How to be a good guide
Most guide are freelance and are hired for particular job
Tour operators and other people employ guides mainly to inform tourists about the places they are visiting
Therefore a guide has to have a good sound knowledge not only of a particular place but also of other things which are generally relevant for example architecture history and local customs
During our training we intensively learn a vast amount of information about a whole range of subjects and we have to be capable of jumping from one topic to another in the same sentence
But the way in which a person conveys this knowledge is the key you have to be good at judging what your audience is interested in and you have to know how to keep their attention
These are not easy skills I can tell you
A guide’s commentary should be interesting lively and above all enthusiastic
It shouldn’t be too academic and heavy but neither should it be frivolous
A sense of humour is also important but again one should only be humorous where appropriate
Getting the balance right is the main skill of guiding and commentaries should vary according to each group
A group of schoolchildren and a group of architects require a very different approach
Tourists ask a lot of questions and a guide should be friendly helpful and approachable
Guides shouldn’t claim to know everything we’re not superhuman if you don’t know the answer say so but add I’II find out for you
Questions can vary
They can be practical ones it’s important to know where the toilets are situated as well as the date of a monument when things go wrong as they occasionally do a guide should pause and calmly sort out the problem and try to make sure that the original itinerary is kept to
A guide takes on a number of roles for the tourist teacher entertainer ambassador nurse and the boss
As teacher the guide is passing on information as we’re discussed
Most tour groups are on holiday so they want to enjoy themselves and want to be entertained to a certain extent
People also need looking after so you sometimes have to be a nurse
Some people are jet lagged or have minor illnesses (sometimes worse )
When we train we do a basic first-aid course
As a guide you really are an ambassador for your country and it is your job to promote it
For many people you are the only person from that country that they have any contact with
As an ambassador you also have to know about diplomacy and you are responsible for making sure everyone is happy
You also have to be the boss in order to ensure that the itinerary runs smoothly
You’re often in charge of checking in and out of hotels taking care of baggage money and so on efficiency is very important in all of this
Above all as guide you have to like people
You meet the world in this job some great people and some awful ones but you have to try to treat them all as equals
Don’t be patronizing but welcome everyone as if they were a VIP to your country
But most or all enjoy it