Tour Guiding Techniques

1. Tour Guiding Techniques Content and Methodology

2. Tourists • People who leave their homes to temporarily visit a place • They should be spending and not earning money from the place they visit • Reasons can be pleasure, meetings or seminars • With the intention of learning something about the place like its history, people, culture

3. Basic factors for a successful tourist destination • Attractions which can be site itself or an event • Amenities or facilities like accommodation, food, local, transportation, communication and entertainment at the site • Accessibility • Peace and order

4. Characteristics of Tourism • Product is not brought to the consumer; • The tourism product is not used up, it doesn’t exhaust the country’s natural resources; • People-oriented; • Labor-intensive; • Multi-dimensional; • Seasonal; • Dynamic; • Characterized by the changing ideas of its customers.

5. Nature of Tour Reception & Guiding • First impression of tourists play a very important role • Receiving tourists is just like receiving guests in your home • Show the best without boasting or overdoing • Guiding is not simply telling them “to your left, to your left”, there’s a lot more into it.

6. Duties and Responsibilities • 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

7. 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,..”

8. 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

9. 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

10. Communication Skills • Language proficiency • Avoid using highfalutin words, use simple, easy to understand words • Try to get rid of regional accent • Use synonyms to explain, to describe something • Use non-verbal communication in a difficult thing or situation

11. Speak audibly, not too soft and not too loud • Conduct your commentary in a relaxed, entertaining manner (they came here to enjoy, remember)

12. Guiding Techniques • Be prepared, study the destination • Plan your spiel or commentary, it should be structured • Have an update on the local and global news and environmental issues • Intercede when necessary in the interaction with the guest and the locals • Be aware on the basic human behavior and attitudes

13. Do not research to back up your facts • Be ready for pertinent and impertinent questions • In cases of having more than one guide, find some time to sit down, discuss to synchronize information & learn from each other • Never tell your personal life at first meeting

14. Never sell anything at first meeting unless they ask • Be punctual at all times. Be there at least one hour before the tour starts • Learn map reading • Learn how to say NO to indecent proposals

15. Always make a head count before, during and after the tour, especially on stops • Be practical when making judgment, think if the benefit of the majority • Be a good decision maker • Learn basic first aid

16. Qualities of an effective Tour Guide • Love of country • People-loving • Open-mindedness • Tactfulness • Punctuality • Proper decorum • Honesty • resourcefulness

17. Self- confidence • Sense of humor • Enthusiasm • Fairness in treatment • Good health • Good communicator • Patience • Reasonable • Assertiveness • Humble and polite

18. Steps on how to make a commentary • Begin with a smile, greeting and introduction • Brief the guests about the tour for the day • Review the inclusions and exclusions of the tour • Give the distance and traveling time of the destination

19. What to expect from the tour • Give necessary precautions • Do not miss to point important landmarks along the way • Announce comfort stops • Always do the head count

20. Tips for an effective tour commentary • Start with a greeting or introduction • Information should be delivered in a manner that would interest the guests • Sense of humor should be part of the delivery of information • Remember, commentaries help people understand and appreciate what they actually see

21. Face the group, not a few • Speak slowly and clearly • Voice should be audible • Practice eye contact • Prepare yourself for questions to be asked • Take control of your breathing and emphasize important words

22. Use synonyms, example in explaining something • When mentioning a name, repeat it or spell it • Maintain silence, if the need arises • Listen carefully to questions and other concerns • Never argue with the guests • End your tour always by thanking the guests

23. Methodology • Discuss the Tour guide Personality • Kinds of tour guides • Types of tour guides • Scope and responsibilities • Rewards of the profession

24. Research Skills • Domestic tourism • Natural and man-made attractions • Historical sites • Events, fiestas • National, local and regional boundaries • Geography and topography

25. Communication Skills • Reading • Thinking and writing • Delivery of commentary • Verbal and non- verbal

26. Mock tour • Inside the classroom • Individual commentary-making • Delivery of commentary

27. Actual tour to a destination • Observation from a licensed, professional tour guide how to conduct a tour • Critiquing based on tour guiding principles and techniques

28. Tour to a destination with a prepared, memorized spiel or commentary on a chosen tourist attraction ( on the bus) • Invite resource speaker, tour guide for additional hands-on lecture/presentation • Mock and actual tour is required to complete the competencies of a tour guide

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