Spotlight on GANYC Guide: Dave Gardner
Introducing GANYC guide: Dave Gardner!
Company: Titanic Walking Tour in New York
Phone: 917-232-3350
Social Media: Facebook / Twitter
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How long have you been a tour guide?
A decade.
What drove you to become a tour guide?
I was driven by the impulse to contribute to GANYC. Many of my contemporaries were joining committees and forming committees and planning tours and I felt I should step up and bring something forth - preferably something previously undone - which is a TALL ORDER for a group so prestigious as this. After rejecting several themes, I floated the Ship Of Dreams and set sail with it.
What types of tours do you offer?
I do general walking tours in Manhattan and will happily lead any tour in, say, Greenwich Village, Central Park, Battery Park, etc, but my forte are my Titanic-in-New-York tours, several of which I offer.
Do you offer Niche Tours?
By far, my niche are my Titanic-in-New-York tours. I know every attraction and I know everything about every attraction. I have a regular 2+ hour Titanic Walking Tour, I have a photography tour (in a minibus), I have a Titanic Graves in Woodlawn Cemetery tour (2 hours) and I have a six-hour epic Titanic tour starting in midtown, continuing to Woodlawn Cemetery, and ending at Trinity Uptown.
What time of year would you consider your busy season?
My busiest time is March and April because the sinking of Titanic was mid-April and many people commemorate that event in the month-or-so leading up to it.
Have you or your company been featured in print, broadcast, or online media?
I've had a few decent reviews on TripAdvisor, but just a few.
(See also, this interview)
What is the most gratifying part of your work?
One can tell the difference between the casual observer and the true enthusiast. One can also attempt to alter the tour accordingly to interest-level but it's very rewarding to observe people catching up and riding along, no matter their previous experience.
What celebrities (if any) have patronized your business or organization?
One guest I had was Charles Pellegrino whose been to the wreck of Titanic and has written several books about her. I've had several family members of Titanic passengers and Maureen McKinney from Belfast whose grandfather labored on Titanic in the shipyards.
What upcoming or annual events, promotions or sales would you like to promote?
In particular, my Titanic Graves in Woodlawn Cemetery tour. I am the only person in all of New York City that offers such a thing.
What special deals, sales, events or promotions are you offering to GANYC Members and our industry partners?
I'm willing to discuss a discount to GANYC members but I charge the barest minimum possible for my tours as it is, for participation's sake. As long as I'm not viewed as devaluing anybody else, I'd consider a discount.
How long have you been a member of GANYC?
Who knows? Half-a-dozen years, maybe?
How did you hear or learn about GANYC?
Word-of-mouth.
What's your advice or Tour Guide tip you love to share to people visiting New York?
This probably isn't the "fun" answer expected here but I do must have to say: Keep the sidewalks as clear as possible. New Yorkers are always walking somewhere so just be conscious is all. And remember, New Yorkers always walk to the right.
(For more info or to book a tour with Dave, check out his GANYC profile by clicking here.)