Licensed tourist guides

The high level of skills among tourism personnel in Slovenia is reflected in the high-quality and diverse range of services for tourists, in the technical staff employed by tourism and catering service providers, and most of all in the tourist guides. These are the people with whom you can experience Slovenia. These are the people who know how to look after you, to listen to what you want and to free you from organisational and other hassles related to travel. Experiencing Slovenia with a tourist guide is an extra that is well worth the investment.
 

Only with a license
 

The job of tourist guide cannot be done in Slovenia by people who for instance regard travel as a hobby or who just think that knowing the local environment and being generally aware is sufficient qualification. In Slovenia tourist guides are only those who have passed a tough professional exam in tourist guiding at the Slovenian Chamber of Tourism and Catering, and they can prove this with a tourist guide ID card. It is your right to ask a guide about this license and his or her experience, and in this way you will be contributing to the joint efforts for the highest level of
tourist guiding in Slovenia.
 
There are practically no travel agents that employ unlicensed guides, since the controls are strict and high fines are imposed for violations.
 
In Slovenia there are 950 licensed tourist guides and 700 accompanying assistants. The Slovenian Chamber of Tourism and Catering keeps a list of tourist guides and accompanying assistants holding a state license. On this list you can find the guide who will be best able to present the specific destination in Slovenia.
 

Local tourist guides

In Slovenia there are also tourist guides who are trained to guide people in very limited areas, such as in cities. For this no state license is required. The level of difficulty in qualifying as a guide rises depending on the popularity of the destination. If there are no guided tours established for a given location in Slovenia, you can find a tourist guide with the help of the local tourist information centre.

Mountain guides

Guiding in the Slovenian mountains, which is something on which with the right action lives can depend, can only be provided by qualified mountain guides licensed by the Association of Mountain Guides of Slovenia. Acquiring a license is extremely difficult and takes several years, so you can be sure that the mountain guides are people who know how to properly ensure your safety.
 

Guiding work within the EU

Slovenia is a Member State of the European Union, and European regulations permit tourist guiding in other Member States, so foreign tourist guides from other countries can guide in Slovenia. The established practice, however, is still for large organised groups, including those with their own guide, to hire a local guide upon arrival.