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Welcome to SFTGG Membership!

Joining the San Francisco Tour Guide Guild opens doors to a vibrant community of like-minded individuals passionate about San Francisco. As a member, you gain access to exclusive resources, networking opportunities, and a wealth of benefits tailored to support your professional growth.


Why Join the Guild?

  • Networking Opportunities: Connect with professionals and enthusiasts in your field, exchange ideas, and forge valuable partnerships that can enhance your career or personal projects.
  • Exclusive Resources: Gain access to a curated library of resources, including articles, tutorials, and forums crafted by experts in your domain.
  • Professional Development: Elevate your skills and knowledge through training tours designed to empower your Bay Area knowledge.

Membership Benefits:

  • Member Directory: Showcase your profile in our member directory, allowing others to find and connect with you easily.
  • Exclusive Events: Gain access to members-only events, meetups, and gatherings.
  • Recognition: Become a Certified Tour Guide, signaling your commitment to excellence. Learn more about the Certification Program here.

How to Join:

Becoming a member of Guild is easy! Simply use this form. Once your application has been approved, you'll receive a warm welcome from our community and immediate access to all the benefits membership entails.

Welcome to Friends of the Guild!

Friends of the Guild is an exclusive membership program designed for individuals who share our passion for San Francisco but are not tour guides. By joining Friends of the Guild, you become an essential part of our community, supporting our mission and gaining access to various exciting benefits.

Why Join Friends of the Guild?

  • Support: Your membership directly contributes to the growth and sustainability of the Guild's initiatives, helping us continue to serve our community and foster creativity and excellence in tourism in the Bay Area.
  • Engagement: Connect with excellent tour guides
  • Access: Enjoy special access to select Guild events and programs.

Benefits:

  • Invitations: Receive invitations to Friends of the Guild events, gatherings, and receptions, where you can network with like-minded individuals and learn from leaders in the field.
  • Updates: Stay informed with regular newsletters and updates highlighting exciting developments within the Guild and San Francisco.

How to Join:

Becoming a Friend of the Guild is a simple yet impactful way to contribute to our mission and connect with a community of passionate individuals. Member Signup. Your membership will be greatly appreciated and will help us continue our efforts to inspire, educate, and empower.

 


Becoming a Member

If you are considering a career change and are interested in learning about Tour Guiding as a Career, click on that link.

If you wish to become a member of the San Francisco Tour Guide Guild, join us using the online application. Your online application will be reviewed and when it is approved, you will receive an email with login instructions. At that point, you will be asked to pay the appropriate membership dues. Membership in the Guild is for one year and must be renewed annually.

Please note: Once you become a member, your contact information will be made available to other Guild members unless you opt out, but it is not provided to anyone outside of the organization. We have a separate external directory where you can create a profile so that employers can find you. 

Tour Guide Membership Information

Certified and Associate Members

Any person who:

  1. has been accepted by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees;
  2. agrees to abide by the Guild’s Code of Ethics & Professional Standards;
  3. currently resides or works in or about the San Francisco Bay Area as a tour guide or tour escort;
  4. agrees to actively pursue continuing education by attending two Guild events annually, with non-compliance resulting in a non-active membership status. These members will be dropped from the current job referral list.
  5. has dues paid current.

Certified Member

In addition to the above:

  1. has passed all parts of the Guild’s Certification Examination;
  2. has documented the required tours/hours of experience;
  3. has demonstrated compliance with the Guild’s Code of Ethics & Professional Standards during a minimum of one year (12 months) membership in the Guild.

For more information on becoming a Certified member, please visit the Certification Page.

Associate Membership 

  1. has submitted membership application and has two professional references checked and approved by the membership committee;

Membership Dues

Dues are $80 for the first year and $75 after that. Application fees and dues are subject to change by the Board of Trustees.


Benefits of membership include:

  1. Online access to the complete membership directory.
  2. Participation in general business and special meetings.
  3. Professional contacts through networking.
  4. Exposure to employers through the Guild’s external members directory, which is available to the general public, plus special access to tour-related businesses that are Business Friends of the SFTGG.
  5. Subscription to the Guild’s newsletter, The Guidepost.
  6. Industry updates through email and forums.
  7. Invitations to attend educational programs and events.
  8. Various industry discounts.
  9. Membership in the National Federation of Tour Guide Associations (NFTGA), including the opportunity to purchase liability insurance.
  10. Upon Certification, the option to be listed in the Guild’s Directory of Certified Guides and to receive preference for referrals for work assignments.

Rights

  1. Certified and Associate Members may vote in elections for Trustees and on other Guild business at its semi-annual membership meetings or special membership meetings.
  2. Certified members may use all Guild facilities and services, use the title “Certified Tour Guide,” use the initials “CTG” after their name, and use the Guild emblem on their business cards.

Business and Individual Friends of the Guild Membership Information

The San Francisco Tour Guide Guild offers two types of membership to non-guides: Business Friend and Individual Friend.

Members in the Friends of the Guild categories include Destination Management Companies, Tour Operators, Motorcoach and Limousine Companies, Meeting Planners, Cruise & Sail Charters, and others in the tourism and convention industry.

Friend of the Guild

  1. has been accepted by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees.
  2. is any business or individual that supports the goals of the Guild.
  3. has dues paid current.

Membership Dues

The application for a new individual friend of the guild is $100.00. Each year thereafter dues are $100.00.  Application fees and dues are subject to change by the Board of Trustees.



Join Us


Benefits of membership include:

  1. Subscription to the Guild’s newsletter, The Guidepost.
  2. A complete membership list.
  3. Participation in general business meetings.
  4. Professional contacts through networking.
  5. Industry updates through E-mail.
  6. Invitation to attend educational programs and events.
  7. Membership in the National Federation of Tour Guide Associations (NFTGA).