COMPETENCY STANDARDS

FOR TOURIST GUIDE

Presented By Drs. Noersal Samad, MA (c)

Lesson One

This lesson deals with the skills and knowledge which underpin effective performance as a tourist guide. It covers key legal, ethical, safety and professional development issues that must be considered by guides in their day-to-day work. As such it underpins all other guiding lessons.

As a tourist guide you must be able to

01) Apply knowledge of the guiding sector

Ø Conduct day-to-day guiding activities in a manner which takes account of the roles and responsibilities of different types of guides.

Ø Identify key guide information sources and contacts correctly.

Ø Use industry knowledge and guide networks to enhance the quality of guiding services provided to customers.

02) Guide tours according to legal, ethical and safety requirements

Ø Conduct day-to-day guiding activities in accordance with the legal requirements governing the industry.

Ø Guide tours according to the general ethics of guiding and the specific ethical considerations for particular contexts.

Ø Guide tours according to safety requirements and in a manner which minimises risk to customers and colleagues.

Ø Guide tours in a manner that minimises any negative impact on the social or natural environment.

03) Develop guiding skills and knowledge

Ø Identify and use opportunities to update the knowledge and skills required by guides.

Ø Identify and access sources of assistance and support for guides when required.

Ø Share knowledge with colleagues to enhance the quality of service provided to customers.

04) Communicate with tourism industry operators in English

Ø Articulate information clearly using industry acceptable language.

Ø Achieve mutual understanding and agree on details relevant to guiding activities.

Ø Provide accurate information and explanations about customer requirements and any special requests.

Ø Communicate according to social, cultural and business requirements.

Ø Identify the nature and key facts of operational problems and provide an appropriate solution by consulting and openly communicating with the tourism operator.

Essential Skills and Knowledge of

Tourist Guides

As a tourist guide your must possess the following knowledge and skills

Ø general knowledge of the tourism industry and in particular the tour operations/wholesaling sector and the way that guiding fits into the tourism industry

Ø roles, responsibilities and career paths for different types of guides including tourist guides, tour manager, site guides, adventure guides, meet and greet guides, city hosts and driver guides

Ø industry associations and the services they provide to guides

Ø legal and liability issues that specifically affect guiding operations including:

o consumer protection laws

o licensing

o public liability and the guide’s duty of care

o environmental legislation

Ø safety issues that specifically affect guiding operations in particular contexts

Ø key factors to consider in minimizing negative impacts on the social and natural environments in which tours take place

Ø knowledge of the social, cultural and business conventions applicable to working as a guide

Ø speaking and listening skills in order to carry out predictable and creative communication involving daily transactions and interactions of a non-routine and varied nature in English.

Knowledge and Skills Upgrading

Try to grab any possible opportunities to update and upgrade your guiding knowledge and skills, and get information sources

from

Ø industry seminars

Ø training courses

Ø familiarization tours

Ø participation/membership in professional guide asso-ciations

Ø formal and informal research

Ø Internet research.

Your knowledge should also cover Tourism operators, such as:

Ø coach company

Ø tour operator

Ø cruise operators

Ø airlines

Ø accommodation provider

Ø food and beverage outlet

Ø attraction or theme park

Ø inbound tour operators

Ø other guides.

Guiding Etiquette

I. What to say when you are introduced:

1. When being introduced singly: “How do you do?” with a smile and a slight nod in almost all cases. In informal situations you may say “Hello.”, instead. In informal situations tourists may say “Hi.” If you are specially happy to meet a person, you may add some appropriate and sincere word of greeting, such as:

o “I’m very glad to meet you,”

o “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

o “I’ve heard so many nice things about you.”

2. When being introduced as one of a group, a smile and a slight nod are sufficient.

3. When being introduced to a group, recognize each in turn with a smile and a slight nod and, If possible, by a repetition of the name.

II. What to do when you are introduced

1. Listen carefully to the name of the person being introduced

2. Stand up

a. Men and boys rise for all introductions

01. They rise for introductions to women, other men, boys, girls and children. In other words, all people

02. The only exceptions to this rule are illness and extreme age, as well as common-sense exceptions

b. Women rise when introduced to:

01. Any woman older than she by approximately ten years

02. A church dignitary or his wife

03. An important state official or his wife

04. An older gentlemen

05. All her guests, both male and female, when she is the hostess

06. A guest of honour

c. In saying good-bye, men and women usually rise as they do when being introduced

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