TOUR GUIDING

BSTM 1202
BAUTISTA, SOPHIA ALESSANDRA
CAYABYAB, LOVELY GRACE B.
FORNAL, FRIDALYN D.
GARCIA, RHIVA EVAINE C.
MARQUESES, JEAN MATHEL S.

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING

Ethics is based on well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans
ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues.
Also, ethics consists of the standards of behavior our society accepts. It is the moral philosophy that
"involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior”. Ethics
is the concern for good behavior. It embraces the principles of right actions or norm of conduct which
is exemplary and honorable in the practice of profession. Also, it emphasize the ideal practices from
man’s professional privileges and responsibilities. Ethics is the branch of philosophy dealing with
values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and
to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.

Importance of Ethics in Guiding Profession

 Tour guides are one of the key front-line players in the tourism industry. Through their
knowledge and interpretation of a destination's attractions and culture, and their
communication and service skills, they have the ability to transform the tourists' visit from a
tour into an experience.
 A professional guide provides skilled presentation of knowledge and enthusiasm in an
engaging manner.
 Ethics in this type of profession is an important aspect since tour guides are surrounded with
different types of travelers.
 By following a clear and consistent set of standards, guiding profession is done in an ethical
way which is the key to providing good service.
 In Guiding Profession, having an ethical attitude is important for the future of the industry since
they become responsible partners who cares about the environment of the business leading to
a sustainable future.
Code of Ethics for Tour Guides
 Shall be welcoming and demonstrate an enthusiasm.
 Shall at all times show willingness to provide optimum support and quality service to all
tourists, and will give tourists an opportunity to enjoy or visit a desired destination.
 Shall in no way discriminate in rendering service to any tourist on any basis,e.g. colour,
gender, ethnicity, nationality, physical challenge, age, etc.
 Shall be impartial, unbiased and positive, and represent south his/her country objectively.
 Shall be suitably dressed and presentable at all times.
 Shall be punctual, reliable, honest, conscientious and tactful at all times.
 Shall be a responsible driver, when driving as a guide.
 Shall carry out the programme/itinerary of a tour to his/her best abilities and be loyal to the
company/organization that he/she is representing.
 Shall deal with conflict in a sensitive and responsible manner.
 Shall report any incident of injury or death to a nearby tourist authority or police station.
 Shall be knowledgeable and shall assist tourists and not provide them with misleading
information.
 Shall in the event of not being familiar with, or being unable to provide information requested
by a tourist, consult with the appropriate authorities for assistance.
 Shall at no time be under the influence of alcohol or a narcotic substance while on duty and
shall refrain from administering any medication to a client without proper medical consultation.
 Shall never solicit for clients or gratuities.
 Shall be concerned at all times for the safety of the tourist.
 Shall wear the appropriate tourist guide badge and will carry his/her registration card.
 Shall treat all people, cultures and the environment with respect.

Do’s and Don’ts in Tour Guiding

In the Tourism industry, everyone must be aware on this important information. And as a Tour Guide,
it is important to know the Do’s and Don’ts in Tour Guiding. Essentially, your tour guides act as the
welcoming committee. They display a friendly attitude on behalf of your destination by being culturally
aware, which can impact a guest's overall view of the people and area. Listed in the table below are
some of the lists on what to Do and what should avoid in Tour Guiding:

DO’S DON’TS
Be punctual Be late
Come prepared Provide false or unsure information
Watch your own health Bad hygiene
Be cordial and pleasant Use slang or idioms
Tell stories or trivias Give your personal opinions
Be sensitive to the guest’s needs Show your exhaustion
Be flexible Overdo things
Speak slowly and deliberately Get impatient with questions
Respect physical boundaries Make inappropriate jokes
Treat every guest equally Expect a tip from everyone

Do’s

1. Be punctual – Be alert, in any case that the guest needs something from you, do the action.
2. Come prepared – You can do research before the guests arrive. Be prepared so that you can
tour them in a destination properly and confidently.
3. Watch your own health – This is a must. You should always bring snacks to lessen the
hunger and water to keep yourself hydrated.
 4. Be cordial and pleasant – A tour guide must be jolly and friendly so that you can
communicate well with the guests and must have an appropriate look to make it decent.
5. Tell stories or trivias – Tell some stories that is enjoyable and give trivias to make it more
interesting. People are more likely to feel engaged when they are listening to a story, rather
than a list of dates and names.
6. Be sensitive to the guest’s needs – You must be sensitive when it comes to the guest’s
needs because you’re the one who’s in charge of them for the whole tour.
7. Be flexible – If the group seems to be losing interest, rethink your approach. Always
encourage questions and answers. This will give you clues on how well the group understands
what you have been saying.
8. Speak slowly and deliberately - Many of us tend to mumble and talk quickly when speaking
in our mother tongue. However, individuals who speak a different language may find it difficult
to comprehend. As a result, a tour guide must practice enunciating and slowing down the way
they speak.
9. Respect physical boundaries - In any case, this should be standard procedure. Unless
they're helping a guest with tour equipment or extending a hand for a difficult step, tour guides
should never touch a guest.
10. Treat every guest equally - One place isn’t better than the next. Tour guides shouldn't be
able to pick and choose which customers to focus on based on their distinctive accents.

