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Tim Goddard

Tim Goddard

Born and based in London, I am a Blue Badge Tourist Guide in my home region and a Tour and Events Manager globally. I organise and deliver highly-individualised private sightseeing visits and travel arrangements for ultra-small groups mainly in the luxury market. A former lecturer in Higher Education, I am a confident and engaging communicator with native-standard German, proficiency in Russian and French, working Italian and Spanish. With over twenty years' experience, working with some of the industry's most famous names, I have built a solid network of contacts and recommendations: “Friendly, knowledgeable, flexible and fun” sums up the comments I’ve heard most over this time.

Current focus

Consultant in Hotel Strategic Marketing, Lecturer at Atelier Voyage

2022 - present


Specialising in Art and History itineraries, I advise on the selection of very best properties and unique experiences worldwide.

Atelier Voyage is a Virtuoso Founding European Member and travel expert, creating tailor-made itineraries.


Event Manager at Arts&Travel

2016 - present


I coordinate travel arrangements and manage events for some of the most important art institutions in the world. These are unique experiences, offering our clients and their patrons not only flawless itineraries but also privileged access to museum directors and curators with private after-hours visits, exclusive behind-the-scenes tours and VIP preview days.

Clients include:

  • Tate Modern, London
  • MCA Chicago
  • SFMOMA, California
  • MAD, New York

Notable events:

  • FRIEZE, London
  • documenta, Kassel and Athens
  • Skulpturprojekte, Münster

Blue Badge Tourist Guide - timslondontours.com

2012 - present


I am a professional guide in English and German in London and South East England with over 80 five-star TripAdvisor reviews. I wear the coveted Blue Badge, the UK’s highest guiding qualification and an internationally recognised hallmark of excellence, awarded to fewer than twenty-five candidates each year in London on successfully completing a rigorous examination process endorsed by the Institute of Tourist Guiding. We alone are licensed to guide inside Britain's most prestigious touristic sites and I have worked as gallery guide/lecturer for The National Gallery in London. Out of town, I specialise on English country estates and the history of landscape gardening.

Accreditation in:

  • Coach Panoramic sightseeing and walking tours in London
  • Churches: Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral
  • Sites: Tower of London, British Museum and National Gallery
  • Palaces: Windsor Castle and Hampton Court
  • Areas: Stonehenge/Bath, Oxford/Stratford, The Cotswolds

TV appearance:

Key previous work Experience

Travel Director for Trafalgar Tours

2012 - 2015


I worked with tour groups of up to 50 English-speaking passengers in Germany, Switzerland, Austria for Trafalgar's premium brand. Most important roles were:

  • Connecting with travellers to maximise their experience ontrip
  • Liasing with suppliers to ensure smooth running of the tour
  • Providing relevant and engaging coach commentaries and walking tours
  • Responsible for delivering onbrand experiences

Tour Manager for Car Rouge Premium Tours, Switzerland

2012 - 2016


I delivered luxury tours in South East England, with a specialist focus on stately homes and gardens. This entailed not only detailed tour management, organizing and lecturing, but most importantly attending to the individual needs of guests in small groups from Switzerland. As a British national, tour guiding in German, my guests got the best of both worlds: The cultural background in their mother-tongue.

  • Kent Gardens and Castles: 4-day Tour
  • Cornwall: 6-day Tour

Tour Manager for EF Educational and GoAhead Tours

1998 - 2012


Apart from confirming all on-tour components prior to departure, the main role was to guide groups of up to 50 North American teenagers and their chaperones in Europe, specializing in the German-speaking countries. I gave commentaries on aspects of culture and saw to the safe and smooth running of the tour.

  • Overall excellent rating
  • Training new Tour Managers
  • Attending school pre-tour briefing meetings giving talks/presentations

Associate Lectureships in London

1994 - 1997


I devised, taught and examined intensive language degree modules at all levels in German and Proficiency courses in English.

Institutions:

  • The Open University
  • UCL London
  • UNL London

Qualifications

MA (Theoretical Linguistics)

University College London, 1995

Dissertation: The phenomenon of asymmetrical verb second movement in German

PGCE (Further Education Teaching)

University of Greenwich, 1993

Specialising in Language and Information Technology teaching

BA (German; Ancient Greek Subsid)

University of Bristol, 1989

Class: 2i

School exams

Colfe's School, London, 1985

French, German, Russian A levels; 10 O levels

updated February 2022