TMELECT 2: Tour Guiding

Course Overview

• Aims to equip students with comprehensive knowledge of techniques and best practices in guiding and escorting travelers locally and abroad.
• Focuses on imparting information, abilities, and attitudes necessary for travel operations and tour guiding in the fast-paced travel sector.
• Provides students with the ability to efficiently organize, carry out, and oversee a tour, including coordinating itineraries and accompanying tourists according to industry standards.

Course Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Identify different concepts, procedures, terminology, and components of the tourism and tour guiding industry.
• Create a tour commentary demonstrating basic comprehension, writing, and speaking skills in different languages.
• Develop and apply tour guiding techniques to enhance their ability to be effective tour guides and tour escorts.
• Demonstrate an actual tour guiding procedure and carry out responsibilities in accordance with industry standards.
• The course is worth 3 Units.
• No pre-requisites.

Module 1: Introduction

• Focuses on The Meaning of Tourism and Tourism Concepts
• It covers the topics:
  • Tour Guide as a Profession
  • Types of Tourists
  • Components and Attractions of the Tourism Industry

The History of Tour Guiding

• Early tour guides were called "pathfinders", "bear leaders", "proxemos," and "cicerones".
• The first tour operator started in England in 1758 and is still operating.
• Pleasure travel gained momentum in Europe in the 1840s, with Thomas Cook organizing tours to Paris and other destinations.
• Modern tour operators trace their origins to mid-19th century ticket agents for steamship lines and railroads.
• Herodotus, the initial travel writer, traveled in Egypt around 454 BC, providing early eyewitness accounts.
• The Ancient Empire, from 3000 BC to 500 AD, fostered travel among Persians, Assyrians, and Egyptians in an organized manner.
• During the Greek Empire era, festivals and the Olympic Games encouraged tourism.
• Guides were paid fees to ensure safe passage during the Dark Ages (500 AD to 1508 AD).
• The Grand Tour became a prescribed route from England through Europe during the Renaissance

Sir Thomas Cook

• The first travel agent transporting 570 passengers on a roundtrip train excursion was Sir Thomas Cook.
• Offered package tours and organized the Grand Tour.
• Gave training to guides and ensured travelers were escorted during the 20th century.

International Tourist Guide Day

• Celebrated each year on February 21st.
• Initiative of the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA).
• Held since 1990, starting with 15 countries.

Philippine Tour Guide Day

• Celebrated annually on the third Monday of June.
• Designated as National Tour Guides' Day.

The Concept of Tour Guiding

• Modern tour guides have developed in leadership and mediatory roles.
• Leadership involves direction, control, social management, integration, maintaining morale, and animation.
• Mediation involves acting as a middleman between the tour group and local population, creating a non-threatening environment.
• Tour guiding is a communication, management, educational, and learning tool.

Principles Of Tour Guiding

• A cascade of guide duties, roles, and responsibilities stem from these underlying principles.
• A guide acts as an interpreter in foreign languages and of information, sites, and attractions.
• Is a presenter, providing relevant and interesting commentaries.
• Provides care and relief during difficult situations, ensuring safety and security.
• Functions as an overseer, representing the tour operator and ensuring service delivery.
• Keeps services on schedule and within the tour itinerary.

Principles Of Tour Guiding (Continued)

• Operates between cultures, playing a role in intercultural mediation.
• Tour guides coordinate various suppliers and service delivery, including luggage and van handling.

Tourism Concepts

• Tour guiding services include reception and accompaniment of tourists during travel or sightseeing as per tour contracts.
• A core part of tour reception services and tour service product.
• Tourism is defined as the movement of people outside their usual environment for personal or business purposes.
• Visitors are classified as either tourists or excursionists, residents or non-residents
• Tourism involves activities and tourism expenditure.
• A tour guide takes tourists around places of interest, providing information.
• They can be employees or affiliates of licensed tour operators who manage and accompany tourists.
• Look after visitor wellbeing.
• They provide information and insights about history, archeology, culture, and points of interest to promote the country's tourism.

Motivations and Needs for Tourists

• Physiological needs - Tour packages include frequent rests, food outlets & sleeping shelters.
• Safety needs - Reservation services, medical facilities, and tour guide services in unfamiliar locations provide security.
• Love/Belonging - Group tours for shared interests and trips to explore ancestral roots for a deep connection.
• Esteem - Incentive travel, awards, and recognition tokens for special occasions.
• Actualization - Educational tours, cruises, and theme parks aim to maximize capabilities and provide cultural glimpses.

Module 2: Tour Guides as a Profession

• This module covers the types of tour guides.
• Duties and Responsibilities of a Tour Guide.

Types of Tour Guides

• On-site Guide: Conducts tours at a specific building, place or site for an hour or more.
• Docents: Guides who normally volunteer for a small museum or archive, often work for free.
• City Guide: Does city guiding and points of interests in a city, usually by coach, van or any transport service.
• Driver-Guide: A tour guide and driver at the same time, a tour guide performing guide work while driving.
• Personal or Private Guide: A tour on an on-call basis, for an individual or small group, exclusive tour.
• Specialized Guide: A guide with a highly unique expertise or skills, and not many of this type are available.
• Step-on Guide: A guide who gets on the bus at the destination to do the commentary, normally about a certain facility, topic or site.
• Local Guide: Person competent enough to provide information on a particular area or locality.
• Specialist Guide: Person who specializes in some areas such as arts, architecture, churches, flora and fauna, mountains, etc.
• Staff Guide: Permanently connected with a tour/travel agency and being paid per day or monthly basis.
• Freelance Guide: Person who is not permanently connected with a tour/travel agency and paid per day or monthly basis.
• Indigenous Guide: Guide usually a member of a tribe, of a certain community who has a deep understanding of the cultural background of the people.
• Naturalist Guide: This refers to an exert on natural attractions such as caves, lakes, rivers, mountains and seascapes etc
• Cruise Ship Guide: Refers to cruise ship personnel in charge of guiding onboard guests to tour various departments of the vessel.
• Transfer Guide: Also referred to as the Courier, normally in charge of the "meet and greet" of tourist and guests, responsible for luggage transfer.
• Tour Escort: Accompanying tourist from the origin to specified destinations, acting as coordinator.

