The Guides' Clubs in Wroclaw The Lower-Silesian tourist guideship began in the first half of the XIXth century as F. Pablo from Karlow was appointed a mountain guide and the guideship organisation was established in Jelenia Gora. In the past tourism was not as widespread phenomenon as it is nowadays, besides the role of the guide was also perceived in a different way. The model of the commercial tourism being spread these days and pertinently considered as a vital economic activisation industry makes the guideship be seen as the tourist supply sphere. Nevertheless, the occupation of the guide should not be identified with that of a tour guide due to the different functions they both perform. The said distinction is confirmed in the Tourist Services Act. The guideship staff is especially required in the tourism destinations characterised by a high degree of the tourist attractiveness. Wroclaw, as the most important centre of Lower Silesia and the region of a great variety of tourist resources, is staffed by a sufficient number of highly and diversely qualified guides (their qualifications include, for instance, Sudetic, regional or local ones). In Wroclaw there are six active tourist co-operatives united in the Lower -Silesian Guide Federation at the beginning of the 90's. The oldest of them is the Municipal Guide Co-operative, whereas the latest is the Club attached to the Military Squad of the Polish Tourist Country-Lovers' Association. The year 1953 is considered as the beginning of the organised guideship in Wroclaw. However, the first sightseeing tours were guided a few years earlier, i.e. in 1948, when the Regained Territories Exhibition was being held. The responsibility for transferring the profound knowledge of a specific region requires its constant broadening. Apart from the personal improving one's own workshop, the guides are exposed to a wide range of opportunities within this area. Hence, every guide co-operative arranges a lot of external trainings, lectures or seminars for their members. The Lower-Silesian Guide Federation plays not a trifling role in this field. The mentioned organisation provides the guides with the essential support as well as integrates the members of the regional guide society. The guide co-operatives assemble quite many genuine fanatics, eminent sightseers whose papers on tourism have been published many times. Since Wroclaw gxiide co-operatives show the internal differentiation in terms of their members' qualifications and authorities, the guides of that area may organise mountain, regional and local sightseeing tours as well.