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guides, seven of whom were Norwegian speakers. It was decided that in-house training for new guides would be held on six successive Saturdays in 1996. Nineteen persons took the course for new guides for Shetland Tourist Guides Association.
The year 1999 saw the first group of people train to become Scottish Tourist Guides Association Green Badge Guides.
In 2003 training took place for more new guides including Catriona Anderson. Eleven people completed the course and that summer the first buses to visit from mainland UK arrived via NorthLink Ferries Ltd to tour Shetland for one, two or three days that required local guides, these being co-ordinated by the Orkney and Shetland Tour Company Ltd.
This company was owned by Kathleen Hogarth, a Blue badge guide from Orkney.
In November 2003 agreement was reached for affiliation with the Scottish Tour Guides Association.
In 2005, some 55 cruise ships visited Lerwick. That year there was also an exchange visit between guides on Orkney and Shetland. Orkney guides spent four days on Shetland and Shetland guides spent two days on Orkney.
In 2006 a new constitution changed the name of Shetland Tour Guides Association to Shetland Islands Tourist Guides Association. This avoided the confusion in the similar initials of the Shetland and Scottish associations. By then SITGA had 36 qualified guides. First Aid courses were run for the Association.
In January 2007 the OSTC went bankrupt and Island Vista was formed by three Shetland guides, Catriona Anderson, Robin Hunter and Billy Robertson to provide a local service for cruise ships and incoming coach parties.
Island Vista went on to be the training provider for guide training courses from 2008. Training courses are held every second year.
By May 2009 there were 37 qualified guides. Over the years many newcomers to the Islands joined the association, often from different nations so there was, in time, an availability of guides who were competent in different languages.
One of them was retired teacher, Derek Herning, who was given the official title Polyglot of Europe by the Guinness book of world records as he was fluent in 23 languages.
Between 2014 and 2018 the number of cruise ship passengers visiting the island more than doubled providing substantial work for local guides.
2014 saw 46 cruise ships call with 42,452 passengers. 425 tours for 18,208 passengers
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