Tour Guiding - History, Types, and Techniques PDF

TOUR GUIDING  HISTORY OF TOUR GUIDING Tour guiding is considered as one of the oldest occupations/professions of the west. The evolution of tour guides and the guiding history was classified by Pond (1993) into four periods: First phase (3000 B.C. to A.D.5...

TOUR GUIDING  HISTORY OF TOUR GUIDING Tour guiding is considered as one of the oldest occupations/professions of the west. The evolution of tour guides and the guiding history was classified by Pond (1993) into four periods: First phase (3000 B.C. to A.D.500) - EXPLAINERS/LEAD AROUND - Persians, Assyrians and Egyptians used to travel through surface (land) and the waterways. - assisted visitors travelling abroad Second phase (A. D.500 to A. D.1500) - PATHFINDER/SAFETY ESCORT/PROTECTOR - Religious pilgrimage but chaotic - Safety and security of travelers  HISTORY OF TOUR GUIDING Third phase (A.D.1500 to around 1700) - CICERONE - Grand Tourists = cultural and educational reasons - Cicero - most esteemed tour guide in the European society; well-versed, articulate and multi-lingual Fourth Stage (post 1700) - “moment of truth” - becomes responsible throughout the tour - in regular touch with the tourist or traveller History of Tour Guiding » Tour Guiding History, Phases (tourismbeast.com) TOUR GUIDING Trekking - Hiking - History - Culture - Culinary - Gastronomy - Types of Tours: What Are the Main Ones? - Go Get Lost TOUR GUIDING Types of Tour Guides 1. Traditional TG - 2. Local TG - 3. Specialized TG - 4. Eco TG - Balance of: 1. Historian 2. Educator 3. Companion 1. Research, Research, Research! Before you charm your audience with tales and trivia, you've got to know your stuff. Dive deep into the history, culture, and stories of the places you're showcasing. Remember, every cobblestone might have a tale to tell. 2. Plan the Perfect Itinerary Crafting a tour is like arranging a melody. You'll decide the stops, the highlights, the duration, and the pace. Your goal? A seamless, engaging experience from start to finish. 3. Safety First As the captain of the ship, the safety and well-being of your crew (read: tourists) is paramount. This means knowing the ins and outs of your route, being prepared for emergencies, and always having a Plan B. 4. Be the Storyteller Your tourists aren't just looking for facts—they're craving stories, emotions, and memories. Weave tales that transport them through time and space. Your narrative can turn a mere statue into a legendary hero. 5. Customer Service Maestro From answering endless questions to handling the occasional hiccup, you're the go-to person for your group. It's your duty to ensure everyone feels heard, valued, and taken care of. 6. Adapt and Overcome Rain pouring down during your outdoor tour? A sudden roadblock on your planned route? A tour guide is always on their toes, ready to adapt, improvise, and ensure the show goes on. 7. Promote Local Businesses Part of your role is also to boost local commerce. Recommending that quaint café around the corner or the artisan shop down the lane not only enhances the tourist experience but also supports local communities. 8. Feedback Loop An astute tour guide values feedback. It's how you refine, improve, and elevate your tours. Encourage tourists to share their thoughts and always be open to constructive criticism. 9. Stay Updated From local events to new historical discoveries, a tour guide is always learning. It ensures your tours remain fresh, relevant, and exciting. 10. Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy Last, but by no means least, a tour guide is the embodiment of energy and enthusiasm, combined with the empathy to understand and cater to diverse tourists. What are the duties and responsibilities of a Tour Guide? (portobelloinstitute.com) The Tour and the Tour Guide Wk2  Tour Guiding Techniques 1. PRE-TOUR This first stage consists of all the preparations necessary for the arrival of the visitors. For the traditional tour guide this stage includes drawing a cash advance, receiving and reviewing instructions and inclusions, the review of the rooming list and tour itinerary, reconfirming arrangements with the tour suppliers, and checking the list and schedule of optional tours that may be sold to the visitors. Be punctual at least one hour prior to the tour commencement. Study your tour assignment thoroughly. Be aware of the composition of the group (children, teens, senior citizens, if foreign know their nationality, their language, culture. Review the itinerary i.e. the inclusions and exclusions of the tour.  