Golden Guide Awards 2026

We’re thrilled to announce the return of ToursByLocals' very own industry awards, the Golden Guides!

In our second ever Golden Guide Awards, we’ll be recognizing guides and tours in 25 categories. Many are purely determined by data; for instance, our Local Legends winners will be guides in different global regions who delivered the most tours in the past 2 years. And some, like our Personal Touch or Traveller’s Choice awards will go through a nominating and judging process.

Please see the full list of awards below. We encourage you to nominate yourself or another guide for an award; this is your time to shine!

Eligibility for all awards includes:

Aligns with basic requirements as set out for guides at the onboarding stage
Working within the T&C and is in good standing
Guides cannot win the same award 2 years in a row

Debut Experience

Nominate yourself for this award if you've created a truly unique new tour in the past year. The tour should show strong elements of creativity, uniqueness and a special "off the beaten track" spirit.

Eligibility: Self nominated or nominated by ToursByLocals employees. Tour published between May 1, 2025 and April 15, 2026. Positive committee review of tour's photos, description, itinerary and traveller review content. Winner will be selected by ToursByLocals committee.

Nominate now!

Personal Touch

Nominate yourself for this award if you've gone to great effort to create an extraordinarily personal, unique, and customized tour experience for a traveller in the past year.

Eligibility: Self nominated, nominated by travellers, travel agents, or ToursByLocals employees . Tour has a customized itinerary. Tour has a 5-Star rating. Tour delivered and reviewed between May 1, 2025 to Apr 15, 2026. Positive committee review of tour's description, itinerary and traveller review content. Winner will be selected by ToursByLocals committee.

Nominate now!

Legendary Safari

Nominate yourself for this award if you delivered an exceptional safari to ToursByLocals travellers in the past year. The winner will have received glowing feedback for creating and delivering a truly memorable safari experience.

Eligibility: Self nominated, nominated by travellers, travel agents, or ToursByLocals employees. Booking delivered by Guide between May 1, 2025 to Apr 15, 2026. Positive committee review of tour's photos, descriptions, itineraries and traveller review content. Winner will be selected by ToursByLocals committee.

Nominate now!

Lifetime Achievement

The guide who wins this award has delivered more total tours through the ToursByLocals platform than anyone else from our launch date in 2008 until April 2026.

Eligibility: delivered the highest number of total tours through the ToursByLocals platform, as of April 30, 2026.

Ultimate Pathfinder

The guide who wins this award will have delivered the most tours globally during the award period, from May 2025 - April 2026: this is ToursByLocals' busiest guide of the year!

Eligibility: Delivered the most tours globally during the award period of May 1, 2025 - April 30, 2026.

Dream Tour

The winner of this award has been added to more traveller "wishlists" than any other tour on the platform during the award period, from May 2025 - April 2026. This is a tour people are dreaming about taking!

Eligibility: The tour which has been added to the most traveller's wishlists, and kept in wishlist for at least 24 hours, on the ToursByLocals platform during the award period of May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026.

Traveller's Choice

This award is open to any traveller to nominate their favourite guide on the ToursByLocals platform, and the awards committee will decide who the ultimate winner is, based on the quality and quantity of submissions. We've sent emails to travellers seeking nominations. Nominations must be in by April 15, 2026 to be considered.

Eligibility: Receive a nomination from a Traveller whose booking was delivered by Guide between May 1, 2025 to Apr 15 2026. Positive committee review of guide's tour photos, descriptions, itineraries and traveller review content & feedback. If there is not a clear winner based on number of nominations, the winner will be selected by ToursByLocals committee.

Travel Advisor's Choice

This award is open to any travel advisor to nominate their favourite guide on the ToursByLocals platform, and the awards committee will determine the winner, based on the quality and quantity of submissions. We've sent emails to travel advisors seeking nominations. Nominations must be in by April 15, 2026 to be considered.

Eligibility: Receive a nomination from a Travel Advisor whose booking was delivered by Guide between May 1, 2025 to Apr 15, 2026. Positive committee review of guide's tour photos, descriptions, itineraries and traveller review content & feedback. If there is not a clear winner based on number of nominations, the winner will be selected by ToursByLocals committee.

