Definition

Tour Guiding may be defined as a comprehensive excursion conducted by a tour guide in order to give the visitor an educated commentary of a specified location.

History of Tour Guiding:

One of the oldest known human activities, guiding has been a necessity since the days of the earliest nomadic tribes. These early pathfinders did not guide for pleasure's sake, however. Their work was a matter of survival. They led hunting parties and moved whole communities as seasons changed or area food supplies ran low. As a world trade economy evolved, guides took traders across entire continents in search of markets for their spices, silk, gold, silver, and furs.

In modern times touring became a fashionable leisure pastime. England was actually the first country to regulate and train tour guides, adding a prestige to the profession that has yet to fade. Today, being a tour guide is the dream of many. According to a Time magazine survey, women ranked being a tour guide as a one of the best "fantasy jobs" to have, second only to owning a business.

The tour business is constantly changing and expanding to fit the newest travel trends, and tour companies can vary their focuses greatly. Most tours, however, do fit into one of the following major categories.

Sightseeing/Bus Tours

Land tours of this variety are the most common type of organized tour. They almost always involve travel by motor coach, overnight hotel lodging, and usually air transportation to the tour departure area. Sightseeing guides are the quintessential guides––the ones easily identifiable by their busload of tourists. Picture a dashing; tour guide as she takes charge of the group, enlightens them on the history and geography of the area they are visiting, stopping for a quick photo or video shot, then whisks them off to a new destination. As noted earlier, tour areas can take place virtually anywhere in the world.

Shore Excursion Tours

Some tour companies are affiliated with or even run by cruise companies. Passenger ships like to offer their customers tours in the most interesting ports of call, and hire tour guides to give bus tours and narration of the nearby area.

Adventure/Sporting Tours

These types of tour companies have gained in popularity in recent years, many have begun to specialize in particular types of tours and special interest clientele. Some tour companies have begun to cater to a younger clientele with more active tours, and others are specializing in everything from "eco-tours" to whitewater rafting. Tours emphasizing the environment and unspoiled wilderness areas constitute a small but expanding niche in the tour industry.

Who is a Tour Guide?

Tour guides accompany visitors on tours within a specific country, region, area, city or site. They provide special information on matters relating to such things as history, archaeology, monuments and works of art, the environment, culture, natural and built attractions, places of interest and any general matter of interest to the visitor.

 

Tour guides are responsible for the groups of people they escort. They make sure no one gets lost or separated from the group. They also watch clients to make sure they follow tour rules. In museums, for example, guides make sure visitors do not touch the paintings. On the tour, they tell visitors about the sites they are seeing. They answer visitors' questions and recommend additional sites for them to see. Depending on the tour, guides may drive buses to transport clients around town or to new sites.

Types of tour guides: Tour guides may specialize as an:

1. Adventure Guide “adventure tours,” includes rafting, bicycle tours, bush walking, or mountaineering. Guides are responsible for the safety of customers, especially when rafting, so related experience is usually required for guide positions. Guide applicants should get first aid.

2. CPR certification at a local YMCA or Red Cross. Adventure guides may visit such places as caves & the Blue Mountains.

3. Sightseeing Guides drive motor vehicles to transport sightseers. Using either a public address system or megaphone, they describe points of interest along tour routes. They may drive a limousine or sightseeing bus, stopping the vehicles at various establishments or locations such as art galleries, museums, battlefields, national parks, etc., so that Establishment Guides can escort the group through the area. Some collect fees or tickets and plan refreshment and rest stops. This person requires guiding and driving skills.

4. Establishment Guides escort groups of people through establishments such as museums, aquariums, public, and historical buildings, or through historic or scenic outdoor sites, they usually follow specified routes. They give talks about size, value and history of such places, point out features of interest and provide other interesting information. They answer questions and may also distribute brochures.

5. Bi-lingual Guides offer interpretation of language as well as guiding skills. These guides often guide visitors from other countries. Thus, speaking a foreign language can be an advantage.

6. Guide Coordinator who is usually one who has worked as a guide and now supervises coordinates and train guides.

7. Local Guide who specializes in a particular city or region.

8. Nature-based and Ecotour Guide specialize in showing customers unspoiled wilderness with an emphasis on ecology and environmental preservation. They conduct day or extended tours and require guiding skills and specialist environmental knowledge.

10. Tour Manager who manages pre-arranged touring components and group member welfare, and acts as the principal point of reference and assistance to members of that group. The tour manager provides general destination information to the group members but is often accompanied by a local tour guide who provides in-depth local information and assistance.

Employers of Tour Guides:

The job market for guides is competitive. Although the travel industry is growing and guides are in demand, the number of people looking for work as guides is much higher than the number of available positions. In addition, the travel industry is sensitive to economic downturns, and even top guides with solid reputations lose jobs when the economy slows or when natural or human-caused disasters deter people from traveling, which has been the case since the World Trade Center attacks in 2001.

While travel-guide jobs will always be around, and opportunities are likely to increase over time, just how much demand there will be in a given year is impossible to predict.

Travel guides work for private travel companies all over the world in virtually all types of environments and situations. Most work as private contractors or for tour companies.

Tour and Travel guides are employed by:

Tour operators:

Tour Operator: Establishments primarily engaged in arranging and assembling package tours for sale through travel agents or directly to travelers. E.g. Jamaica Story Tours .

Resorts:

A hotel located in a resort area, example Beach resort – properties located on the beach thought the world. E.g. Jamaica Grande.

Attractions:

Entertainment that is offered to the public e.g. Horse Racing

Museums:

A depository for collecting and displaying objects having scientific or historical or artistic value e.g. National Museum

Cultural Centers:

Culture includes all of the things a group as a whole thinks, believes, and does. To study a group's culture is to study its art, literature, religion, philosophy, sports, clothing, politics, customs, histories, and habits. Cultural centers help us to understand others by giving us a look at their culture. Cultural Center is to provide service within an educational environment that advances the cause of human interaction and understanding across cultures. E.g. Port Royal gives us a view of the inhabitants who lived there in the 17th century.

Theme Parks:

An amusement park in which the structures and settings are based on a central theme e.g. Disney Land or Water world.

Sporting Functions:

Competitive sporting function held at specific times e.g. World Cup Cricket .

 

Tour Guide Responsibilities

Tour Guide Responsibilities include:

• Provide on a contractual basis in a professional manner tour guiding services to local and overseas clientele.

• Have relevant information on and be fully conversant with the particulars of Tours being offered.

• Providing general assistance to the Senior Tour Guide and assist in carrying out certain Administrative tasks relevant to effectively carrying out tour guiding duties.

• Ensure that participants are kept in a relaxed, fun engaged mode.

• Receive training and be able to give basic first aid in case of minor external injuries sustained by tour participants.

• Assist with the development and maintenance of a library or information to ensure a ready store of relevant research material on touring guiding services, attractions.

• Assist with development and implementation of new tour packages.

• Assist in developing marketing sales and promotional information.

• Engage in continuous training and development. 

 

1. Tourist Guide Handbook

Caribbean Tourism Development Programme – financed by the European Union from the Resources of the VI European Development fund.

2. KiwiCareers - Tour Guides

3. TOUR GUIDING AND THE ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL GUIDES The Art of Presentation and Interpretation

4. Career: Tour Guides