Hello and thank you for your question about the procedure for becoming a tour guide in Italy as someone who holds a tour guide license from another country and an undergraduate degree in archaeology.
Firstly, it's important to note that the requirements for becoming a licensed tour guide in Italy can vary based on the region and city where you wish to work. However, in general, to become a licensed tour guide in Italy, you will need to meet certain qualifications and go through a specific process.
The first step is to contact the
Ministry of Tourism or the regional tourist board where you wish to work to inquire about the specific requirements for obtaining a tour guide license. You will be required to provide documentation of your qualifications, such as proof of your tour guide license from another country and your undergraduate degree in archaeology.
Once you have provided the necessary documentation, you may be required to take an exam to demonstrate your knowledge of the specific region and its history, art, and culture. This exam may be administered by the regional tourist board, and may include both written and oral components.
After passing the exam, you may also be required to complete a certain amount of supervised practice as a tour guide, either through an institution or tourist office, or by working alongside an experienced tour guide. This will help you gain practical experience and ensure that you are familiar with the specific region and its attractions and history.
Once you have completed the necessary requirements, you should be able to obtain your tour guide license and begin working as a licensed tour guide in Italy.
It's important to note that the process for obtaining a tour guide license in Italy can be complex, and the specific requirements can vary based on your qualifications and the region where you wish to work. Therefore, it's recommended that you contact the relevant authorities.
After submitting the application form, the relevant office verifies the completeness of the documentation, informs the applicant, and, in the case of a positive assessment, publishes the corresponding recognition decree within the established timeframe (within three months from the receipt of complete documentation) .
The recognition decrees are then sent to the interested parties and to the regions for the organization of the compensatory measure necessary for obtaining the Italian license. They are also published on the institutional website of the Ministry of Tourism in the section dedicated (Elenco delle guide turistiche riconosciute dal Ministero del Turismo (Anno 2023).
This means that the compensatory activity that the candidate must perform is indicated in the same decree.
Here you can read a recognition decree (which means that the documentation was all okay) that specifies in Article 2 the compensatory measure:
Ministry of Tourism General Directorate for Planning and Tourism Policies
DECREE:
Article 1
Mrs. XXXXXXXXX, a Greek citizen born in Greece on XXXXXX, is recognized as having the professional title, referred to in the preamble, as a qualifying title for access to and exercise in Italy of the profession of national tourist guide in the languages: Greek /Italian/English.
Article 2
The recognition referred to in the previous Art. 1 is subject to the passing of a compensatory measure, as the training received concerns substantially different subjects from those covered by the required training title in Italy. This compensatory measure will be organized by the Lazio Region - Regional Tourism Agency - Via Parigi 11 - Rome, the chosen territorial area of the interested party, and will be identified in agreement with the Region, in an oral test or alternatively in a 6- month internship. In case of an unfavorable final evaluation, the test can be repeated; if the test results are positive, the Lazio Region will issue to Mrs. Bourmpoulia Andriana a certificate of suitability valid for obtaining the authorization to exercise the profession of national tourist guide.)
I recommend writing to the Ministry email address for further assistance.
