
Tel: 021 483 8734
Fax: 021 483 2957
registrar@pgwc.gov.za


Queries regarding ID cards or badges

Vorena Rudolph
Ground Floor, St. George's Mall
80 Waldorf Building, Cape Town
Open Monday to Fridays from 08:00 to 15:00
Tel: 021 483 3012
Fax: 021 483 2957
vrudolph@pgwc.gov.za

Queries regarding the process for re-registrations and notification of change of address or contact details

Gareth Baaitjies
Ground Floor, St. George's Mall
80 Waldorf Building, Cape Town
Tel: 021 483 2960
Fax: 021 483 8754
lmaqashu@pgwc.gov.za

Training Programmes

Linah Maqashu
Ground Floor, St. George's Mall
80 Waldorf Building, Cape Town
Tel: 021 483 2960
Fax: 021 483 2957
lmaqashu@pgwc.gov.za

Queries or comments regarding the newsletter

Leigh Pollio
Ground Floor, St. George's Mall
80 Waldorf Building, Cape Town
Tel: 021 483 9130
Fax: 021 483 2957
lpollio@pgwc.gov.za
PROVIDED BY:
GOVERNMENT BODY:
Tourist Guide Registration (Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Western Cape Government)
PRICE:
The registration fee of R240.00 per person, (all cheques payable to the Department of Economic Development and Tourism).
The content on this page was last updated on 9 November 2011