Check your transport amenities (luggage, microphones, trash bins). Check for special holiday or activity occurring during the tour. Be aware of required cash advances, vouchers and tickets. Know the vehicle to be used, its plate number, driver’s name and contact. Confirm the interests and expectations of the tourists. Make sure you have complete names of the guests, cash advances and tour vouchers.  Begin with a smile, greeting and introduction, show a warm welcome to the tourists. Always state your name and designation prior to the tour. Brief visitors about the purpose of the tour for the day and what to expect from it, the locations, events, activities and places of visit. Give the distance and traveling time to the destination. PRE-TOUR CHECKLIST 1. Find out what tour have been assigned to you. Some companies provide a briefing to the tour guides while some provide client information and itinerary via one of email 2.Review the list of passenger, accommodation, and special arrangements 3. Familiarize yourself with the itinerary and the places that you will visit 4. Check if any special event will occur during the tour 5. Consult your superior to confirm and/or make clarifications. 2. TOUR PROPER The second stage starts with the tourist arrivals and ends with the tourist departure Discuss itinerary, rules and regulations, check other concerns and hand out essential documents. Provide any necessary precautions. Provide a brief history of places and events or activities. Deliver your spiel/ or commentary for the tour in a conversational rather than memorized or noted manner.  Announce comfort stops and always do a headcount after every stop. Announce inclusions of the tour and what to expect. Do not miss to point-out important landmarks along the way. Announce the next day’s itinerary and give instructions. End the day/tour by thanking the guests and wishing them a good night or evening. ARRIVAL PROCEDURES Reception- Refers to the greeting of the guests at the gateway and assisting them to move to their place of lodging and to undertake the check-in procedures Meet and assist - The management movement starts with the identification and gathering of the guests in one controlled area and the proper introductions next is the identification and handling of each individual luggage. Always remember that to avail of and pay for porter services is optional. Third is the type and size of the motor vehicle ( if any) and the condition of the on board equipment the designated and safe boarding and deboarding areas, route and traffic condition. if necessary, consult with the motor vehicle driver about these factors beforehand. REPORTING TIME It is always advisable to report at least 30 minutes before the tour's schedule departure time this will be able to check the ff: a. Check the vehicle equipment and brief the driver b. assemble the people c. have time to make last-minute adjustments 3. COMPLAINTS MANAGEMENT Listen to your customer's complaint Empathize and apologize Offer and execute a solution Follow-up and thank you  4. POST TOUR Gather all collected vouchers Prepare tour guide’s report Submit your report immediately after the tour Accomplish financial report with receipts, vouchers and other assignments Liquidate (if necessary) Four stages of tour guiding techniques by Michelle Ann Cadacio on Prezi 1. Communication Skills 1. Communication Skills How do you express yourself? 2. People Skills Can you count all your friends?  3. Knowledge Skills stock knowledge can be gained by the tour guide through research, interaction with other guides and self-study. What is your unique study habits?  4. Organization Skills this skill involves more than just paperwork. Financial Management means planning, organizing, directing, and controlling the financial activities such as procurement and utilization of funds. Time Management How do you keep is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific your things activities. in order? The Tour Guide’s tasks include organizing travel itineraries, familiarizing clients with the area by car or on foot, and guaranteeing the group’s safety at all times. You should also keep up with new attractions that may pique clients’ curiosity. Elements of Tour Guiding by Joyce What are the elements of tour guiding? | - Mamangun Mundia on Prezi Travel Tweaks Rules in Tour Guiding  Rules in Tour Guiding …Ten Commandments of Tour Guiding 6. BE CALM & POSITIVE 7. BE PREPARED 8. STUDY YOUR PEOPLE 9. PROTECT OTHER SUPPLIERS 10. BE UNDERSTANDING BUT FIRM Tour Guiding Skills Wk 3  Tour Guiding