CHAPTER 4

TOUR GUIDING SETTINGS AND

TECHNIQUES

KATHERINE ANN M, MAGRACIA BSTM85

OBJECTIVES:
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING
Ethics

- good behavior
- moral maturity
- knowing what is good and what is bad.

- Albert Schweitzer, a theologian, philosopher and Nobel

peace prize recipient defined ethics as: “ethics is the name
we give to our concern for good behavior. We feel an obli-
gation to consider not only our own personal well-being but
also that of others and of society as a whole”.
As guiding develops into a more popular and viable
career, discussions about ethics within the profession are
becoming more predominant.
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING
Ethics
Blanchard and Peale in their book, The Power of Ethical
Management suggest that in evaluating whether or not a
behavior is ethical, a person should ask these three
questions:

(1) Is it legal?
(2) Is it balanced?
(3) How will it make me feel about myself?
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING
Relationships with fellow guides
One of the signs of professionalism is excellent relationships
with one’s own colleagues. Those who promote beneficial re-
lationships with their peers are highly respected.

The following are some of the steps that guides can take to
foster symbiotic professional relationships:
1. Treat others as you would wish to be treated. Refrain from
gossip and complaining.
2. When taking visitors to crowded places, guides should be
considerate with other guides and groups who are waiting to
see a site. This means spending less time than usual in cer-
tain places.
3. Always share information that could be helpful to col-
leagues. Inform guides of new policies; volunteer to speak to
the guide’s association about a topic in which one is knowl-
edgeable; share news with other guides.
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING
Relationships with employers
Like all employees, guides have responsibilities to their em-
ployers. The following factors can enhance a guide’s relation-
ship with employers:
1. Always appear neat and clean with proper uniform and
badge.
2. Maintain a businesslike and socially acceptable demeanor.
Avoid foul language and excessive drinking.
3. Never share a company’s trade secrets or internal problems
with clients or employees of another company.
4. Follow and complete their tour itinerary. When this be-
comes difficult because of inclement weather, queues, acci-
dents during the tour, contact the employer immediately.
5. Never solicit work for oneself or another company through
a company’s client. Since guides work very closely with clients
and often develop close relationships with them, clients often
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING
Relationships with other colleagues
In addition to other guide’s colleagues include others within the
travel industry such as travel agents, visitor information personnel,
hotel and restaurant employees and all those who work at the sites
and attractions that travelers visit.
The following are guidelines for fostering better relation-
ships with industry colleagues:
1. Attempt to learn more about others aspects of the industry. By
understanding the demands of a hotel front clerk or airline ticket
agent, guides will be able to work more empathetically, coopera-
tively and effectively with them.
2. Always acknowledge a colleague’s excellent service by telling it
to the individual concerned, the individual’s supervisor or the trav-
elers who have benefited from it.
3. If a problem arises, discuss it privately, without being heard by
clients. A private conversation between the guide and the col-
league can help promote a spirit of cooperation rather than con-
frontation.
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING
Relationships to travelers
The following are the guidelines for the treatment of travelers:

1. Guides must treat all tour members with equal time, attention
and dignity. Every customer is a “very important person” who de-
serves equal respect regardless of his or her social standing or the
amount of money that he or she has.

2. Guides should give accurate and interesting information and

strive to learn more. This includes learning about the visitors since
it enhances the effectiveness of a guide’s interpretation and pro-
motes goodwill.

3. Guides should try to be very objective and diplomatic. They

should avoid discussions about sex, politics and religion because
they can never be sure about the affiliations, beliefs or points of
view of all their passengers.
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING
Relationships to travelers
The following are the guidelines for the treatment of travelers:

4. Guides should keep their guests comfortable and safe. They

should know the basic first-aid procedures.

5. Guides should never look down on a region’s customs or con-

sider them strange or weird just because they are different from
their own.
6. Guides should never solicit tips. Asking for tips is humiliating to
the tour company, the guides themselves, the travelers, and to the
professional reputation of guides.
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING
Responsibilities to local regions and to society
Ethical tourism has become a popular subject nowadays. In
spite of its cultural economic benefits, tourism can be ex-
tremely damaging to host communities. There are many ex-
amples throughout the world about the insensitive attitude
which travelers have shown to the local population particu-
larly in developing countries. Several regions of the world
are being exploited to the extent that only foreign corpora-
tions and their employees are benefited. The local people
gain nothing but intrusion on their lives and the depletion
of their natural resources.
Guides can play a powerful role in promoting so-
cially responsible behavior among visitors. Many travelers
seek help from their guides in interacting with a local region
and its people.
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING
Responsibilities to local regions and to society
The following are suggestions for guides in promoting re-
sponsible, ethical tourism:

