BSTM 2ND YR TOUR GUIDING 204

PREPARED BY: MA’AM LOVE

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION IN TOUR GUIDING

Travel has become more important. The world has change post-covid-19 for us. Both internally
and externally, we face a new world. Covid has forced individuals to stop and contemplate the
issues of existence and our connec@on to this world. As a result, people look forward to travelling
more, knowing more about the world, and experiencing the various ways in which animate
elements connect to the inanimate. Tourism has become part of a lifestyle for people. Therefore,
tourism is today one of the priori@es of society.

The concept of tourism has phenomenally developed over the past four decades. It is being
recognized as a vital economic force that has a significant poten@al to change the condi@on of a
country or a des@na@on. We are living in an experien@al economy. Many ac@vi@es and services
nowadays aim to involve the consumer in live-through. People want to have new experiences, try
different things, experiment with different ideas, and coexist in different possible ways. They
travel for this reason. Everyone is a ‘tourist’ at one point or the other. Today, travelling has become
a way of life for many. People are travelling, cuMng across geographical and poli@cal boundaries.
However, the reasons for travelling may be different. When people have more disposable @me
and money available, they try new ways to spend them. Travelling to many seems to be the
obvious choice.

The term tourism has many connota@ons. To some, it may mean travelling for fun during leisure
while for others it may mean holidaying, which involves some excitement, adventure, thrill, and
challenge. For many, it is a journey towards the realiza@on of dreams. It is like one has yearned
for years to be at their dream des@na@on. Whatever it may be, the thrill of ‘unknown’ gives a kick
to a person when they travel. The wholesome ‘experience’ that one wants to undergo while
visi@ng a des@na@on immerse themselves en@rely into this feeling of thrill and fun, and later share
their experiences with friends and family.

Tourism is commonly regarded as the act of travelling to a different loca@on, for either business
or pleasure purposes. It is also the act of travelling to another environment, for at least 24 hours,
but for no longer than one year, for purposes related to business or leisure. "Tourism comprises
the ac@vi@es of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not
more than one consecu@ve year for leisure, business and other purposes”, UNWTO.
When people travel or visit places of aXrac@ons, they usually require someone to help them in
order to facilitate the tour and achieve their purpose.

Brief History

Thomas Cook – the pioneer of the modern tour guide.

- First travel agent as he transported 570 passengers on a round trip train
excursion as the first rail excursion agent.
- He became the first tour operator in the world a^er sa@sfying his full @me
excurssion agency to offer packaged tours to the growing travelers.
- He organized intracon@nental and intercon@nental tours to Egypt among
others.
- In 1851, he launched a newspaper called “The Excursionist” to educate
travelers on the places of interest in France, Germany, India, Australia,
America, and Far East in the package tour.
- Founder of Thomas Cook & Sons Travel Agency
- The Father of the Travel Agency Business
- 1801-1892
World Tourism Growth
• Travel and Tourism will con@nue to expand than the economy as a whole and faster than
comparable industries.
• 2019-2023 travel and tourism employment worldwide the global employment in the
travel and tourism sector rose slightly in 2022 over the previous year, following a sharp
drop with the onset of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Despite the increase, the
number of travel and tourism jobs worldwide remained below pre-pandemic levels,
totaling 295 million in 2022. As forecast, this figure is expected to grow to 320 million in
2023. The travel and tourism sector incorporates in many industries, including transport,
accommoda@on, food, and drink services and more.
• Growth depends on enlightened government policy.

Tour operators
– tour operators
organize
conducted tour
to the various
tourist spots
and manage the
travel to the
various tourist
spot and
manage the
travel and stay
of the tourists.
There are many
companies opera@ng tours for the domes@c as well as the interna@onal tourist. Some may be for
the usual des@na@on like hill sta@ons but others are for unusual ac@vi@es like river ra^ing, hang
gliding, rock climbing and camping. Tour operators need people for selling the concept and then
to accompany the groups to the des@na@ons. For foreign groups the agencies prefer girls, who
are friendly and helpful. For domes@c groups, males are preferred. Again, the quali@es required
are a pleasing and outgoing personality, knowledge of the ac@vi@es, and o^en par@cipa@ng in
them with the tourists. A person hoping to work with a tour operator must be able to travel with
the groups and know people at the des@na@on to make the tours pleasant for the client. Though
one may do a course of tourist guide for this purpose, people with a knowledge of the ac@vi@es
can easily join as tour operators. The jobs could be seasonal in some cases.
Travel agency – travel agents assess the needs of tourists and businessman and help them make
the best possible travel arrangement from the many travel op@on available. Many resorts, travel
groups use travel agents to promote their tour package to travelers. They deal with almost
everything connected with including the shortest route to the des@na@on, travel mode, the
important documents that will be required. (visa, passport, vaccina@on cer@ficates etc.), suitable
places to stay, current exchange rates, tourist aXrac@ons to visit, climate and they will plan the
trip keeping in mind the clients’ preferences, budgets and special needs. In travel agency there
are openings for reserva@on and counter staff, Sales and Marke@ng staff, Tour escorts and tour
operators, cargo and courier agencies etc.