Skills 1. Leadership Skills 2. Communication Skills 3. Language Proficiency 4. Listening Skills 5. Research Skills 6. Delivery Skills  If you can influence, are you a leader? Can everybody be a leader? Types of Communication Spoken Not spoken Words To view Beginner: CEFR Level A1 Starting with this proficiency level, language learners are stepping into the realms of a new language. CEFR Level A1 is where you begin to grasp basic phrases for immediate needs. If you're still in the process of familiarizing yourself with the language, you can comprehend and use simple, everyday expressions and very basic sentences. This could be to fulfill tasks like introducing yourself or asking others about specific details such as where they live or what they do for work. Pre-Intermediate: CEFR Level A2 You've made progress, and it's time to talk about the next step: CEFR Level A2. At this stage of language learning, you're expanding your vocabulary to approximately 1500 words. Now, simple conversations in the target language start making sense as you engage more fluently with familiar topics during discussions. Your confidence grows because you can grasp recurring phrases and frequent idioms. Intermediate: CEFR Level B1 Reaching Intermediate or CEFR Level B1, you have evolved from a basic user to an independent language learner. At this stage, everyday situations are less challenging as your vocabulary expands up to around 2500 words. Expect approximately 350-400 hours of study devoted towards achieving this level. Expressing ideas on familiar topics becomes more fluid, allowing for better comprehension of native speakers discussing everyday occurrences at work, school, and leisure activities. Upper-Intermediate: CEFR Level B2 Reaching CEFR Level B2 indicates a significant achievement in your language learning journey. The Council of Europe has dubbed this stage as the "Upper-Intermediate" level. Language learners at this stage demonstrate an ability to engage in broader and more sophisticated conversations. Proficient users can clearly grasp complex texts, express opinions, and present explanations for various viewpoints concerning familiar topics. Most importantly, they've mastered about 4000 words and have spent around 500-600 hours studying the language! Advanced: CEFR Level C1 Cracking C1, the advanced level of proficiency requires substantial effort and time. Approximately 700-800 hours of focused study are needed to reach this stage, with an enriched vocabulary pool comprising around 8000 words. Language learners who have managed this feat demonstrate a strong command over the language and can comfortably navigate through complex conversational landscapes. They effortlessly engage in debates or discussions, comprehending a wide array of spoken language from different sources. Mastery: CEFR Level C2 CEFR Level C2 represents the pinnacle of language fluency, widely recognized as the level of mastery. At this level of mastery, learners exhibit near-native fluency in their chosen language. Their comprehension and utilization abilities soar far beyond standard communication; it's akin to a native speaker. Achieving CEFR Level C2 requires immense dedication, along with substantial efforts to accumulate vocabulary and a significant investment of study hours. Usage at this level involves sophisticated conversation eloquently infused with complex sentences that flow naturally and accurately. Tips For Each Level Beginner: Focus on listening purposefully to the target language and learning key phrases by heart. Make use of flashcards and repetition. Pre-Intermediate: Begin to construct small sentences as opposed to only using phrases. Start practicing reading short narratives or texts in your target language. Intermediate: Consider watching movies or TV shows in the target language with subtitles, increasing your comprehension gradually. Upper-Intermediate: You can now start active conversations on everyday topics, improve this skill by engaging more frequently in real-life interactions.  