CALLING ALL STORYTELLERS: YORKSHIRE BLUE BADGE TOURIST GUIDE TRAINING RETURNS AFTER 12-YEAR HIATUS

• First training course since 2014 opens applications to train Yorkshire’s next generation of professional tour guides.

• Organisers issue call for recruits across Yorkshire, alongside multi-lingual locals, to meet a growing international tourism demand.

From ancient Roman roads and Viking legends to helicopter tours over the Dales, Yorkshire’s tourism industry is searching for its next cohort of flagship storytellers. For the first time in over a decade, official Blue Badge Tourist Guide training has returned to Yorkshire, opening up rare opportunities for locals to swap traditional office jobs for a career showcasing the region’s heritage to the world.

The qualification – considered the gold standard in international tourism guiding – has not been offered in Yorkshire since 2014. Organisers are now hunting for passionate storytellers, local history buffs, and people looking for a new career to step up as the new faces of God’s Own Country.

The programme is actively seeking applicants from across Yorkshire, applicants from South and West Yorkshire are encouraged to apply, alongside locals fluent in second languages, to help welcome an increasingly diverse international audience.

“Yorkshire has an extraordinary story to tell, but telling it well takes genuine craft,” says Sarah Cowling, Course Director and Blue Badge Tour Guide. “A great guide doesn’t just list facts – they make people laugh, see a familiar landscape differently, and give visitors a memory they’ll talk about for years. You don’t need a history degree to do this. We’re looking for personality, enthusiasm, and a deep love for the region.”

“Being a Blue Badge Guide is one of the most varied jobs in the world – one day you’re taking a coach across the Dales, the next you’re leading a private tour through York Minster,” says Sarah. “We want this cohort to reflect Yorkshire itself: curious, full of history and welcoming.”

The accredited course – run by the British Guild of Tourist Guides – combines practical coach and walking tour training, deep historical studies, and business masterclasses to help graduates launch successful freelance careers.

Recruits will qualify for the York Green Badge by summer 2027, allowing them to earn while completing their full Yorkshire Blue Badge qualification.

Could you be the next face of Yorkshire?

You don’t need to be a historian or an experienced tour guide to apply. What matters is curiosity, commitment, excellent communication skills and a genuine passion for Yorkshire and its stories.

Students should expect approximately 10 hours of private study each week, alongside taught sessions, site visits and practical training.
The course starts in January 2027.
Applications are now open and close on Friday 9 October 2026.

Find out more and apply

www.yorkshiresbestguides.co.uk
training@yorkshiresbestguides.co.uk
Yorkshire Blue Badge Tourist Guide Training Course