Study Guide for the Professional Tour Guide License

The City of New Orleans requires all tour guides giving for-profit tours to pass a test on the history, culture and tour regulations in order to obtain a license. The test is administered by the city on a regular basis. The license always comes in the form of a plastic photo ID tag to be worn when giving tours. The tag is valid for a period of two years.Many people want this information so they can give intelligent tours to family and friends. Here is your resource. You don't need a license to tell friends or family about this awesome city. This book, STUDY GUIDE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL TOUR GUIDE is a text designed to prepare persons to take the city test or give tours to friends. It was written by Dr. William C. Norris who taught the Professional Tour Guiding Class for years at Delgado Community College. He is the author of DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS: True Stories of a Fabled City. The study guide includes the recent city regulations, recommended readings, important dates and important people pertaining to the city's history and culture. Basic etiquette, safety and group management are explained. Dr. Norris' classic French Quarter walking tour is included as a self-guided tour as a learning tool and to provide a personal experience in touring the city. The French Quarter is a world travel destination and its stories are the core of most any type of tour city-wide. This book introduces exciting people from the past: explorers, founders, self-seeking rogues, pirates, slaves, spies, battle seasoned military officers, pirates, politicians, and voodoo practitioners, plus philanthropists, missionaries and good people trying to do the right thing. People like Madame Pontalba who survived a point-blank murder attempt on her life before leaving New Orleans with a legacy in brick and mortar. Dr. Norris' included recommended readings are a gateway for expanding into a knowledge of characters and culture that made the city legendary.Two institutions provide classroom training. They are the Friends of the Cabildo, a nonprofit organization that supports the State of Louisiana's Cabildo Museum, and Delgado Community College. Both administer tests that are approved by the city for licensing. This city's past, people, culture, chefs and cuisine are legendary. Savor them here.