TransportaOon sector– provides the tourists transport to their des@na@on. This comprises
airlines, surface transporta@on such as railways, and motor coaches, and sea vessels. With the
advent faster transporta@on, tourists can now benefit from longer vaca@ons.

AccommodaOon sector – a tourism aXrac@on on its own, is in charge of the lodging of the
tourists, with hotels, classified as six and seven star hotels, the curiosity of prospec@ve
interna@onal travelers is trigged.

Food and beverage – establishments offer thema@c, as well as local and foreign, gastronomy that
en@ces individuals to try their cuisines.

Tourism aRracOons – countries have been focusing in developing their tourism as an avenue to
address the Millennium Development Goal set by the United Na@ons (UN). One ac@on taken is
community-based tourism, wherein the community, government, and private sector work hand
in hand seMng and implemen@ng a successful business model.

Defined Tourist

Tourist – the word tourist originated in 1292 AD, Concise Oxford dic@onary (2000) defines this
word as follows:
o A person who travels for pleasure
o A member of a touring sports team
- A temporary visitor who stays for at least twenty-four hours in the country visited and
the purpose of whose journey can be any one of the following
o Leisure (recrea@on, holiday, health, and sports)
o Business
o Family
o Religious obliga@ons
o Studies or training
- Tourists are the voluntary temporary travelers, traveling in the expecta@ons of pleasure
from the novelty and change experienced on a rela@vely and non-current round trip.
(Erik Cohen)

The following persons are tourists:

• Persons traveling for fun to another country.
• Persons visi@ng another country for a family assembly or func@on.
• Pa@ent visi@ng another country for health check-ups or surgical treatment.
• Persons travelling to another country on business trips.
• Delegates visi@ng another country for aXending conferences, seminars etc.

The following persons are not tourists:

• Persons arriving in a country to take up jobs.
• Persons migra@ng from rural to urban areas.
• Students in boarding
• Persons domiciled in one country but working in neighboring country.
 • Persons passing through a country without stopping.
• Persons stopping few hours at the connec@ng stops while they move from one country to
another.
Traveler – a person, who cover a reasonable large distance within or outside the country of his
residence. Normally, a tourist is a person who visit a country other than his own. So, a traveler
may not be a tourist. Further, a traveler may touch many transits stops while he leaves his star@ng
point of his des@na@on a^er a long journey.

Excursionist – he is temporary visitor who stay for less than twenty-four hours in the country
visited. Thus, excursionist is not a tourist because he does stay for more than 24 hours at the
point/sta@on on excursion. Further, an excursionist is a traveler, finally, an excursionist is a
temporary visitor. Excursionists include travelers on cruises.

Visitor – the UN conference on Interna@onal Travel and Tourism was held in the year 1963 in
Rome. It considered a defini@on of the term Visitor. It recommended that this defini@on be
studied by the UN Sta@s@cal Commission. Thus, a revised defini@on was made and adopted. So a
visitor has been defined as “any person visi@ng a country other than that in which, he has his
usual place of residence, for any reason other than following an occupa@on remunerated from
within the country visited.

Guide - “A person who guides, to tourist or mountaineers, book of informa@on for visitors to a
place, an adviser, a book for beginners, the principle governing behavior of choice. To control,
direct or influence’.

What is tour?

Coined from the La@n word tornare and Greek tornos, meaning to circle around, the word “tour”
means to come back to the point of origin a^er going to a des@na@on elsewhere (Theobald
1998). In tourism, the word “tour” refers to the ac@vi@es of people when they go to a place to
see and learn about it in person.

What is tour guiding?

Tour guiding – one of the most promising professions and high-paying yet challenging profession
in the tourism industry.
- Tour guiding service means tour guides recep@on services on behalf of the
appointed travel and tour agency to receive or accompany tourist in their process
of travel or sight-seeing according to the contract of the tour party.
- Tour guide service is the core and linkage of tour recep@on service as well as an
important part of the whole tour service product purchased by the tourist.
- A tour guide renders personal assistance to a guest or tourist from the beginning
up to the end of the tour.
- A tour guide should be equipped with relevant informa@on that can be shared
with the tourist.
- A tour guide must know everything about the tour/i@nerary and prepared to
answer ques@ons.

