Sunday, May 26, 2013

An Ode to Tour Guides


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.

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