A test of integrity

Tommy Dew. PHOTO BY TRAVIS DEW

By Tommy Dew 

In 2016, three applicants failed the Charleston tour guide test, sued the city concerning its legality — and won. The decades-old process, which consisted of a written and oral exam, was deemed unconstitutional by a federal court. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution is clear:  “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” Trying to control what people say, including historic guides operating in public spaces, is outside of the government’s purview.  

As a licensed guide, I was asked by the city’s defense team to be a witness in the case and speak to the merits of testing. Despite hours of trial prep, depositions and the testimony of many leaders, including Mayor Riley, the city’s mandatory testing program was doomed. Free speech advocates celebrated, but most reacted to the verdict with revulsion and fear. Charleston, the most beautifully curated historic district in the U.S., was destined to descend into some combination of Disney World and Gone With the Wind.  

A decade later, and despite the rise of Southern Charm and what I deem the Rainbow Row Syndrome, the report of Charleston’s death was an exaggeration. 

Testing is still offered twice a month by the city, and continuing education classes are scheduled throughout the year. Additionally, in an attempt to provide some semblance of order, city statute requires that all tour guides display a photo ID and have a business license. According to Amy Southerland, director of livability and tourism for the city, there are currently 292 licensed guides, 15 of whom took the test in 2026. There are another 77 lifetime guides, who are people who have been licensed for 25 years and are no longer expected to take the test.  

It is unknown how many unlicensed guides there are, but they are out there, and the number is growing. In my research, I was sorely disappointed to learn that some of the largest and oldest tour companies in the city no longer require their guides be licensed. Some of those are themed tours like ghost, pirate and pub and are typically at night, but plenty of daytime history tours are being led by the untested. 

Money spends, but at what cultural cost?  

I became a licensed guide in 1996 and have given north of 15,000 tours. I have also lived downtown since 1985, and my wife and I raised three children on the peninsula. I have lived both sides of the love/hate relationship between locals and tourists. How do you attract millions of visitors to a city, and get them to spend billions of dollars, without locals feeling overrun and exploited? How do we maintain our integrity and charm, which is what we are known for, yet continue to grow? 

These concerns were expressed by Mayor Riley in the Tourism Management Plan back in 2015:  “Tourism represents an important facet of the city’s and region’s economy. It provides jobs and economic opportunity for our residents while showcasing our city and its cultural resources to people around the world. It also represents a challenge for our community. We must remain vigilant that tourism does not damage the city’s authenticity and sense of place or negatively impact residents’ quality of life. This requires careful planning and management.” 

These are difficult questions, and I feel like the city has done a remarkable job. The Charleston brand is envied around the world, but we must remember that it is fragile.  

We are in a period of radical growth, and as we continue to reap the fruits of the hard work and wisdom of those who came before us, we must ask ourselves what seeds we are planting to extend those blessings forward. 

When does the blessing become a curse?  

It might be as simple as changing the narrative. The relationship between locals and tourists should not be viewed as adversarial, but as a partnership. We need and benefit from each other. 

I would like to see Mayor Cogswell reinstitute the testing program in a way that does not violate free speech. I would also expand it to include safety and etiquette. Shepherding visitors through a city is a skill that does not always come naturally, and I think all guides should be required to learn those fundamentals. Many guides fail to understand that we are a living city, not a museum or theme park, and that large groups touring public egresses by foot, carriage or bus are quick to be deemed obstacles to daily life. We should strive to be as unobtrusive as possible. Residents deserve a level of quiet enjoyment. 

Additionally, the city needs to create a system that rewards companies that do the right thing. I propose that the city create a more stringent test so that dedicated guides can voluntarily earn a more advanced “Platinum” status with a different and easily recognizable badge. We need tools to differentiate, and tourists need to be educated on what to seek to have a quality experience. All this goes hand-in-hand with the need to hold accountable aggressively those who like to break the rules. May it please you to learn that Mayor Cogswell has increased the number of tourism officers on patrol, and they have been writing more tickets. 

Despite the hassles of tourism, I find locals to be consistently patient. However, they sometimes need reminding of how they benefit from our service economy. Dining, arts, retail, festivals — we would be a pale and flimsy version of ourselves without tourism dollars. Hospitality and accommodation taxes help significantly shift the burden onto the “Come Yahs” and away from the “Bin Yahs.” 

In her introduction to the first Tour Guide Manual back in 1984, the venerable Liz Young wrote, “To be a successful guide, one must cultivate two important factors:  A love of Charleston and a genuine desire to impart, with enthusiasm, this love to your visitors.” I think we should all take these words to heart. We all have a part to play.  

Tommy Dew leads daily history walks through Charleston and is also a frequent lecturer. Known for his story telling and unvarnished perspective, Tommy’s talks are highly entertaining and educational; reach him via tommydewswalkingtour@gmail.com or (843) 853-TOUR.