Who is the Tour Guide?

A tour guide is the person who guides tourists as they go about a foreign place. A tour guide helps
the laXer gain a beXer apprecia@on of he place and the interes@ng things to see there. The tour
guide likewise helps tourists use their @me more efficiently.

The Philippine Department of Tourism (1995) defines a tour guide as “ an individual who guides
tourist, both foreign and domes@c, for a fee, commission, or any other form of lawful
remunera@on.” Tour guides need to undergo proper training before they can apply for
accredita@on from the Department of Tourism.
Requirements to be a tour guide
ü Must pass the qualifying interview by DOT;
ü Must undergo and pass a DOT – sponsored seminar;
ü Cer@ficate of Good health
ü NBI clearance
ü LGU-licensed
ü Latest income tax return

Types of tours
1. Water-based tours – these are scenic tours undertaken in aqua@c environments, such as
oceans, lakes, seas, and rivers, they include: snorkeling, scuba-diving, canoeing, yach@ng,
cruise ship tours, ship-wreck diving, white-water ra^ing, sport-fishing.
2. On-foot tours – these are tours that are carried out within a par@cular tourist aXrac@on
primarily on foot, they include: trekking and hiking, nature trails, foot expedi@ons, board
and canopy walks, botanical tours, hun@ng tours, wildlife tracking.
3. Surface tours – these are tours undertaken using roads, as main mode of transport, they
include: games drivers, mountain biking, country drives, city/town tours(driven), self-drive
tours.
4. Aerial tours – these are scenic tours that are carried out using ways aimed at providing
tourists with a bird-eye-view of a given aXrac@on, example: hot air balloon tours, aero
plane tours, helicopter tours, zip-line tours.
5. Plant tour/company – is conducted normally with students visi@ng an actual site plant.
Lectures are given by in-house speakers and actual tour of the different areas of the
company is included.
6. Eco tour – a tour to the different ecology sites with emphasis on the preserva@on of the
environment.
7. Pilgrimage tour – is a visit to religious and worship places like churches and mission
horses.
8. Daily run tour – a tour conducted regularly.
9. Specially arranged tour – a tour arranged based on the specific needs of the tourist.
10. Seat-in coach – tour par@cipated by different tour members with varied pick up points but
going to the same des@na@on.
11. Walking tour – type of tour that does a lot of walking in order to see the dfferent aspects
of the tour.
12. Other specialized tour – is a tour conducted for specific type or purpose or special
interest.

Types of tour guides

1. Local guide – a person competent enough to guide in a certain locality or area.
2. Freelance guide – a guide that is not personally connected to any operator or agency and
is paid or per trip basis.
3. Staff guide – a guide that is personally connected to a tour operator or agency and
receives monthly salary.
4. Escort guide – a guide who accompanies a group of tourists from the point of origin to the
des@na@on and back to the origin. He or she usually handles the tour groups’ check-in and
check-out.
5. Linguist guide – a person who speaks fluently two or more foreign languages and is used
to translate language during tours.
6. Meet and greet guide – a guide who meets individual groups of visitors arriving at the
airport, help them get their luggage and may accompany or drive them to their hotel.
7. EducaOonal guide – a guide that tends to student study educa@onal tours.
8. Driver guide – a person who operated a tour vehicle while at the same @me delivers
commentaries to the tourists.
9. InterpreOve guide – a person who is able to interpret the natural and cultural heritage of
a community and des@na@on
 10. Transfer guide – a person who receives tourists at terminals dealing mainly with the
provision of general informa@on and confirming the des@na@on programs acquired by the
tourists i.e. hotels, tours.
11. Specialist guide – a guide who specializes in a certain field e.g. botany, architecture and is
used to offer specialized tours.
12. On-site guide – a guide who is based at a par@cular aXrac@on and provides tours for one
or several hours.
13. Step-on- guide – a guide who conducts tours and delivers commentaries while travelling
on a vehicle.
14. Shore-excursion guide – a guide who works on-board cruise liner, yacht, or a river cruise
vessel.
15. Hop-on guide – a guide who accompanies self-drive tourists in reserves, park, heritage,
and historical sites, ci@es, and regions.
16. Cruise-excursion guide – a guide who takes visitors from cruise ships or chartered touring
yacht onto the shore at various points along the journey showing them the main
aXrac@ons.
17. Docent – volunteer guides normally in the small museum and o^en work for free
18. City guide – points and comment on the highlights of a city, usually from a motor coach,
minibus or van but does some@mes as part of a walking tour.
19. Freelance guide - person who is not permanently connected with a travel agency paid per
trip.
20. Indigenous guide - a guide with a na@ve or aboriginal background with a deep
understanding of their culture.
21. Tour escort – accompanying tourists from the point of origin to the point of des@na@ons
and return to point of origin ac@ng as coordinators of the tour ac@vi@es for specified
number of days stated in the tour package.

