Tromsø Guideforening (TGF) is a professional association for guides working in Tromsø. The association was originally established in 1982 to represent the interests of local guides and to support professionalism within the guiding community. We aim to serve as a professional point of contact between guides and local authorities.
Through dialogue and structured feedback from the field, the association seeks to:
- share practical insights from daily guiding operations
- support informed decision-making related to safety, infrastructure, and tourism development
- contribute to long-term, sustainable tourism in the Tromsø region
TGF does not replace public authorities, nor does it perform regulatory or enforcement functions.
Origins and early focus
Like many guide organisations, TGF was affected by the seasonal nature of guiding work in Tromsø. Periods of strong activity were followed by periods with fewer members and limited engagement.
Over time, responsibility for guiding structures in the city shifted. For a period, guiding activities and coordination were closely linked to Visit Tromsø. Later, parts of this role were taken over by Arctic Guide Service (AGS). During these years, guiding in Tromsø became more fragmented and increasingly shaped by private actors.
TGF continued to exist in name, but with reduced activity and a narrower focus, primarily related to traditional city guiding.
A changing guiding landscape
From around 2005, northern lights tourism began to grow rapidly in Tromsø. This fundamentally changed the guiding landscape. New types of guiding emerged, the number of guides increased significantly, and guiding work expanded beyond traditional city tours.
Despite this transformation, there was no single professional platform bringing guides together across different guiding disciplines.
Why TGF is being reactivated now
Today, Tromsø Guideforening is being reactivated and developed in response to the significant changes in guiding and tourism in Tromsø over the past decades. The aim is to rebuild a broad and inclusive professional platform that brings together guides working across different types of guiding in the Tromsø area.
TGF is currently in a pilot and development phase. In addition to strengthening the professional community among guides, the association seeks to function as a constructive point of dialogue between guides, local authorities, and other stakeholders. By drawing on practical experience from the field, TGF aims to contribute relevant insight to discussions about infrastructure, visitor management, safety, and the long-term sustainability of tourism in Tromsø.
At the same time, TGF works to support the development of professional standards within the guiding community, encouraging knowledge sharing, ethical practice, and a shared understanding of responsibility toward nature, local communities, and visitors.
Continuity and responsibility
By building on its historical roots while responding to present-day conditions, Tromsø Guideforening seeks to strengthen the guiding profession locally and contribute constructively to the future development of tourism in Tromsø.F welcomes guides, partners, and supporters who share an interest in strengthening responsible tourism and professional guiding in Northern Norway.
