Designed by Mark “The Tourfather” Levy and Gideon Levy of NYC Gangster Tours, and orchestrated by Dahlia Lopez Ramsay of The Levys’ Unique New York!, the Tour Guide Academy is your introduction into the NYC tourism industry!
The course consists of one-time 2.5 hour seminar session followed by a one-time practicum where you will individually follow a licensed, professional NYC Tour Guide on a group “step-on” coach tour to get a theoretical and practical understanding of the profession as it is most typically performed.
The course is planned to re-occur the last Thursday of every month but is subject to change. EMAIL US FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE SCHEDULE.
The course is $150 (fully tax deductible as an educational expense) and you can purchase your ticket HERE
The seminar group-learning session will be held at the Starbucks on Park Row and Beekman Street, just east of City Hall Park.
Here we will:
- Engage in a NYC history-themed “get-to-know-you” game
- Review the best way to research and condense the NYC History and Content you learn into engaging and exciting tour “bits”
- Review the Department of Consumer Affairs’ licensing and practice test
- Write and practice personalized tour “bits” in the area of City Hall
- Use of guiding tools and accessories
- Review of the tour industry and the types of tours/tour companies you will be looking at for employment, or starting your own tour business.
- Extensive Q&A
The practicum will allow you to accompany a seasoned NYC Tour Guide on a group step-on bus/walking tour of Manhattan where we will focus on:
- Tour crowd management
- Practicing tour bits along with on-the-street style and technique
Following the completion of the course, will be an introduction to the NYC Guides Association (GANYC) which meets the first Wednesday of every month somewhere in the 5 boroughs.
Ultimately, this course is an introduction to a career and community in which you can consistently learn from your peers and colleagues as you build your own professional network within the vast tour guiding community.
Additionally, a previous graduate of the TGA has created a TGA graduate and DCA licensing study Facebook group that we will invite you all to join, continually growing our community of new guides and guides-in-training.
“I took the Consumer Affairs Licensing test and got a GOLD STAR!!!!! So excited!!! Had to ask the guy to repeat the results 3 times and wasn’t sure whether to cry from happiness or hug the guy.” — Nima Beckie. TGA Grad 2014.
“Passed my exam today! 136 out of 150 
Now the real reading begins!” — Deborah Price. TGA Grad 2014.
Please email [email protected] with any questions.
