Introduction to Tour Guiding PDF

Introducti on to Core Concepts in Tour Guiding Services  Lesson Objectives At the end of the lesson, students should be able to: 1. explain the basic concepts in tour guiding services; and 2. identify the role of a tour guide. What is a tour? Coined from the Latin word torn...

Introducti on to Core Concepts in Tour Guiding Services  Lesson Objectives At the end of the lesson, students should be able to: 1. explain the basic concepts in tour guiding services; and 2. identify the role of a tour guide. What is a tour? Coined from the Latin word tornare and Greek tornos, meaning to circle around, the word “tour” means to come back to the point of origin after going to a destination elsewhere (Theobald 1998). In tourism, the word “tour” refers to the activities of people when they go through a place in order to see and learn about it in person (Merriam-Webster Dictionary n.d.).  Who is a tour guide? A tour guide is a person who guides people as they go through a foreign place to help them gain better appreciation of the place and the interesting things to see there. The tour guide likewise helps these people make efficient use of their time during their tour.  Who is a tour guide? The Philippine Department of Tourism (1995) defines a tour guide as “an individual who guides tourists, both foreign and domestic, for a free, commission, or any other form of lawful remuneration.” The Philippine Department of Tourism recognizes tour guides who undergo proper training.  What is tour guiding? Tour guiding therefore refers to the provision of professional service to interpret the cultural and natural heritage of an area (World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations n.d.). In this sense, interpretation does not only refer to translation of information from one language to another, but also the description of cultural and natural attractions that help people gain better understanding and appreciation of such.  Roles of a Tour Guide A tour guide plays important roles in tourism, According to the Australian Government’s Job Guide (n.d.), these roles include: meeting and greeting the tour participants upon arrival and facilitating introductions; coordinating pre-arranged accommodation and transport and making sure that tour participants are comfortable; coordinating pre-arranged tours including visits to local attractions, shops, restaurants, etc.; leading tour groups and pointing out places of interest; preparing and presenting tour guide spiels called tour commentaries; researching and sharing general information about the city and/or country; attending to operation problems, such as booking errors and changes, lost bags, or sickness and providing first aid if needed; and preparing and submitting written reports of how the day’s tour turned out, including financial report and other administrative work.  Elements of Tour Guiding The previously mentioned definitions suggest that the elements of tour guiding include: Professionalism. Tour guiding is a profession, which means that before becoming a tour guide, a person must first undergo a training program. In many countries, one must acquire a license to practice legally. Service. Tour guiding is a form of service. Service is intangible, perishable, and unique. Guiding services are created at the same time of consumption, making each tourism experience different  Elements of Tour Guiding Interpretation. Tour guiding is a form of interpretation. This means that one of the tour guide’s roles is to educate the tourists about the meaning and significance of cultural and natural attractions. Physical Elements. Tour guides combine service with the physical elements to create the total tourism experience for clients. The physical elements include the facilities of hotels, modes of transportation, and the things that tourists find in tourist attractions, such as parks and museums. Characteristics of a Tour Guide. Tour guides must be genuinely interested in the destination where they practice. They must be mature, responsible, patient, tactful, and sensitive to different cultures. They must also be articulate, quick-witted, organized, and healthy to cope with the physical demands of the job.  Tour guides must understand that their main reason for existence is the tourist. A tourist is a tour guide’s client. In this regard and in consideration of the abovementioned elements of tour guiding, all tour guides must possess an understanding of the tourists, the tourism industry, communication, tour programming, and tour management. Try this! NGARTIIN TRAINING Needed before a tour guide becomes professional ONITNERRPEATTI INTERPRETATION The process of describing the meaning and significance of cultural an natural attractions STIOTUR TOURIST Tour guide’s client Histo ry of tour guidi ng  Lesson Objectives At the end of the lesson, students should be able to: 1. discuss the history of tour guiding in the world 2. explore opportunities for tour guiding services as a career; and 3. discuss the relevance of the course. Try this! Complete this test before proceeding to the rest of the lesson. Arrange the following eras from 1 to 4 (1 being the first to take place, and 4 the last). _____Renaissance _____Dark Ages _____Ancient Times _____Modern Age  History of Tour Guiding Ancient Times Tour guides have been around since the ancient times when travelers found the need for guides who could help them in their journey. The information that guides provide were prized by many historians, including Herodotus who valued guides who could recite “with great authority, dates, dialogues, and other specifics about people who had lived hundreds of years ago.” Homer’s literary piece Iliad mentioned guides who showed the battlefields and the shores where the Greek ships arrived. (Crus Dark-Middle Ages With the fall of the Roman Empire, this period is regarded as a dangerous time in European history. Thus, the period emphasize the guides’ role as safety escorts for travelers, including pilgrims and businessmen. (Cruz 2008, 14) Renaissance During the Renaissance, guides took a more demanding role-that of an educator or a mentor in addition to the role of protector-when the Grand Tour became a fashion as a rite of passage for sons of well-to-do Europeans. A carefully appointed guide served as the young man’s tutor and chaperone as he went on a journey through a prescribed route from England through France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, to Italy, which was the final destination. After which, the student would return and be welcomed home as a gentleman. (Cruz 2008, 14) Modern Age During the 17th to 18th century most of travelers who traveled within the New World were explorers rather than leisure