Principles of tour guiding

Today, travelers seek support from expert that can provide them with services in the des@na@ons
in mul@tude of ways, these are the basic tenets of tour guiding that provide for a guide as:

§ Interpreter – in many instances, the tour guide act as an interpreter in foreign languages
for the travelers.
- The tour guide also interprets informa@on, sites, and aXrac@ons to the
tourists.
§ Presenter – the tour guide is a presenter for the traveler by providing relevant and
interes@ng commentaries on sites seen and places visited.
§ Care-giver – the tour guide is also a care giver for the traveler as he or she provides relief
to unpleasant situa@ons at the most difficult @mes.
- They maintain the safety and security of tourists at all @mes.
§ Overseer – tour guides are responsible to the tour operator for any unplanned failure of
the suppliers to deliver confirmed services.
§ Timekeeper – the tour guides make sure that the services are provided in a @mely fashion
and within the scheduled @me as per the tour i@nerary.
§ Mediator – tour guides in the course of their profession operate between culture thus
naturally playing the role intercultural media@on.
§ Coordinator – tour guides act as the link between the various suppliers and coordinates
the delivery of services from each.
The supervision of luggage or van handler is coordinated by the tour guide and
assisted by the couriers.

DuOes and responsibiliOes of a guide

√ Honesty – provide informa@on and explana@on about an aXrac@on honestly and never take
advantage of the ignorance of the tourists.
- Use common sense by being honest and saying “I don’t know or I will check”
√ Fairness – act fairly and reasonable in all dealings with co-workers, host, communi@es and
tourists.
√ Factual – ensure factual presenta@ons by dis@nguishing legends, truth, stories and tradi@ons.
√ Tac[ul – always act with tact and diplomacy in dealing with the guest. Act as a link between
the visitor, the area and its people.
√ Safety – ensure tourist safety and warm them on: plants that might cause some allergies,
unsuitable food and drinks, eleva@ons for those with fear of height, dangerous wildlife,
pickpockets. They try to ensure that the tour will be enjoyable and safe.
√ Responsibility – protect the reputa@on of tourism industry by making every assignment a
treat, with respect to the environment, wildlife sites and monuments, local customs and
tradi@ons.

Chapter II
The tour and the Tour Guide
INTRODUCTION

Tour guides work in the tourism industry, their work includes giving guided tours to groups of
visitors. They are considered experts on the history of the loca@on and offer their tour groups
exci@ng informa@on about points of interest at nature aXrac@ons, historic sites, museums, scenic
loca@ons, and other travel des@na@ons. Guides may give walking tours, tours on a bus, or even
lead river tours on a boat. They are o^en hired by travel companies or travel agencies; tour guides
are typically residents of the region in which they give tours.

FOUR STAGES OF TOUR GUIDING TECHNIQUES

tour guide should always disseminate needed per@nent informa@on and other instruc@on to
guests before, during and a^er the tour. Such details are scheduled i@nerary for the day: Assembly
@me and area, pick-up and drop-off points, tour inclusions, where are the rest stops, etc.

General Tour Procedures

A. Pre-tour:
1. Study your tour assignment, guests’ profiles, arrivals, schedule, other
bookings.
2. Be aware of the composi@on of the group by knowing age brackets, total
number, place of origin, affinity etc.
3. Review i@nerary by visualizing the actual opera@on of the tour, checking
inconsistencies in the i@nerary, @ming in travel and direc@ons, meal stops, stop
overs, and sightseeing.
4. Be reminded of cash advances, vouches needed, before the actual tour, paper
works are expected to be accomplished by tour guides.
5. Know your vehicles to be used, plate number and the name of driver or
coordinator.

