Whenever I travel, I am amused by
the tour guides that handle us. Not all services are created equal but it seems
to me that the tour guiding industry has strict standards; the ones I encountered
are consistently friendly, informed, enduring and conscientious, with all the
positives I could observe. They’re so easy to be with. During photo shoots,
guides are prepared to be photographers as well. They even volunteer when I don’t
ask. In their arms were load-full of cameras and I-pads, taking one shot after
another in one and the same pose. And there are plentiful more; just imagine
their tolerance.
There were also the ones who are
very anticipatory of the tourists’ needs: they are ready for bottles of water
and hot or cold towels, waiting enticingly in the van or car! Who wouldn’t be
joyous with those gestures? Very thoughtful people, these tour guides are!
A lot knows when to speak and
when to keep quiet. When the vehicle starts to run, they turn around and point
to you key places and salient info in a distilled manner, briefly but
concisely. There are those who are colorful as they add history or concocted stories.
Trivially, perhaps not all can be a tour guide: that head-turning against the
direction of the vehicle to face your guests is very dizzying! Move aside, car
sick ones.
As to when to keep quiet, they
know it as soon as tourists silently mull over the passing scenery. It’s a cue
for them to just let the view be enjoyed by the guest without overfeeding info.
I guess it’s part of the training.
Why do I appreciate them? Because
soon I’d be taking the certification for NCII Tour Guiding of BBF and I better
emulate their best practices. I remember my dean-professor say that there are
qualities of a good, err, great tour guide. Oh yes, the travels I mentioned are
both domestic and international travels.