Tips For Each Level Advanced: Listen to native speakers discussing abstract topics like art, culture, or politics; strive for understanding complex ideas rather than sentence structures. Mastery: Concentrate on nuances like idioms, local dialects, slangs, pronunciation quirks of native speakers to sound more natural. What Is Your Level Of Proficiency? The 6 Different Levels Of Proficiency To Reach Conversational Fluency — Sololingual Listening and Hearing? General Listening Types: The two main types of listening - the foundations of all listening sub-types are: Discriminative Listening - is first developed at a very early age – perhaps even before birth, in the womb. This is the most basic form of listening and does not involve the understanding of the meaning of words or phrases but merely the different sounds that are produced. Comprehensive Listening - involves understanding the message or messages that are being communicated. The three main types of listening most common in interpersonal communication are: Informational Listening (Listening to Learn) Critical Listening (Listening to Evaluate and Analyse) Therapeutic or Empathetic Listening (Listening to Understand Feeling and Emotion) Types of Listening | SkillsYouNeed Research skills are practically any skill used to investigate or analyze information relevant to a topic of interest. Broadly, it includes a range of talents required to: Find useful information Perform critical analysis Form hypotheses Solve problems What are basic research skills? Almost any research involves some proportion of the following fundamental skills: Organization Decision-making Investigation and analysis Creative thinking Evaluation What are primary research skills? The following are some of the most universally important research skills that will help you in a wide range of positions: Time management — From planning and organization to task prioritization and deadline management, time-management skills are highly in-demand workplace skills. Problem-solving — Identifying issues, their causes, and key solutions are another essential suite of research skills. What are primary research skills? Critical thinking — The ability to make connections between data points with clear reasoning is essential to navigate data and extract what's useful towards the original objective. Communication — In any collaborative environment, team-building and active listening will help researchers convey findings more effectively through data summarizations and report writing. Effective research skills are essential for those seeking to: Analyze their target market Investigate industry trends Identify customer needs Detect obstacles Find solutions to those obstacles Develop new products or services Develop new, adaptive ways to meet demands Discover more efficient ways of acquiring or using resources How to improve your research skills Whether your research goals are to learn more about a subject or enhance workflows, you can improve research skills with this failsafe, four-step strategy: 1. Make an outline, and set your intention(s) 2. Know your sources 3. Learn to use advanced search techniques 4. Practice, practice, practice (and don't be afraid to adjust your approach) What Are Research Skills? Types, Benefits, & Examples (dovetail.com) 7 Effective Delivery Skills for Public Speaking Eye contact Enunciation and pronunciation When it comes to public speaking, How you articulate and pronounce words is important making and maintaining eye contact because people need to be able to understand you. But if you can be tough. But making eye get a little nervous, you probably tend to speak faster and contact helps people trust you. faster, until you're not enunciating well and your clarity is going to suffer. Your audience won't catch everything you're saying and you'll lack maximum effectiveness. “10 x 10 Rule”  Nonverbal barriers The use of space in your presentation is Paralanguage important. Most people take a presentation space at face value -- that what they see is what they Paralanguage is everything other than the get -- or they walk into a room, see a podium and words in your speech. It's your rate, tone and immediately gravitate there. pitch. The rate is the speed at which you speak. The tone is the relative volume of Assess the room and the environment. Figure out your voice -- are you loud or soft? The pitch how to best connect with your audience and deliver from a point of connection, not a point of power. is the natural highness or lowness of your Don't put unnecessary nonverbal barriers between voice -- think high notes and low notes. The you and your audience. three combined convey emotion, confidence and power during a presentation. Avoid being monotonous.  