1. Encourage visitors to meet local people.

2. Explain local customs to visitors when they differ from the
customs of the group.
3. Remind visitors to help maintain the region’s clean and
safe environment.
4. Exercise caution and respect for local people when pass-
ing through areas in which poverty, crime and environmen-
tal damage are prevalent.
5. Always travel with dignity and respect and remind visitors
to do same especially in sacred places, private homes and
sites with valuable artifacts.
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING
Responsibilities to local regions and to society
The Ecumenical Coalition on Third World Tourism (ECTWT) pro-
duced a “Code of Ethics for Tourists” which has been distributed
worldwide:
The following are the provisions of the code:

1. Travel in a spirit of humility and with a genuine desire to learn

more about the people of the host community.
2. Cultivate the habit of listening and observing, rather than
merely hearing and seeing.
3. Realize that the people in the country you visit often have
time concepts and thought patterns different from your own.
4. Instead of looking for that “beach paradise”, discover the en-
richment of seeing a different way of life, through other’s
eyes.
5. Acquaint yourself with local customs.
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN GUIDING
Responsibilities to local regions and to society
6. Instead of the Western practice of “knowing all the answers”, cul-
tivate the habit of asking questions.

7. Remember that you are only one of thousands of tourists visiting

this country and do not expect special privileges.

8. If you really want your experience to be a “home away from

home”, it is foolish to waste money on traveling.

9. When you shop, remember that the “bargain” you obtained was
possible only because of the low wages paid to the maker.

10. Do not make promises to people in your host country unless

you can carry them through.

11. Spend time reflecting on your daily experience in an attempt to

deepen your understanding.
 TOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Ten Commandments of Tour Guiding

1. SMILE 6. BE CALM AND POSITIVE

2. DRESS PROPERLY 7. BE PREPARED

3. BE PATIENT 8. STUDY YOUR PEOPLE

4. BE READY 9. PROTECT OTHER SUPPLI-

ERS
5. BE FRIENDLY AND COUR-
TEOUS 10.BE UNDERSTANDING, BUT
FIRM
 Seven Sins of Service as applied to
Guiding
1. Treating customers with apathy
 Travelers will forgive many shortcomings in a guide except
apathy.

 Guides who are suffering from apathy or lack of enthusiasm

should permanently look for other work.

2. Brushing customers off

 A guide who gives the impression that he or she would rather
be elsewhere turns away customers quickly.

 Guides are on duty from morning to late evening.

 Seven Sins of Service as applied to
Guiding
3. Being cold to customers
 The failure of guides to be sincere and friendly and the lack of
desire to share one’s self with people express coldness toward
the customer.

 Most travelers regard meeting people as the primary reason for

traveling.

4. Treating customers with arrogance

 A guide who talks to first year high school students in the same
tone as he speaks to fourth grades or a guide who assumes
that every senior citizen has hearing difficulty and suffers from
Alzheimer’s disease unknowingly insults her guests.

 The skilled guide has several ways of determining a group’s

level of understanding including questioning, listening and en-
couraging participation.
 Seven Sins of Service as applied to
Guiding
5. Working like a robot
 Many guides adapted the “I can do this with my eyes closed”
attitude.
 It is an offensive attitude because it shows that lack of interest
and boredom and is just as tiresome for the listeners as it is for
the speaker.

6. Getting hung up on the rule book

 Several service industry leaders propose that guides should re-
frain from saying “Sorry, our policy is . . ” if they are not con-
vinced
 Seven Sins of Service as applied to
Guiding
7. Giving customers “the run-around”
 In cases where a task falls outside the guide’s responsibility or
expertise, his or her handling of the situation can make the
difference between a visitor getting assistance or feeling as if
he is getting the run-around.
Common Problems And Its Solutions
In Tour Guiding
Working with students
 Groups of young students are the most difficult to guide be-
cause they present special challenges in terms of discipline, mo-
tivation, and interest level.

 A guide must be skillful in asking questions and use creative

techniques.

 Guides who do not know the interests of young people will

have a difficult time reaching them or giving an effective tour.
Common Problems And Its Solutions
In Tour Guiding
Working with Senior Citizens
 A senior citizen is generally anyone over the age of sixty.

 Senior citizens are generally appreciative, curious, interested, at-

tentive, eager for experience and willing to contribute their own
life experience.

 It is a fact that all senses decline in the aging process. A traveler

with a hearing defect may miss much of the tour without the
guide realizing it.
Common Problems And Its Solutions
In Tour Guiding
Working with “DIFFICULT” people
 The first duty of a guide when he meets the group is to create
an atmosphere of harmony and mutual trust.
 In the first meeting, visitors will examine the guide for signs
about his or her attitude, personality, capability and other indi-
cations about the kind of experience they will have.
 If such examination is disheartening, guides should note the fol-
lowing:
 People travel on tours to enjoy themselves. As one tour opera-
tor said, “This isn’t brain surgery. Relax and enjoy yourself, and
your group will, too.”
 Most people would like to see the guide succeed.
 No one expects perfection. In fact, many perfectionists turn
people off.
Common Problems And Its Solutions
In Tour Guiding
Working Under Difficult Circumstances
 The most difficult circumstances are those involving safety such
as medical emergencies and motor coach breakdowns.

 Handling complaints requires patience and diplomacy.

 Since guides are normally hired by tour operators, they must

speak on behalf of the company.

 Since majority of the companies follow the saying “the customer

is always right”, it is the guide’s duty to show genuine concern
to the visitor while at the same time defending the company.
Common Problems And Its Solutions
In Tour Guiding
Working Under Difficult Circumstances
In case of customer complaints, guides should ask themselves these
questions:

1. What exactly is the complaint?

-sometimes just listening to the guest’s story is enough to
pacify him or her.
-in all cases, guests deserve to have their grievances heard.

2. Is the guest’s complaint valid?

-if the guest complaints that his room is near the elevator,
such complaint does not require a refund or an upgrade to a
suite, nor is it a reason to notify the company.
Common Problems And Its Solutions
In Tour Guiding
Working Under Difficult Circumstances
In case of customer complaints, guides should ask themselves these
questions:

3. Can the situation be resolved easily? If so, how?

-at sometimes, an issue requires much negotiation on the
part of the guide on behalf of both the company and the visitor.
-if the complaint cannot be resolved by the guide during
the trip, there is no need for the guide and visitor to spend unnec-
essary time and effort trying to resolve it.
 Special Techniques In Guiding
Different Locations
 Reporting time- 30 minutes to 1 hour advance before the tour’s
departure
 Assemble the people
 Have time to make last minute adjustment

 Boarding- position yourself in a strategic location “give an appro-

priate greeting” and count head

 Introduction

 Starting a tour- introduce yourself as well as the coach captain.

 Delivery of spiel/commentary

 Catching tourist’s attention- alert the people of an approaching

sight of interests and give the appropriate commentary only when
the sight is visible to most.
 Special Techniques In Guiding
Different Locations
 Controlling/disciplining the tourists

 Handling tours (touring, stopover, walking tours) – always super-

vise disembarking. Gather most of them before providing the ap-
propriate commentary on site. Allow time for picture taking and
other activities, such as use of restrooms. Supervise re-boarding
and always count heads.

 Shopping

 Coping up with problems

 How/when to say “I don’t know”

 x
 Ending the tour- before disembarking, give a reminder of the next
activity/movement and a thank you speech. When the clients
have disembarked, check each seat for items that may have been
left behind. Thank the coach captain.
Tour Guides Perform In Any Of The Follow-
ing Locations:
SETTINGS CONCERN
INSIDE THE VEHICLE Type of vehicle, air-conditioned or no air-
conditioned, seating arrangements, type and
condition of sound system, entry/exit points,
noise level, safety measures
INSIDE A BUILDING Type of building, entry/exit points, fire exits,
location of comfort rooms, regulations re-
garding flow of traffic and prohibitions, voice
level, crowded areas, ascending/descending
stair ways
OPEN AREAS Directional/ informational signs, waste dis-
posal/trash cans, presence of other tour
groups or individuals, number of people, reg-
ulations regarding the form of traffic, limita-
tions and prohibitions
 MAKING AND DELIVERING
COMMENTARY
Tour commentary or Narration/ Guide speak

 It is a different form of public oration, one that is less provoking

than traditional speaking.

 Tour commentaries are planned, structured and carefully studied

information designed to be the tool for the tour activity to be
understood, appreciated and related to the actual sightseeing
part of the tour itinerary.

 Effective commentary requires audience analysis and visitor ex-

pectations.
Types of Commentaries:

1. Required-It includes introduction of yourself and the driver. It

also includes a brief description of the day’s tour, designated
stops and points of interest en route.

2. Informative-These are made up to the facts and figures on

sites and sights en route and walking tours.

3. Requested -It includes all answers to questions posed by the

tourists.

4. Optional -These are ad lib commentaries, jokes, witty stories,

legends and trivia.
BASIC SKILLS NEEDED
A. Leadership Skills

 Tour Guides not only manage, they also lead. As

leaders they take the initiative and engage their
listener in interaction toward the achievement of
certain goals.

 Leadership is an important component in the

existence, survival and function of tour conducting. It
is an accepted fact among tour guides that the
success of the tour is greatly dependent upon the
quality and effectiveness of the dimension.
Two main function of a Leader
1. The accomplishment of a task or attainment of a
goal;
2. The strength of the group being led.
B. Communication Skills

 The skill of communication is hard work. It requires

concentration. It is a skill that can be developed and

an investment on yourself when practiced.
 Effective communication will only take place if the

following processes has been applied:

• Communication starts with an idea in the sender’s

mind
• The sender translates the idea into words and this

becomes the message

• The receiver translates the message back into an

idea.
I. Verbal Components of Communication (7%)
• Contents of the message
• Choice of words
• Vocabulary
• Slang, colloquial, jargon
II. Vocal – use of voice (38%)
• Accent
• Tone
• Volume
• Speed
• pitch
III. Non-verbal (55%)
• Facial expression
• Body language
• Eye contact
• Gestures
• Distance
• Posture
• Grooming
• Movements
Creating a Personal Platform Image
1. Voice – rate of speech

• Volume is critical. If people can’t hear you easily they will

go on vacation in their heads.

• Be louder than softer – there is more space between your

mouth and the audience’s ears that your words have to

travel than there is when you talk with someone over a
cup of coffee.
• To be sure you are speaking to be heard by all, pretend

that the people in the back of the room are hard of

hearing.
• Keep your rate of speech quicker rather than slower, as

people tend to process information mentally at a high rate

of speed.
• If you tend toward a monotone vocal pitch, practice

energizing your voice by reading fairy tale to a real or

imagined child.
• Vocal ticks, like “um” and “uhh”, are vocalized pauses

that can be reduced or eliminated by techniques such

as the following:
 Consciously focus attention on the vocal tick, hear

yourself saying them. As soon as you do, they will

begin to go away.
 Ask a colleague to signal by raising a file card or

tapping a glass each time they hear one.

2. Eye Contact

• “The eyes are the windows to the soul”

• Greet the first people to arrive for the presentation

and chat with them informally. Then make direct eye

contact with them as you begin to speak. They will
typically respond with signal of recognition, a smile, a
nod of the head.
• Actually see and read the faces of the audience

members so they know you are not running on “auto

pilot.”
• Look at different sectors of the audience, then find an

individual face to focus on for a sentence or two, then

move on.
3. Your Body Language
• Be conscious of it; not overly so, but enough to
become more mindful of your effect.
• Watch for cues from others
a. Notice how successful people move
b. Notice how you react to others’ body language
• Cultivate “Power Moves”
a. Good posture-back straight, head up
b. Both feet on floor at shoulder width
c. “Relaxed” look-hands on hips or in pockets, but not
slouching
d. Firm gestures, no fidgeting or hair twirling
• Fake it till you make it – if confident body language

doesn’t “feel like you”, start with a small steps like

holding your head high. You may find that the way you
move begins to affect the way you feel-and the way the
people respond to you.
4. Your Audience
Speech offers a benefit that writing doesn’t, the
ability to get immediate, visible feedback. In writing outtake
a chance that you might be misunderstood by your
audience.
a. Watch your audience
What is their body language? Are they making
“agreement noises?”, Are you holding their attentions?
b. Check in with your listener
Does that make sense to you? Would you like to
repeat that? Are you tracking me?
c. Be prepared to change course based on the
feedback you get
C. Listening Skills

 Listening is also an important aspect of

communication. Prior to the sending of the message,
both the sender and the receiver practice listening skills.
Some tips for effective listening:
1. Use attentive body language

• Maintain eye contact and avoid visual distraction.

• Be aware of what your body language is communicating

about how interested and willing you are to listen.

• Observe the speaker’s non – verbal clues.

• Listen with more than your ears.

2. Learn to use your thinking time constructively.

• Keep your mind from wandering by asking yourself

questions about what the speaker is telling you.

• Make mental notes that are relative to the discussion

topic.
3. Become an observer – control your mouth

• It is impossible to speak and listen at the same time.

4. Listen with an open mind and avoid prejudice.
• Avoid tendency to resist ideas that are of no personal interest

to you.
• Guard against the tendency to blank out or skip over ideas

which you would rather not hear.

5. Do not jump to conclusions.

• Listen all the way through to ensure a complete and accurate

understanding of what is being said.

6. Let the speaker know that you hear and understand.

• Give encouraging responses

• Paraphrase the speaker’s message to share your

understanding of what is being said.

• Reflect the feelings of the speaker, not just the words.

