Tour guide requesting personal information

I took a walking tour a number of years ago. I was never asked for this information. Things may have changed. Italian police collect passport info from all hotel guests, but never heard of tours asking for more than possibly a name.

Since there were glowing reports on TA, did you post this question there also? I would.

Seems odd for a tour, but your date of birth and place of birth are listed on your passport. I have had to show that information at every hotel I stayed in. I hardly think that it's much of an identity theft risk. I would check it out with others who have given reviews to see if they were asked the same thing.

Why does he need the information NOW?

We took two tours in Italy last year and all they asked for was the money.

What's the ole saying, 'if something doesn't seem quite right.................'
I sure would not send that info via email to someone I didn't know, regardless of what reviews say.

I'd just email that you've had a change of plans, and then maybe ask the hotel to book a tour with a guide that also gets glowing reviews (without mention of your previous change of plans).

I have never heard of a guide asking for this kind of information.

Pretty sure that there are many guides offering private tours in Venice, so check out some of the other listings. Ask on this forum, or on the Trip Advisor forum. I wouldn't trust the hotel front desk to do this as they usually get commissions from certain companies, but it is not always the best tour.

Hi, they need those data to make you a legal invoice. I work with a company that provides services (sometimes including tours) and we need the name, date and place of birth and passport number of the customers, as well as the address in case we send the invoice directly to them, so don't worry.
If they only ask you for your money, then they are not paying the taxes, so it's good news if they do! (At least for the government)!

Thank you for the information, maferuizv. I will remove my derogatory comment regarding identity theft. :-)

{Add-on: Can the information be given when the guide meets his clients? There is personal information that I do not feel comfortable sending via email.

When do you take the information from your clients?}

Usually we ask for it before, so we can prepare the invoice and have it ready for the guide to give it to the client. Just think that you are dealing with someone that does this everyday, and has a good reputation (assuming you read their reviews, or it was recommended), so they\ll probably receive these data many times a week, and just copy and paste it on the invoice. At least we don\t even give a second look to this. I don\t think someone can do much with your birthdate and your address, especially from another country. I do not know if you can give these info to the guide in person for the reason I told you, maybe they need to have everything ready to give a copy to you... But I would say do not worry about this, is normal procedure!

As an older person who often abandons interest in a new website when it asks me to "register" for access, I think you are setting a higher standard for human beings than you, perhaps, have for giant corporations! In any case, when someone asks me a question I don't want to answer, I simply reply, "I prefer not to give that information." If they don't want my business, they can decline to serve me.

Naturally, one issue is whether you paid in advance. Another is the recent report that service providers are checking the online reviews they are given and pursuing anyone who doesn't rate them highly. So we were recently treated to the grotesque spectacle (in the New York Times) of people worrying about how their Uber driver would rate them.