Shining Star

This award will be given to the guide on the platform who received the highest number of 5-star reviews for tours delivered between May 1, 2025 to Apr 30, 2026

Eligibility: Received the highest number of 5-star reviews globally for tours delivered between May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026.

Ship to Shore

This award will be given to the most-booked Shore Excursion on ToursByLocals, delivered between May 1 2025 to Apr 30, 2026.

Eligibility: Highest number of bookings for shore-excursion tour delivered globally between May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026. Tour traited as Shore Excursion, meeting location is a port or the tour type is Shore Excursion.

Foodie Focus

This category celebrates our top culinary experience. The award will be presented to the most-booked food-themed tour, delivered between May 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026.

Eligibility: Highest number of bookings for food tours delivered globally between May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026. Tour traited as Food tour type.

Walking tour

This award will be given to the most-booked walking tour on ToursByLocals, delivered between May 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026

Eligibility: Highest number of bookings for walking tours delivered globally between May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026. Tour traited as Walking tour type.

Art Appreciation

This category celebrates connecting travellers with the beauty of artistic expression - from street art to the Mona Lisa. The award will be given to the most-booked art tour, delivered from May 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026

Eligibility: Highest number of bookings for art tours delivered globally between May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026. Tour traited as Art tour type.

Ancient Worlds

This award honours the tour that connect travellers with the world’s most significant historical sites and archeological ruins. It will be given to the most-booked 'Ancient World' experience, delivered between May 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026

Eligibility: Highest number of bookings for history & archeology tour types, delivered globally between May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026.

Day Tripping

This award celebrates going the extra mile! It will be given to most-booked out of town tour, delivered from May 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026

Eligibility: Highest number of bookings for day trip/out of town tour types, delivered globally between May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026.

Local Legends Awards

The following awards are for our "Local Legends" - guides who delivered the most tours in their part of the world. If you're not sure what region you fall into, please find the country list here.

Local Legend - North America

The winner of this award delivered the most tours in their region of USA, Canada, and Mexico, during the 2-year award period, from May 2025 - April 2026.

Eligibility: Delivers tours in USA, Canada and/or Mexico

Local Legend - South America & Caribbean

The winner of this award delivered the most tours in their region, South America & Caribbean, during the 2-year award period, from May 2025 - April 2026.

Eligibility: Delivers tours in South America and/or Caribbean

Local Legend - North & Western Europe

The winner of this award delivered the most tours in their region, North & Western Europe, during the 2-year award period, from May 2025 - April 2026.

Eligibility: Delivers tours in North and/or Western Europe

Local Legend - Europe - South West

The winner of this award delivered the most tours in their region, Southern Europe, during the 2-year award period, from May 2025 - April 2026.

Eligibility: Delivers tours in Southern Europe

Local Legend - Europe - South East

The winner of this award delivered the most tours in their region, Southern Europe, during the 2-year award period, from May 2025 - April 2026.

Eligibility: Delivers tours in Southern Europe

Local Legend - Eastern Europe

The winner of this award delivered the most tours in their region, Eastern Europe, during the 2-year award period, from May 2025 - April 2026.

Eligibility: Delivers tours in Eastern Europe

Local Legend - South Asia, Central Asia & Oceania

The winner of this award delivered the most tours in their region, South Asia, Central Asia & Oceania, during the 2-year award period, from May 2025 - April 2026.

Eligibility: Delivers tours in S. Asia, Central Asia and/or Oceania

Local Legend - East and South East Asia

The winner of this award delivered the most tours in their region, East and SE Asia, during the 2-year award period, from May 2025 - April 2026.

Eligibility: Delivers tours in East Asia

Local Legend - Middle East & Africa

The winner of this award delivered the most tours in their region, Middle East & Africa, during the 2-year award period, from May 2025 - April 2026.

Eligibility: Delivers tours in Middle East and/or Africa

Did a traveller have a great experience with you on tour?

You can direct them to the Traveller's Choice Award page to nominate you.

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