Tour Leader Training: Skills, Responsibilities & Crisis Management

1. Tour Leader Training Module 3: The Making of a Tour Leader

2. Course Content • What is a Tour Leader? • Job Responsibilities and Task • SMOKEY Skills • Public Speaking • Cultural Differences • Crisis Management • Quality Enhancement

3. What is a Tour Leader? • A tour leader leads a group of visitors through points of cultural, historical, or regional interest. • They provide in-depth knowledge about destinations frequented by tourists. • They must be able to retain historical facts, dates and anecdotes, and they relay that information to visitors in an entertaining, informative way.

4. Job Responsibilities and Task • Accompany guests on tours • Looking after the safety and well-being of the guests from the start up to the end of the tour • Manage arrangements and services, provide relevant information and comments • Provide general knowledge of the areas visited • Prepare a tour by checking equipment • Looking after the equipment • Providing an overall exciting, fun and educational experience • Update and maintain regular contact with management

5. Tour Leader Skills • Ability to rapport to clients • Responsible and self- reliant • A leader • Energetic • Immunity to Stress • English proficiency • Able to ride a bike*

6. SMOKEY Skills S – afety M – anagement O – bserve and React K – nowledge E – xperience Y – ou!

7. Public Speaking • #1 Fear of people • #2 Death In Spotlight Unprepared Inexperienced

8. 3 Ps in Public Speaking • Preparation • Practice • Presence

9. Controlling the Butterflies • Know your room (area) • Know the audience • Know the material • RELAX • Visualize yourself guiding • Realize that people want you to succeed • Don’t apologize • Concentrate on the message – not the medium • Turn nervousness to positive energy • Gain experience

10. Creating your personal brand • Appearance • Personality • Competencies • Differentiation

11. Cultural Differences • Cultural differences are the variations in the way of life, beliefs, traditions and laws between different countries, religions, societies and people.

12. Why is it important to know the cultural differences?

13. Cultural differences • Visual differences • Norms and values • Key Beliefs

14. Did you have any difficulties with cultural differences?

15. How to deal with cultural differences? • Be aware of the differences • Be respectful • Don’t see cultural differences as strange behaviour but as different behaviour • Try to understand why people behave different

16. Crisis Management • What is a crisis? • How to avert crises? • FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES

17. Example Crises • Lost Tourist • Complaints • Robbery • Accidents

18. General Rules • Always remind the tourist with the possible risks • Ask them about any health conditions before starting the tour • Do not leave the group • Take responsibility • DO NOT PANIC

19. Reminders • Ask the tourist if they have any medical conditions (asthma, heart problem, allergies, etc.) • Inform them about the bird’s eye view of the tour • Check on the tourist from time to time • Give rest stops

20. Don’t forget to bring… • Brown paper bag or plastic • Fan • Water and aerosol solution • Cardboard • Medical Kit

21. What to do when someone is lost? • Stay calm • Assemble the group in a shaded place • Contact him if someone has his/her number • Ask them not to leave, wait and walk back • If you can’t find him, continue the tour • Assure the other tourist

22. Someone makes a complaint • Be open, tell people they can always ask you everything! • Something goes wrong; explain to guest, so they understand. Find a solution, together with the office if needed. • Complaint: • Try to solve it right away, but think about rest of the group • Person very negative, ask to talk about it after tour • Can not solve, ask them to call the office (inform us soon!) • If a complaint is not ‘valid’ don’t tell the guest you agree with them. (sorry you feel this way)

23. There is a robbery • Ask victim if he likes to file now (more chance to find the thief) or after the tour. Don’t stop the tour for it. • Tell the person to: • Go to police station close to where it happened • File police report • Make sure that the report sais it is ‘stolen’ and not ‘lost’ • Keep your Police Report safe and make sure you have it with you before flying back home • Violent robbery: stop the tour and calm the guests, call police • Always inform Smokey tours office

24. There is an accident • You can assist, BUT you are not a doctor! And never move the victim! • Advice people to keep all their receipts for the insurance

25. Serious Accidents • Stay calm, keep the overview • Call alarm number • Ask barangay for help • Stop the tour, keep the guests save • Don’t talk to the press • Inform the office of Smokey Tours

26. Quality Enhancement • What is quality? • Why do we need to conduct quality tours? • How do we increase quality in our tours? Note: QUALITY > QUANTITY

27. Aspects of Quality Tours • Good, clear, concise information • Implementing our key values as an organization • (Professionalism, Taking responsibility, Enthusiasm, Respect, Continuous Improvement, Customer Service) • Customer Service • Clear Procedures • Feedback