Unlike many European countries, Norway up to now has not considered tour guides as professionals, and anyone could set themselves up as a guide except in local areas that set requirements of their own. That’s about to change.
Norway is planning regulations for tour guides, as its government promised when it took office in 2021, and in response to complaints, some from customers and some from the official tourism promotion office, about guides who lacked basic knowledge or actually provided misinformation.
Accurate communication, risk assessment and first aid knowledge are the areas being prioritised in formulating policy for national guidelines. Norway’s government will make the official proposal for the introduction of national certification in December.
