The Independent Tour Guide Quality Seal is a registered and patented trademark.
The Seal is awarded for a period of two years to begin the day stated on the document. In exceptional cases, and with individual criteria still to be met, the Seal may be granted temporarily for one year.
Once all criteria to attain the Quality Seal are met and the approved questionnaire has been processed, the agency will be handed over the official Seal certificate. The Quality Seal is bound to the agency stated in the document and thus non-transferable to other companies or individual tour guides.
After receipt of the Seal document the Agency is entitled to use it and its logo with reference to the award year (e. g. 2006) in all its communication; partner companies (e.g. tour operators) may also refer to the award and use its logo.
Upon receipt of the Seal document as well as for every renewal, a Protection & Service fee will become due. 30 % of this sum will be payed into a scholarship fund to cover costs for visits of tour guides to Germany.
Additionally, the following services are included:
Authorization to use the logo in all communication and promotion activities
Public promotion in Germany of Seal bearers by TINTKO (web note and link, media services)
Further professional market promotion (Travel Agency Informations)
Individual consulting service in all issues concerning criteria to receive the Seal
Support in setting up/formulating documents for tour guides (e.g. job specification, job description, tour reports)
Advisory service prior to tour guide seminars
Support in conceptual preparation of instruction material
Three months prior to the expiration date, TINTKO will contact the Seal bearer to ask for its interest in renewal and to reassess compliance with all criteria accordingly. In case of a favorable answer, the Seal will be awarded for further two years.
