Free walking tours are an ancient tradition that dates back to the earliest humans on the planet. As long a humans have walked, apparently approximately 3 million years ago at the least, we have sought each other to provide guidance on how to find sustenance and how to learn the stories of our own ancestors and those of others. It is in this great tradition that we currently walk. Arguably, the world’s oldest profession. But how do free walking tours work? How do tour guides feed themselves? That’s just the topic today.
So let’s explore together where I reveal my secrets.
A correction of the introduction
In the interests of complete clarity, the exact amount of time that waking tours have existed is not exactly as mentioned above. The reality is we do not have written records of what colour of umbrella they used back then. Pink pigment was likely hard to come by.
It would’ve taken a lot longer for the advent. It required walking, agriculture for good regular foodstuffs, a tradition of storytelling, a culture of record keeping, then the economics that allow mass tourism to flourish today to exactly accomplish what I do. But I still essentially see myself as part of the tradition of people wanting to know stories and also where to eat. And also get hot chocolate because that’s a core human need.
Guided tours are from this basis. There are lots of different kinds from bus to cars to boats. Personally, I consider walking the peak form of learning. The rhythm of the footsteps in a gentle walk assists the heart to activate and pumps blood to the brain.
As the oldest form of guided tour walking is superior and as showing people around existed before currency, free walking tours are the purest expression of an understanding of a city.
But how do free walking tours actually work?
Here is the speech I give at the beginning of my tour:
A tip speech
This tour costs you nothing to come on. Your booking cost you nothing, me being here cost you nothing. And at the end of the tour, you pay as much as you think it’s worth. I accept cash, card and PayPal because we’re living in the future.
I do this to make these tours more accessible regardless where you’ve come from. If you’re a secret billionaire feel free to drop me a few thousand but if you don’t have much I will accept far less.
This is a way that you can enjoy something without obligation and it might seem a crazy way to run a job but I’ve been doing it for 6 years and haven’t starved to death yet so clearly it works. I’m just really good at it.
Some notable numbers. One of my friends got paid £2000 in vouchers to visit Harry Potter world in Miami. She was lucky enough to already have flights and one of her guests worked there.
The best for me was £50 per person. That as a good day. I don’t always expect it but I know it’s possible so you know I’m trying to give you an experience as good. I’d gladly accept less, but you need to dream.
That all okay?
Let’s get going!
Does it work?
I have seen people burn out doing this job. I’ve seen them quite careers or change methods. It is not for everyone. But it does work for me and I’m going to keep up the noble tradition.
The larger goal
The larger goal of our free walking tours is connection. People visit Edinburgh and come on these tours and it’s often the best time on their trip. Guests on the LGBTQ tour are happy it exists. Harry Potter fans feel like children bewitched by magic again. Old Town visitors are amazed at the most spectacular city in creation. I have know guests to become friends, and partners. These life long links might not have been possible were it not for people sharing that simple fundamental need – the desire to have an intelligent and funny person show you round a city, then pay them at the end.
The writer of this piece makes jokes which work better in a certain tone of voice.
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