travelers, the first travelers were ordinary often Indigent explores who traveled a lot to seek new life. Few new world travelers and guides are known to have existed during the period. Due to great distance and limitations of transportation, time and money, pleasure travel to and from the new world was undertaken by few privileged and curious Europeans. Modern Age Three renowned Europeans writers who made visit to the new world during this period include Charles Dickens, Francis Trollope and Alexis De Tocqueville, who travelled widely and wrote comprehensive accounts of their travels mentioning some their guides. Modern Age No evidence exists of organized training for guides before the 20th century other than the company training given by the Thomas Cook Travel Agency (Wei Hu 2007). England is one of the first countries to regulate and train guides when authorities were prompted by the guides’ aggressive competition with each other for the business that tourists bring in the 1930s. Today, many countries train and accredit guides to maintain standards and professionalism. (Cruz 2008, 15) 21st Century In the last two decades, easy access to information through the globalization and technological development allow the tourist to deepen their curiously with just one click on the various cultural themes related to heritage and tourist attractions of each destinations. Therefore, the figure of the professor tour guide is almost irrelevant, except for tours which need expertise in specific topics that require real deepening. 21st Century Tour guides from 21st century creates various ways to in order to provide a magical experience of interpretation where in all our senses can participate, from the smell, the taste, the touch, the sight and the hearing, which will give the tourist a joyful and dynamic climate. Activity Match the roles of guides in Column A with the era in Column B, Write the letter on the space provided before each number. Column A Column B _____ 1. Tour guides served as mentors in the Grand Tour A. Dark Ages _____ 2. Tour guides served as safety escorts B. Renaissance _____ 3. Tour guide accreditation proliferated C. Ancient Age _____ 4. Tour guides provided information about places D. Modern Age _____ 5. Tour guides served as communicator E. 21st Century  Exploring Tour Guide Employers Career The major employers of tour guides are, naturally, tour companies. Many tour guides work on a freelance basis, while others may own their own tour businesses. Starting Out If you are interested in a career as a tour guide, you may begin as a guide for a museum or state park. This would be a good introduction to handling groups of people, giving lectures on points of interest or exhibits and developing confidence and leadership qualities. Zoos, theme parks, historical sites, or local walking tours often need volunteers or part-time employees to work in their information centers, offer visitors directions, and answer a variety of inquiries. When openings occur, it is common for part-time workers to move into full-time positions.  Exploring Tour Guide Advancement Career Tour guides gain experience by handling more complicated trips. Some workers may advance through specialization, such as tours to specific countries or to multiple destinations. Some tour guides choose to open their own travel agencies or work for wholesale tour companies, selling trip packages to individuals or retail tour companies. Some tour guides become travel writers and report on exotic destinations for magazines and newspapers. Other guides may decide to work in the corporate world and plan travel arrangements for company executives. With the further development of the global economy, many different jobs have become available for people who know foreign languages and cultures.  Exploring Tour Guide Earnings Career Tour guides may find that they have peak and slack periods of the year that correspond to vacation and travel seasons. Salaries range from P29, 900/month, for Specialist Tours Manager ranges from 38, 800/month and for an Interpreter ranges from 16,000/month in Manila. Guides receive their meals and accommodations free while conducting a tour, in addition to a daily stipend to cover their personal expenses. Salaries and benefits vary, depending on the tour operators that employ guides and the location in which they are employed. Guides often receive discounts from hotels, airlines, and transportation companies in appreciation for repeat business.  Exploring Tour Guide Work Environment Career The key word in the tour guide profession is variety. Most tour guides work in offices while they make travel arrangements and handle general business, but once on the road, they experience a wide range of accommodations, conditions, and situations. Tours to distant cities involve maneuvering through busy and confusing airports. Side trips may involve bus rides, train transfers, or private car rentals, all with varying degrees of comfort and reliability. Package trips that encompass seeing a number of foreign countries may require the guide to speak a different language in each city. The constant feeling of being on the go and the responsibility of leading a large group of people can sometimes be stressful. Unexpected events and uncooperative people have the capacity to ruin part of a trip for everyone involved, including the guide. However, the thrill of travel, discovery, and meeting new people can be so rewarding that all the negatives can be forgotten (or eliminated by preplanning on the next trip).  Tour Guide Career Outlook Because of the many different travel opportunities for business, recreation, and education, there will be a steady need for tour guides through 2014. Tours designed for special interests, such as to ecologically significant areas and wilderness destinations, continue to grow in popularity. Although certain seasons are more popular for travel than others, well-trained tour guides can keep busy all year long. Aspiring tour guides should keep in mind that this field is highly competitive. Tour guide jobs, because of the obvious benefits, are highly sought after, and the beginning job seeker may find it difficult to break into the business.  ASSIGNMENT 1. Visit the website of the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) and find out if the Philippines is a member of this federation or not. If so, what is the name of the member association from the Philippines?  ASSIGNMENT 2. Learn more about the history of the tourism industry by reading Thomas Cook History ( www.thomascook.com/thomas-cook-history). Answer the following questions: A. How did the Thomas Cook Tours starts? B. When were the travel coupon and circular notes – the precursor of traveler’s check launched?