Wednesday – February 11, 2004 – Tom Hooper, FEG’s ExCo Member is honoured by Queen Elizabeth II, with an MBE (Member of the British Empire). Tom has played a key role through the foundation of tourist guiding institute in the UK. He was working in conjunction as joint President with Fiona Grant and the Palace decided that this should be a joint investiture – quite unusual – for which they had to have a special little rehearsal to advance together instead of singly, to bow and courtesy, advance towards the sovereign, retreat walking backwards, etc. Quite a choreography! You can see the award he was about to receive from that on Fiona’s breast.

In any event it is yet another small step in the recognition of the tourist guide as a professional and the tourist guide’s contribution to the field of tourism.