Why is there a need to use a qualified local Guide in Italy? Italy is heralded around the world for its beauty archaeology, art, architecture and history - for a foreigner, it is a pleasure to visit.
Tourism is one of its major industries. To make the most of your visit, it could be a good idea to use a professional guide. There are a number of criteria that need to be met in order to be a qualified guide. You need to have passed a difficult exam, be Italian (that is, be born in Italy or have
Italian Citizenship), live within the region in which you took the exam, have civil and political rights, obtained the minimum school leaving qualifications and are without a criminal record. A medical certificate is also required to demonstrate a good physical and mental state. The exam consists of a written and an oral test on the history of Italy, especially in the local region, geography, tourism legislation and the local economy (agriculture, factories, local produce and craftsmanship) so that you can explain about the local monuments, museums, churches, and archaeological sites, and be proficient in the local customs. In addition, you must speak a minimum of one foreign language to be a guide.
Italy is divided into twenty regions and each region provides its own guide who is allowed to work only in their local region. Therefore a guide from Rome is forbidden to guide in Pompeii and vice versa, according to the law. The authorities can always stop the group and check that the guide, tour manager or driver is qualified, and if not, they risk being prosecuted under Italian law. This is why a professional always wears his or her identity badge and number which provides the customer with the relevant information to file a complaint, if need be.