Quick practice tips Gestures and movement The best way to improve on your public speaking is to get out there Make sure your gestures and words are and do it! Then get it on video so you synonymous. If you're enumerating a list and adding can review your delivery style. gestures, make sure the numbers you're saying match the number of fingers you're holding up. If you can move around the room or stage, be sure your movements are intentional. Don't move just for the 7 Delivery Skills for Public Speaking sake of moving. Instead, move to transition between #DynamicCommunication | Entrepreneur points or stories or characters. Commentary Tour Commentary Tour Guide Commentary Tour Script Tour Spiel Guide Speak  What is a Commentary? Commentary Making and Commentary Development Effective Commentary Delivering Commentary  Commentary should be: Entertaining and yet: – Accurate = concise; easy to understand – Selective = relevant; interesting – Structured = organized facts – Varied = covering all aspects – Objective = based on facts  With special intention to: –Promote –Dispel misconceptions –Involve Criteria for grading commentary 7% - verbal components 38% - vocal qualities 55 % - non verbal 100 %  Verbal components Content Choice of words Vocabulary  Vocal qualities Accent Tone Volume Speed Pitch  Non-verbal Facial expression Body language Eye contact Gesture Distance Grooming Posture  RESEARCH INFO RELEVANT TO LOCALITY & TOUR ITINERARY Deals with KSA required to access and research info about a specific location/destination for developing and completing the itinerary of a tour package.  LEARNING OUTCOMES SOURCE INFO ARRANGE INFO DEVELOP COMMENTARIES  LO1. SOURCE INFO KEY INFO 1. GENERAL INFO ABOUT THE TOURISM INDUSTRY 2. LOCAL TOURISM DESTINATION, FACILITIES & INFRASTRUCTURE 3. TOURISM PRODUCT 4. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 5. LOCAL ATTRACTIONS 6. LOCAL CUSTOMS  TOURISM INDUSTRY PRIVATE SECTOR ○ TRANSPORTATION ○ HOSPITALITY ○ TRAVEL TRADE ○ SUPPORT SERVICES GOVERNMENT SECTOR ○ DOT ○ LGU ○ NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES  1. WAYS TO GET TOURISM INFO VISITOR INFO CENTER REFERENCE BOOKS TRADE MAGAZINES GUIDE BOOKS NEWSPAPER LIBRARIES BROCHURES INTERNET ONLINE NEWSLETTER LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS  2. LOCAL TOURISM DESTINATION TOURIST DESTINATION – TOURIST SITE – TOURIST SIGHT -  LOCAL TOURISM DESTINATION DETERMINE: ○ ROUTE ○ DISTANCE ○ OPERATING HOURS ○ COST  LOCAL FACILITIES FACILITIES – AMENITIES -  Hotel Facilities 1. Restaurants 2. Room Service 3. Meeting Spaces 4. Business Center 5. Health Club 6. Recreational facilities 7. Bell service 8. Gift shop  LOCAL FACILITIES INCLUDES: ○ TOILET ○ MEDICAL CLINIC/HOSPITAL ○ BABY CARE FACILITIES ○ DISABLED FACILITIES ○ VISITOR INFO CENTER ○ FOREX ○ POLICE STATION ○ EMBASSIES  LOCAL FACILITIES DETERMINE: ○ LOCATION ○ ROUTE ○ TIME TO TRAVEL ○ OPERATING HOURS ○ FEES ○ CONTACT DETAILS LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE – SUPERSTRUCTURE -  LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDES: ○ RAIL SERVICES ○ TRANSPORTATION TERMINALS ○ CHARTER SERVICES ○ ATTRACTION SERVICES HOT AIR BALLOON ELEPHANT/CAMEL RIDES ATV  LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE DETERMINE: ○ GATEWAY LOCATION ○ ROUTES ○ TIMETABLES ○ COST ○ TICKET OUTLETS 3. TOURISM PRODUCTS Anything that the tourist bought/rendered Tourism p/s Tourism program  4. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES INCLUDES: ○ WEATHER ○ SEASONS MICROCLIMATIC CONDITION - TIDES - SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES  …4. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES - FLORA - FAUNA - SUSTAINABLE FEATURES – local laws - LOCAL DANGERS - Wild animals - Currents & tides - “no go” areas - Accident prone areas  5. LOCAL ATTRACTIONS NATURAL MAN-MADE EVENTS PLACES OF INTEREST ○ Historic battle sites ○ Unique architecture ○ Ethnic groups  6. LOCAL CUSTOMS DRESS – footwear LANGUAGE PERSONAL BEHAVIOR LEGAL ISSUES LOCAL NORMS  LO2: ARRANGE INFO TOUR PACKAGE – CLASSES: 1. Regular TP – 2. Ad Hoc TP –  VARIABLES OF A TOUR PACKAGE 1. Duration – 2. Destination – 3. Category of Accommodation – 4. Meal Plan – 5. Mode & class of Transportation -  Accommodation Hotel ○ Star rating 1 star – 2 star – 3 star – 4 star – 5 star – 6&7 star –  …Accommodation Resort ○ A Rating A – AA – AAA – ○ Mega Resort -  Meal Plan AP – American Plan MAP – Modified American Plan CB – Continental Plan EP – European Plan ○ TYPES OF BF: AMERICAN BF – CONTINENTAL BF – FILIPINO BF – ORIENTAL BF –  Sightseeing Attraction: ○ Natural Attraction – ○ Man-made Attraction – Activities: ○ Water based – ○ Land based – ○ Aerial based – Steps in creating a Tour Commentary Steps in creating a Tour Commentary Important points to remember in commentary Important points to remember in commentary  Important points to remember in commentary Tour Commentary » Steps, Important points, elements, (tourismbeast.com)