Duties and Responsibilities Of A Tour Guide

• Provide guests with researched information and explain fairly without prejudice.
• Ensure factual information and distinguish stories from legends.
• Act fairly with tourism colleagues and suppliers.
• Do not take advantage of guests' ignorance.
• Never be intoxicated on duty.
• Be prepared for guest's needs and ensure they have a good visit.
• Keep guests safe by warning them about plants, food/drinks, elevation, dogs, and pickpockets.
• Protect tourism reputation by treating the environment, wildlife, and local customs with great care.
• Act as a representative of the country.

Qualities Of An Effective Tour Guide

• Love of country, Open-mindedness, Tactfulness, Proper decorum
• Honesty, Resourcefulness, Self-confidence, Enthusiasm
• Sense of leadership, Fairness in Treatment
• Good health, Good communicator, Patience, Assertiveness
• Humbleness, Politeness, Thematic, Passion, Organized and able to focus.

Tour Guiding Types

• General or Mass Tourism - (Generalist, Tour Escort and Driver Guide)
• Nature Based Tourism - (Botanical, Eco-tour.)
• Adventure Tourism - (Adventure, Mountain)
• Cultural and Heritage Tourism - (Archaeological, Architectural, Historical)
• City/Urban Tourism - (City/Urban Guiding)

Licensing and Accreditation

• The Department of Tourism (DOT) defines a tour guide as a trained, licensed, and accredited person.
• The Local Goverment Unit (LGU) also involved.
• Training can define as an activity to improve the recipient's performance.
• Department of Tourism offer Seminars and Training workshops for Tour Guides
• Online applications can be done through the DOT portal.
• Training days depend on what type of tour guiding needs.

Accreditation Defined

• Accreditation a certification issues by the Department of Tourism as having completed with the minimum standards.
• The Local Goverment Unit (LGU) are licensing the tour guides.

Accreditation Requirements for Tour Guides

1. Accomplished application form from the Department of Tourism
2. 2 pieces 1x1 picture
3. NBI clearance (local employment)
4. Occupational permit from the LGU
5. Certificate of Training (previous year)
6. Other seminars attended in relation to the Tour Guide Profession
7. Accreditation Fee

Benefits of being Accredited in Department of Tourism

Module 3: Types of Tourists

Tourism Actors and Components

• Tourists refer to travelers who stay at a chosen destination for more than 24 hours, requiring lodging, meals, and other facilities.

Tourist Origin

• Foreign Visitors are individuals who travel to another nation for less duration of a year as to why they travel
• Domestic Visitors are person who travels to a place within their country for less duration of a year as to why they travel

Domestic Or Foreign Holiday

• Domestic Holiday - Spent in the same country/region

Client and Escort

• Tourists are found to have these types of characters:
  • High expectations about the tour.
  • Flock factor: quick adaption of group attitude.
  • Regression syndrome: mature persons, compete for attention, be picky of food.

Checklist

• Make them feel comfortable.
• Provdes the basic informations
• Check the rooming list
• Collection of vouchers of travel agent.
• Explain hotel policies for deposits

Checklist

• Coordination with tour
• Coordinate hotel cashier
• Manage Bagage Collection
• Check changes
• Remind guests their passports
• Personal Belongings

Module 4: Components of the Tourism Industry

• Tourism sector involves range of businesses and organizations involved in delivering the tourism product.
• Tourism in system of suppliers who demands and supply tourism products,

Components Of The Tourism Industry

• Accommodation
• Accessibility
• Transportations
• Travel Agents
• Tour Operator Servies

Basic Components of Tourism

• Attitude
• Assistance
• Authority
  • Awareness
  • Arrivals

Tourism Trends

According to the Department of Tourism, tourists who arrived in the Philippines in the first 5 months of 2019 was around 3,489,270. The highest tourism industry was 12.7 of the Philippine’s Gross Domestic Product. Tourism provides a direct source of income to the country. Generates earnings from foreign exchange revenues and employment.

Components Of The Tourism Industry

• Department of Tourism (DOT)
• Tourism Promotions Board (TPB)
• Financial Institutions
• The travel Trade

The Tourists

• Majority of the visitors comes from South Korea ranked in 26.67%
• Visitors between 35 and 44 ranked in 20.14%

Tourism Purpose

-Pleasure - 73.03%

• VFR (Visit Friends and Relatives) - 7.91%
• Business - 6.00%

Air Visitor Arrivals

• Manila International Airport is the country’s primary travel
• International travel increases 26.760

Module 5: Classification of Attraction

Tourist Attraction Values

• Historic Signal
• Cultural Values
• Political Significane
• Narture or Nature Values
• Leisure or entertainment and fun

Types OF Tourism

1. Primary Attraction - The main
2. Attraction - Appeals Tourist
3. Man made Attraction - Like the Banaue Rice terraces

Tour Attraction Considerations

1. The land is known for the attraction people consider visiting
2. Attraction often operated by groups and allow members at discounted rates
3. Each attraction may appeal to the public or specific location

Touring

The types of tours offered are:

• Daily Run Tours- is a tour conducted regularly.
• Private run Tours- Participated with a specific number
• SIC- Joined tour
• Walking tour-Members walks to other locations
• Museums-Main Parts of the tour
• Plant Tour - Educational