Live Guides Remain Key to NYC Tourism

As the NYC tourism industry continues what may be a long recovery, GANYC continues to emphasize that live guides are the ambassadors to this great city, and the key to getting the most in-depth and personal experience possible. We urge all visiting the city to hire a guide or book a tour to get the most out of your time here. New York has so many wonderful, talented guides... many of whom have worked very little (if at all) since the start of the COVID crisis.

In addition to guides doing walking tours and coach bus tours, many NYC guides made their living making the double-decker sightseeing bus a human experience worth the cost. That ended in March 2020.

The former guides of Big Bus were out in force recently in Times Square, protesting and raising awareness of the company's current policy of using only outdated, recorded tours (without any reduction in ticket prices).

At the start of the pandemic, Big Bus laid off all their guides, for whom this dedicated work was their primary income. As Big Bus resumed its tours, it rehired guides in other cities but not New York. Big Bus customers now pay the same price as before for a less and more dangerous experience, in which the driver is now responsible for cueing up the recordings and answering customer inquiries while they are operating the vehicle. We urg everyone to tell Big Bus this is an unacceptable way to do business.

Please visit Big Bus HQ at 723 7th Avenue or contact them at (518) 333-7747 to demand that they bring back their guides.