Don’ts

1. Be late – Always remember that the tour guide is the first person to be there in a specific
location and also the last person to leave.
2. Provide false or unsure information – Don’t tell stories or facts that you aren’t sure about.
3. Bad hygiene – Always make sure that you look neat and decent.
4. Use slang or idioms - When learning a new language, it's important to start with the basics. If
your tour guides use local dialect or even common idioms like "speaking of the devil" or "a
penny for your thoughts," there may be some miscommunication.
5. Give your personal opinions - We all have our own opinions and perspectives. Do not
engage visitors in political issues, religious beliefs, or any other controversial topic; always
remain neutral. We are here to provide information about the destination or a specific topic.
6. Show your exhaustion – If the guests noticed that you’re tired, the tour wouldn’t be lively and
enjoyable.
7. Overdo things – If it’s not part of your job, don’t do it. Don’t put yourself in a situation where
you can’t refuse.
8. Get impatient with questions – Obviously, there are no bad questions. Even if a question
appears to be common sense, your tour guide should never make a guest feel bad about it
because it may not be to them.
9. Make inappropriate jokes – This may seem obvious, but once a tour guide has established a
connection with his or her guests, he or she can quickly cross the line. They can still have
family-friendly tour guide jokes that are funny.
10. Expect a tip from everyone - Tipping for customer service isn't common in several nations. If
a guest leaves without a monetary thank-you, your tour guides should not hold it against them
if they don't brush up on local manners before their trip.

Importance of Ethics in Guiding Profession

 Tour guides are one of the key front-line players in the tourism industry. Through their
knowledge and interpretation of a destination's attractions and culture, and their
communication and service skills, they have the ability to transform the tourists' visit from a
tour into an experience.

 A professional guide provides skilled presentation of knowledge and enthusiasm in an

 By following a clear and consistent set of standards, guiding profession is done in an ethical
way which is the key to providing good service.

 In Guiding Profession, having an ethical attitude is important for the future of the industry since
they become responsible partners who cares about the environment of the business leading to
a sustainable future.
Tour Guiding Ethics
Ethics in tour guiding applies to three areas of the job:
1. Content of guiding: what you say
2. Behaviour of guiding: what you do
3. Management of tours and activities: what you manage and organize
Content

 Be truthful and honest about information you give to tourists, never ever make up information;
and
 provide products and services that were advertised and promised in the tour itinerary
Behaviour

 Do not get another guide to do a tour you have committed to: A professional guide will accept
each tour as a serious commitment and will cancel only if it is an emergency, and will tell the
tour operator as long as possible before the tour starts;
 declare your income for tax purposes. If not, the tax office will act against your employer –
which is not fair and puts them in a bad situation;
 deliver tour guide services in a way which is sensitive to local social, economic and
environmental issues – meeting the principles of Responsible Tourism;
 do not pay bribes or charge tourists for special services you give them outside of the
itinerary. These are types of unethical behaviour. If you practice any of these, you could
prevent yourself from getting more work, but may also cause problems with the law;
 show respect for local communities, local culture, sites and the environment, behaving in such
a way as a Tour Guide that will result in on-going operations;
 never ask tourists to go on tours with you without going through your employer or ask for tips
 do not buy or sell (illegal) items or make a profit from tourists other than what is included in a
tour guiding contract (fees or commissions); and
 do not write to the tourists unless the employer/ tour company has said that you may and
given you permission. Check with the tour company if you are allowed to keep in touch with
tourists about any tour-related things; and
 always be loyal to the tour company that employs you for the tour .

Tour Management

 Do not change the itinerary to go to places/shops/suppliers where you will get special
commissions – especially if this changes the quality of the tour and puts the reputation of the
Tour Operator at risk;

 do not leave out activities or stops because you feel like it or you want to finish early;

 provide value for money experiences – make sure the tour gives the tourist what they expect
and paid for.