guiding in Hong Kong is characterised by the absence of
a basic training course for new entrants and a lack of
training opportunities generally which has led, in part, to
variable levels of professionalism, a lack of recognition
and a poor image of the profession. There is a voluntary
system of registration for experienced tour guides, however,
among members of the local tour guide association
it does not appear to o!er enoughtangible bene"ts.
A low level of remuneration that relies heavily on commissions
is also another characteristic. Fortunately, there
are very few formal complaints from tourists about tour
guides.
The key issues and problems of tour guiding
identi"ed in Hong Kong are: variable levels of professionalism;
potential problems resulting from unhealthy
industry practices; need for a certi"cation,
registration or licensing system; absence of any monitoring
of tour guide performance; and more active and
visible role to be taken by the local tour guide association.
The successful implementation of a strategy for upgrading
the service professionalism of Hong Kong's tour
guides will need the support of the government, the
inbound tour operators and educational institutions.
The recommended training programmes and a service
quality monitoring system should be presented to the
relevant industry bodies and government authorities
for their endorsement and support. The various recommendations
made are intended to provide the direction
for change towards upgrading the service professionalism
of Hong Kong's tour guides in the future. The improvement
in level of service quality will serve Hong Kong's
tourism industry very well, especially when the economy
recovers.
Upon re#ecting on the Hong Kong experience, the
question is raised*What are the lessons, if any, to be
learned for the guiding profession elsewhere? The experiences
faced by the Hong Kong tour guides are unlikely to
be unique and there may be some issues and problems
raised that are common to the guiding profession elsewhere
around the world. It is also noted that there has
not been any international-wide tour guiding studies
reported in the English-based literature and there is need
for further research to determine and assess the current
status of the profession. Based on the Hong Kong experience,
in any attempt to upgrade and improve the performance
the 1997 Asian "nancial crisis. This study examines the nature of tour guiding in Hong Kong, assessing the existing level of
professional service standards, and identifying issues and challenges facing the profession in the 21st century. Tour guiding issues were
identi"ed through an extensive series of in-depth and focus group interviews. Based on the "ndings, a set of recommendations was
formulated. A key recommendation includes the establishment of a monitoring system to ensure high standards of service
performance by the tour guides. It is recognised that the experiences faced by the Hong Kong tour guides are unlikely to be unique
and there may be some issues and problems raised that are common to the guiding profession in most other countries. However, very
few studies about the professional status and issues faced by the tour guiding profession have been reported in the English-based
literature and this study would represent one of the "rst attempts to do so. In sharing the Hong Kong experience, there will be some
lessons to be learnt for those in other countries, especially as the profession continues its e!orts to improve the status and service
professionalism of tour guiding throughout the world. 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved