2. INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Explain the basic concepts in tour guiding
services;
2. Identify the roles of a tour guide;
3. Explore opportunities for tour guiding
services as a career; and
4. Discuss the relevance of the course.
5. What is a tour?
Who is the tour guide?
What is tour guiding?
6. What is a tour?
- Latin word tornare and Greek word tornos,
meaning to circle around
- The word “tour” means to come back to the point
of origin after going to a destination elsewhere
(Theobald,1998)
- In tourism, the word “tour” refers to the activities
of people when they go to a place to see and
learn about it in person (Merriam-Webster
Dictionary,n.d.)
7. Who is the tour guide?
- A tour guide is a person who guides tourists as
they go about a foreign place.
- A tour guide helps the latter gain a better
appreciation of the place and the interesting
things to see there.
- The tour guide likewise helps tourists use their
time more efficiently.
8. Who is the tour guide?
- The Philippine Department of Tourism (1995)
defines a tour guide as “an individual who guides
tourists, both foreign and domestic, for a fee,
commission, or any other form of lawful
remuneration.”
- Tour guides need to undergo proper training
before they can apply for accreditation from the
Department of Tourism.
9. What is tour guiding?
- It refers to the provision of professional
service to interpret the cultural and
natural heritage of an area (World
Federation of Tourist Guide Associations,
n.d.).
11. Roles of a Tour Guide
Meeting and greeting the tour participants upon
arrival;
Facilitating introductions;
Coordinating pre-arranged accommodation and
transport;
Making sure that tour participants are
comfortable;
Coordinating pre-arranged tours to local
attractions, shops, restaurants, etc.;
12. Pointing out places of interest;
Preparing and presenting tour guide spiels called
tour commentaries;
Researching and sharing general information
about a place;
Attending to operational problems, such as
booking changes, lost bags, or sickness, and
providing first aid if needed; and
Preparing and submitting post-tour written
reports.
15. According to the DOT’s Rules and
Regulations to Govern the Accreditation of
Travel and Tour Services (1995), the
requirements for the issuance of
accreditation to a tour guide are the
following:
16. 1. Proof that the applicant has passed a seminar for
tour guides duly conducted by the Department, or
other agencies duly authorized by the Department
to conduct the seminar.
17. 2. Certificate of good health issued by any duly
accredited government physician.
24. Employed Guides
employed by a company
They earn a regular wage whether there are
clients or none.
The minimum wage in Metro Manila is
Php512/day as of June 2018, according to the
DOLE.
some tour guides also receive an allowance
from their employer and earn from tips or
monetary gifts from clients if the employer
allows. Tips can range from Php100 to 100 US
dollar/tour
Types of guide bases on how
they earn:
25. Freelance Guides
These are self-employed guides who make and
sell their own tours.
travel agencies call on freelance guides on an
ad hoc or per need basis, wherein payment will
depend on the number of tours booked.
Based on an average of 16 tours/month, a tour
guide in the Philippines can earn ₱16,000 to
₱40,000 per month.
Types of guide bases on how
they earn:
26. Docile or Volunteer Guides
unemployed guides who are mostly hobbyists
such as retirees and environmental advocates
They earn non-monetary rewards such as
friendship, experience, and cultural exchange.
Some volunteer guides accept tips, too.
Types of guide bases on how
they earn:
28. Plant Guides
They are employed by corporations, usually as
part of the public relations department.
They conduct tours in the company’s plant or
factory, with the primary aim of uplifting the
company’s public image by educating visitors
about their business goals and operations.
In a way, they are like museum guides who
specialize in a particular collection.
Types of guide based on their
specialization:
29. Adventure Guides
They are hobbyists who love a particular
sporting activity and introduce this activity to
the tourists.
They require a special skill set, including those
related to guest safety.
In the Philippines, for instance, cave guides
undergo an accreditation process that is
different from that of a city guide.
Types of guide based on their
specialization:
30. City Guides
City guides specialize in a particular city or
province.
They are able to provide information on a city’s
history and heritage, and its relevance to the
country’s socioeconomic development.
City guides may be freelancers, government
employees, travel agency employees, or
volunteers.
Types of guide based on their
specialization:
31. Others
Golf guide
Shopping guide
Special interest guide
Cultural and heritage guide
All of whom specialize in a particular activity,
collection, or location.
Types of guide based on their
specialization:
33. Relevance of the Tour Guiding Course
• Most tour guides remain
steadfast in their
dedication to the
profession for the non-
monetary gratifications,
such as meeting people
and learning about other
people’s cultures as well
as their own.
34. Tour guides play an important role
in the multibillion-dollar tourism
industry.
35. Tour guiding as part of the curricula in
higher education is a significant
advancement in harnessing the growth
potential of tourism in the country.
36. Task: Write an essay that would answer the
questions below.
• If given a chance to become a tour guide
someday, what kind of tour guide are you?
Assess your character and skills that are needed
in becoming a successful tour guide. What are
the places you would like be assigned with and
why? Being a tour guide, what will be your
contributions in the tourism industry?
Editor's Notes
In this sense, interpretation does not only refer to translation of information from one language to another, but also to the description of cultural and natural attractions that helps people gain better understanding and appreciation of such.
In the Philippines, the Department of Tourism (1995) defines a tour guide as “an individual who guides tourists, both foreign and domestic, for a fee.”
These companies include government, private travel agencies, museums, and industries that run their own tour of facilities.
They are like other businessmen who depend on the influx of clients to earn.
Tour guiding can be a rewarding occupation, especially in areas frequented by tourists. Some tour guides earn enough from the tips alone. They have raised their families through tour guiding proceeds. Some have risen up the corporate ladder and rose to executive positions in their companies
Tourism cannot progress without trained manpower. As professionalism is one of the core elements of tour guiding, it is imperative to provide a well-defined training program to aspiring guides.