D. Research Skills

 Tour commentaries are planned, structured and carefully

studied information designed to be the tool for the tour

activity to be understood, appreciated and related to the actual

sightseeing part of the tour itinerary.

 Knowledgeable tour guides usually supplement escorts at

each destination. They must keep up on all sorts of facts.

 Tour guides are expected to be good conversationalist. They

are regarded as having the minds of scholars because they

should be aware of what is going on in the country in terms of

current events, past events, impacts on the economy, the

trends in the community and society as a whole.

 Research is very important for tour guides.

 There are many ways to do research. Reading is one of them.

Listening to local and international news updates is also a big

help.

 Meetings among the tour guides are practiced by

professional tour guides, especially prior to an assignment

which requires more than a single tour guide.

 Intelligence and education are significant to the success of

tour conducting. But most important is a curious, inquisitive

approach to things, a dedication to gathering accurate and up-
to-date information, and a knowledge of how and where to
find that information.
 Successful tour guides are normally equipped with self-

confidence required which is achieved through continuous

learning by reading and watching. (ex. Newspapers,
documentaries, Discovery channel, etc.)
Nervousness
 The Book of Lists, in the category of phobias, lists fear of

public speaking as No. 1 in the United States. You can’t avoid

feelings such as nervousness or fear; they just come.
Guidelines
1. Know your stuff.
2. Know the place.
• Familiarize yourself with the surroundings.

3. Visualize success.

4. Breathe.

5. Focus out.

• What do I have to give or share? How can I make a

difference?
HOW TO MAKE A COMMENTARY
Effective commentary requires audience analysis and
visitor expectations. People take a guided tour to be informed.
This information may be extremely in-depth o on the other hand,
little more than the subtitles for photographs. It is essential,
therefore, to assess the audience correctly.
Factors to Consider Analyzing the Audience.
• Nationality and country of origin

• Age and Sex

• Socio-economic grouping and education

• Financial resources

• Special interests

• How long is their visit?

• Have they been here before?

• How much do they already know?

• Where else they have been?

• Where else are they going?

 Effective commentary is Two-Way – Guide Intentions –
in the role of interpreting local, regional and national heritage,
there should be also a “hidden agenda”:
• PROMOTE hometown, home country company that has set

up the tour and indeed the services of the professional tour

guide.
• DISPEL MISCONCEPTIONS – people travel the world with

preconceived ideas about a place derives from televisions and

films, from novels and hearsay. Their ideas are sometimes
quaint and the aim should be to impart a far clearer
understanding of the area of interpretation.
• INVOLVE the tour participants – a group of visitors that has

been successfully involved in the tour is a happy group and

its individual members will go away with better memories
and greater understanding.
 How to make a commentary?

Information should be delivered in an entertaining manner- in-

formation is made up of a series of data.

Above all data must be:

 Accurate – it should be concise and simple, and therefore easy

to understand.

 Selective and relevant both to the tour itself and to the client.

 Structured and not a simple inventory or list of facts.

 Varied, covering all aspects;

 Above all, objective – goals or intentions are clear.

 Steps In Delivering Commentary
 Begin with a smile, greetings and introduction.

 Brief the guests about the tour for the day

 Review the inclusions and exclusions of the tour.

 Give the distance and traveling time to the destination.

 Tell them what to expect from the tour.

 Give necessary precautions.

 Don’t forget to point important landmarks along the way.

 Announce comfort stops.

 Always do the head count.

Example: Transfer In (Airport to Hotel)
1. Greet and welcome the guests
2. Introduce yourself and the driver (or coordinator if any.)
3. Briefing in the following:
• Philippines – geographical location
• Climate, weather pattern
• Currency – bills, notes and coins
• Time difference – GMT and local time
• What to wear – where to buy
• Modes of transportation
• Restaurants – specialties and local cuisine
• Briefing of the next day activity or tour.
• Reporting time and meeting place for the next day’s activity
Tips For An Effective Tour Commen-
tary
 Start with a greeting or introduction

 Information should be delivered in a manner that would interest

the guests

 Sense of humor should be part of the delivery of information

 Remember, commentaries help people understand and appreci-

ate what they actually see

 Face the group, not a few

 Speak slowly and clearly

 Voice should be audible

 Practice eye contact

Tips For An Effective Tour Commen-
tary
 Prepare yourself for questions to be asked

 Take control of your breathing and emphasize important words

 Use synonyms, example in explaining something

 When mentioning a name, repeat it or spell it

 Maintain silence, if the need arises

 Listen carefully to questions and other concerns

 Never argue with the guests

 End your tour always by thanking the guests