An Introduction

presented by: Sharlene Zabala Batin

• To be able to define the term tour guide

• To create awareness between the different kinds and classifications as well as the duties and responsibilities of tour guides

• To learn the brief history of tour guiding

• To understand tour guiding as a profession.

Government

Tour Operator

• Travel and Tourism will continue to expand

faster than the economy as a whole and faster

than comparable industries.

• By 2018 Travel & Tourism is expected to

account for:

*$10.9 trillion

*296.3 million employees

• Growth depends on enlightened government

policy

Travel and Tourism Grow by 4% per year

• Thomas Cook, the pioneer of

the modern tour guide.

• In 1841, he arranged for the

transportation and food of

540 campaigners to a rally 11

miles away. For one shilling

each person paid includes rail

tickets and food. The first

privately chartered excursion

train to be advertised to the

public.

• In 1850s he offered the “grand circular

tours” of Europe.

• In 1866, he introduced the Hotel Coupon

• From 1847 to 1922, Thomas Cook & Sons

published Tourist’s Handbooks for the

different countries of Europe.

- package and sell holidays which are offered in a

brochure with a fixed price for accommodation,

transport and ground arrangements. At times the service

of a courier or representative is included in the

package.

- (Horner, Pauline (1999) Travel Agency Practice. Pearson

Education Limited. England)

- is a person who owns a business which transports

paying tourists on scheduled itineraries.

Tour Guide

or

Tourist Guide?

Tour Guide is the “one who conducts a tour”

or one with “a broad knowledge of a

particular area whose primary duty is to

inform. The term tour guide is widely used

to describe the various professionals who

are in any way engaged in guiding people,

including tour managers, docents, and

interpreters. (Kathleen, 1996)

An individual, who, either as an

employee or affiliate of a duly

licensed travel & tour agency, GUIDE

tourist, both foreign and domestic, for a

fee, commission or any lawful form of

remuneration.

This is someone who takes people

on sight-seeing excursions of limited

duration. (Mancini (2003)

A person who guides visitors in the language of their choice and interprets the cultural and natural heritage of an area which person normally possesses an area-specific qualification usually issued and/or recognized by the appropriate authority.

- (En 13809 of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) Adopted by WFTGA at its Dunblane, Scotland Convention 2003) http://wftga.org/page.asp?id=15

A tour guide can be defined as a person who guides groups or individual visitors on a tour around natural and cultural heritage sites or other attractions, and who interpret these places, in a language of the visitor’s choice, often in an inspiring and entertaining manner. (adapted from EFTGA 1998)

Defined by Noel B. Salazar (Rethinking Tourism in Contemporary Asia, sept 7-9 2006 (An International Conference)

Sourced from: https://lirias.kuleuven.be/bitstream/123456789/199402/1/nbs-nus2.pdf

Cohen (1985) states that

traditionally the role of the guide

has been focused on two issues one

of “pathfinder” and one of

“mentor”.

- (Cohen, 1985, p. 8)

A pathfinder is described as one who

leads others through social and natural

areas unknown to its followers

…while the mentor role is embedded within the

concepts of personal tutor and spiritual advisor

and is described as “a specialist serving as a

guru to the seeker, guiding towards insight and

enlightenment”

This is a person who manages a group’s

movements over a multi-day tour. This person may

also be called a tour conductor, tour courier, tour

escort, tour director or tour leader. (Mancini

(2003)

A TOUR MANAGER is a person who

manages an itinerary on behalf of the

tour operator ensuring the programme

is carried out as described in the tour

operator's literature and sold to the

traveller/consumer and who gives local

practical information.

Tour Conducting is about managing tours, it involves

traveling with groups while staying with groups,

controlling and entertaining people dealing with

problems and at times guiding tours. The tour conductor

can be with that group, depending on the type of tour

for two to three weeks.

Tour Guiding is usually for a shorter length of time. It

refers to the specific activity at a sight or an attraction

for a scheduled portion of time.

• Free Lance – not permanently

connected with any travel agency and

paid per trip.

• Staff Guide – permanently connected

with a travel agency, receives monthly

salary.

•On-Site or Local Guides

•City Guide or Escort

•Specialized Guide

•Step-on Guide

A person competent enough to guide in a certain locality or area.

A person who

accompanies a group

of tourists from the

point of origin to the

destination, and back

to the origin. Usually

handles group’s check

in and check out.

Is a guide who

specializes in a certain

field such as botany,

architecture,

environment, marine

life, etc.

A guide who

joins a tour

bus for a

local

sightseeing

excursion.

• Love of country

• Pleasing personality

• Must have a genuine interest in people

• Resourcefulness

• Trustworthy

• Tactfulness

• Good sense of leadership

• Good communication skills

• Good health

• Punctual

• Responsible, sensible and dedicated

• Confident

• Good sense of humor

• Provide them information and

explanations about the place honestly

without prejudice;

• Ensure a factual presentation, make sure

to distinguish the truth stories, legends,

traditions;

• Act fairly and reasonably in all dealings

with colleagues and co-workers;

• Always act with tact and diplomacy in

dealing with the guests

• Always report for duty healthy and

positive

• Never take advantage of the ignorance

of the tourists

• Never allow yourself to be used by

unscrupulous organizations who want to

take advantage of the tourists

• Use common sense and be honest by

saying “ I don’t know…I will check..”

• Ensure guest’s safety, warn them on:

•Plants that might cause some allergies

•Food and drinks that might not suit their

digestive system

•Elevation for those with vertigo and fear of

height

•Dogs that might bite

•Presence of pickpockets in crowded areas

• Protect the reputation of tourism by

making every assignment a treat, with

respect to the environment, wildlife, sights

& monuments, local customs & traditions

• Act responsibly as representative of the

country and the people

The tour guide is in a potentially influential

position to modify and correct visitor behavior to

ensure that it is environmentally responsible and

contributes to environmentally sensitive attitudes

(Armstrong & Weiler, 2002; Forestell, 1993;

Kimmel, 1999)

Sourced from:

ftp://ftp.puce.edu.ec/Facultades/CienciasHumanas/Ecoturismo/ArticulosTurismo/Art%EDculos%20

cient%EDficos/Turismo%20sostenible/Journal%20of%20Sustainable%20Tourism/visitor_peception

s_tourguides_naturalareas.pdf

• http://www.wanderingeducators.com/best/trav

eling/6-reasons-take-group-tour.html

• http://www.ytravelblog.com/why-take-guided-

tours-over-independent-travel/

• http://www.traveller.com.au/top-10-reasons-

to-take-a-group-tour-38l25