B. Tour Proper

a. Arrival Procedures
1. Self prepara@on and readiness to meet the tourist should arrive at the pick-up
area or tour site at least one hour ahead of the es@mated @me of arrival of the
guests.
2. Be punctual. Time is of the essence. Tour guide must also bear in mind that it is
the coach captain who control the @me of travel to tour sites.
3. Make sure you have complete name of guest, cash advances and tour vouchers.
4. Check your transport ameni@es.
5. Meet and greet the group. First impression, as they say, is las@ng while the second
impression may not be so anymore. An impression of the guide as arriving late,
nervous, un@dy and unprepared can make or break a tour.
 6. Discuss i@nerary and check other concerns. It is important to stress the value of
coopera@ve effort from the guests. Tour guides must make sure that informa@on
is given but also encourage the guests to ask ques@ons and to express concerns
as may rise.

b. AcOviOes during the tour

1. Request everyone to seXle in and to do a headcount to ensure that everyone is
present.
2. Deliver commentaries and at @mes remind guests of the do’s and don’ts of the
tour, the rules and regula@ons in the places to be visited, stop-overs including
@me alloXed for such, etc.
3. Announce inclusions of the tour and what to expect. Explain fully the items
included in the tour. BeXer exchange numbers with some guests- this will help
you locate them in case of emergency or when they get lost/go astray during the
tour.

c. Departure procedures
1. Announce the next day’s i@nerary/program and give instruc@ons.
2. End your day/tour by thanking the guest when the drop-off point is near,
apologize for any shortcomings not forgeMng to thank coach captain for the safe
trip.
3. Get feedback from the guests, assist them in geMng off the coach also for any
belongings that may be le^ behind.

C. Post tour
1. Gather all collected vouchers
2. Prepare tour guide’s report
3. Submit tour report immediately a^er the tour
4. Accomplish financial report with receipts, vouchers and other assignments.
Liquidate (if necessary).
5. Report any incidents that transpired during the tour
6. Lastly, thank the travel/tour agency for the opportunity given to you.

Elements of tour guiding

1. Professionalism – before becoming a tour guide, a person must undergo a training
program. One must acquire a license to prac@ce legally.
2. Service – tour guides provide services, a form of product that is intangible, perishable,
and one whose produc@on and consump@on happens simultaneously.
3. InterpretaOon – one of the tour guide’s role is to educate the tourists about the meanings
and significance of cultural aXrac@ons.
4. Physical elements – tour guides combine service with the physical elements to create the
total tourism experience for clients. Physical elements include hotel facili@es, transport,
vehicles, parks, and museums.
5. Mastery of informaOon – refers to stock knowledge acquired by the tour guide through
research, interac@on with other guides and self-study. for historical and cultural tours, the
stock knowledge must be based on the dates and chronology of events, important
historical characters and figures, and the former seMng compared.
6. Rapport with tourists tour guide must stir up the interest of the tourists.
Draw out positive responses and appropriate questions. Face to face and eye to eye
contact, Proper way of asking and answering questions and Polite way of calling
attention
7. CommunicaOon skills – mastery of language or languages, tone and quality of voice,
overall projec@on, body language and descrip@ve and direc@onal gesture-poin@ng facial
expressions.
CharacterisFcs of a tour guide
1. tour guide must be mature, responsible, pa@ent, tacrul, and sensi@ve to different
cultures.
2. They must also be ar@culate, quick-wiXed, organized, and healthy to cope with the
physical demands.
3. They must show sincere interest in the places where they prac@ce their profession.

DO’S AND DON’T’S IN TOUR GUIDING

What “To Do” and “Not Do” During Tour Guiding

1. Avoid Guess Work

2. Avoid Memorizing Commentaries
3. Be Honest And Sincere
4. Be Positive And Patriotic
5. Be Sensitive In The Operating Environment
6. Encourage Responsible And Sensitive Behavior From The Clients
7. Establish Rapport With The Clients
8. Establish Rapport With The Suppliers
9. Seek grounds of concern with your suppliers
10. Make Choices
11. Never Insinuate Or Ask For Tips

THE RULES OF TOUR GUIDING

1. Smile
2. Dress Properly
3. Be Patient
4. Be Ready
5. Be Friendly and Courteous
6. Be Calm And Positive
7. Be Prepared
8. Study The Clients
9. Protect Suppliers
10. Be Understanding, But Firm

THE ROLE OF TOUR GUIDES

1. WATCHDOG for the tour operator.
2. Tour guides as GO-BETWEEN.
3. Tour guides as LECTURERS.
4. Tour guides as TIMEKEEPERS.
5. Tour guides as SHEPERD
6. The Leader Leadership as a most important aspect of a guide’s responsibilities.
7. The Educator
8. The Public Relations
9. The Host
10. The Conduit (channel/link)