GANYC

{{Short description|Professional association of licensed New York City tour guides}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = GANYC

| image = GANYC_Logo.png

| image_border =

| size =

| caption =

| formation = {{Start date and age|1974}}

| type = Professional trade association

| headquarters = New York City, United States

| location = New York City

| motto =

| membership = 341

| language = Multiple spoken by member guides

| leader_title = President

| leader_name = Michael Morgenthal

| key_people = Beth Goffe (Vice President), Katherine Hill (Vice President), Sara Lyons (Treasurer), Leigh Hallingby (Secretary), Mitch Paluszek (Secretary){{Cite web|url=https://www.ganyc.org/board-members|title=Board Members|publisher=GANYC}}

| num_staff =

| budget =

| website = {{URL|www.ganyc.org}}

}}

GANYC (Guides Association of New York City) is the professional association of licensed New York City tour guides.

Established in 1974, it is one of the oldest tour guide associations in the United States. GANYC is a member of the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.wftga.org/main-members/us|title=WFTGA Members|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}} With a present count of approximately 371 members, GANYC represents nearly 10% of the guides licensed in New York City with an estimated 4,000 guides currently licensed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.{{Cite web|url=https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dca/downloads/pdf/businesses/Sightseeing-Guides-Licensed-by-DCA.pdf|title=NYC DCA Sightseeing Guide List|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}

The organization's mission is provide continuing education about touring through a series of internal and external programs. It also advocates on behalf of New York tourism industry workers, such as in response to overtourism concerns at the Statue of Liberty in 2019{{Cite news|last=Kilgannon|first=Corey|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/nyregion/statue-of-liberty-tour-guides.html|title=Everyone's Welcome at the Statue of Liberty. Except Tour Guides.|date=2019-05-01|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-04-25|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|url=https://ny.curbed.com/2019/5/1/18525338/statue-of-liberty-ellis-island-tours-ban|title=Statue of Liberty will ban tour guides from some of its most popular areas|last=Rosenberg|first=Zoe|date=2019-05-01|website=Curbed NY|language=en|access-date=2020-04-25}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Commercial-tours-restricted-at-Statue-of-Liberty|title=Commercial tours restricted at Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island: Travel Weekly|website=www.travelweekly.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-25}} or after tourism shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2020/03/11/city-tourism-dips-due-to-coronavirus-spread|title=City Tourism Dips Due to Coronavirus Spread|website=www.ny1.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-25}}{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2QLGzw0|title=Hotel occupancy rates plummet as coronavirus decimates tourism trade|last=Anuta|first=Joe|website=Politico PRO|language=en|access-date=2020-04-25}}{{Cite web|url=https://wfuv.org/content/bleak-times-nyc-tour-guides|title=Bleak Times for NYC Tour Guides {{!}} WFUV|website=wfuv.org|access-date=2020-04-25}} They have also worked with city agencies on behalf of better conditions for tourists,{{Cite web|url=https://www.pix11.com/2019/10/09/times-square-alliance-invites-alec-baldwin-to-visit|title=Times Square Alliance invites Alec Baldwin to visit|date=2019-10-10|website=WPIX|language=en|access-date=2020-04-25}} including an ongoing legislative battle involving sightseeing bus guides.{{Cite web|title=The Future of NYC Tour Bus Guides {{!}} The Brian Lehrer Show|url=https://www.wnyc.org/story/future-nyc-tour-bus-guides/|access-date=2021-12-09|website=WNYC|language=en}} It has also acted as an aid in finding government assistance for its constituents, such as after the September 11th attacks in 2001.{{Cite web|url=http://citation.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/3/0/6/5/3/pages306537/p306537-15.php|title="(Page 15 of 20) - Finding Meaning Off and On the Sidewalk: Walking tour guides and their untidy careers authored by Wynn, Jonathan"|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}

The organization is run by an all-volunteer Executive Board, with elections occurring among its membership every two years.