The 10 Types Of Tour Guides: Which One Will You Be?
Posted on Dec 11, 2022 at 09:12 PM
You’re about to embark on a new career. You’ve been doing research and found that many tour guide positions are available in cities worldwide. You love people and want to share your passion for your city, so it seems like a perfect fit!
So what do tour guides do? What kind of skills and training is needed? Let’s explore these questions and more.
What is a tour guide?
A tour guide is someone who leads a group on tour.
The term "tour guide" is also sometimes used to describe the person who leads a sightseeing tour of a historic building, site, city, or neighbourhood. A tour guide may be employed by a museum, historical society, or other organisation interested in preserving local history and culture.
Tour guides are often called "docents" or "those who show." In addition, they are sometimes called "tour directors" or "tourist escorts," but these terms also have other meanings.
Tour guides work primarily with tourists and visitors but may also work with locals interested in learning more about their city or town.
Tour guides can be found at museums, historical sites, and other locations that showcase unique elements of local culture. Some tour guides specialise in private individuals or specific groups, while others work with larger groups of tourists worldwide.
There are many steps to becoming a tourism guide; check out the 6 best steps to becoming a professional tour guide.
10 tour guide types, which one are you?
There are many kinds of tour guides around the world; some of the most popular categories of guides include:
1. The professional tour guide
The professional tour guide is the most common type of tour guide, and it's the primary type most people think of when thinking about a tour guide. It's usually a full-time job, but it can also be part-time or a side gig. They typically work with international tourists and are licensed international tourist guides.
2. The private tour guide
A private tour guide accompanies paying clients on tours for a fee but doesn't work full-time in the industry. Instead, they use their time off from work or school to make extra money by giving guided tours to tourists in their city or country. They can offer services based on their timetable as their managers.
3. The academic tour guide
This tour guide works at an educational institution such as a university or an art museum, giving tours to students, teachers, and other community members. Academic tour guides earn additional income by educating visitors and sales commissions on books, maps, and other merchandise sold during tours. They usually have an educational background, study galleries and cultural buildings, and are often fluent in many languages.
4. The freelance tour guide
A freelance traveller gives guided tours to tourists abroad on vacation or business trips. They're adventure lovers who love private cruises to nature and other places.
The most convenient thing about freelance operators is that they're their manager and director, have flexible hours, and can choose which client to take on.
5. The local tour guide
A local tour guide or escort works at a tourist attraction, such as an amusement park or zoo. They may also be employed by a travel agency that offers guided tours to visitors. Some local guides work independently and receive payment directly from their customers instead of through an employer.
6- The Traditional Guide:
The definitive guide is knowledgeable about the destination's history, culture, and sights and delivers a structured, fact-filled tour. They may use a microphone and headset to provide information to the group and incorporate interactive activities or demonstrations to engage the group.
7- The Cultural Guide:
The cultural guide focuses on the destination's traditions, customs, and way of life and provides an immersive experience for travellers. They may take the group to local markets, homes, or community events to give them a glimpse into the daily life of the people in the area.
8- The Adventure Guide:
The adventure guide leads active and physically challenging tours, such as hiking, biking, or kayaking. They are knowledgeable about the local terrain and wildlife and may provide instruction and equipment for the activities.
9- The Food and Drink Guide:
The food and drink guide focuses on the destination's local cuisine and beverage culture. They may take the group to local markets, restaurants, or farms to try the local specialities and learn about the ingredients and techniques used in the area.
10- The Local Guide:
The local guide is a native of the destination and provides travellers with a personalized and authentic experience. They may share their own stories, experiences, and the area's hidden gems and local secrets.
What kind of skills should a tour guide have?
Tour guides should have a lot of skills. They must have strong communication and social skills to communicate with the tourists and answer their questions about the city or country they visit.
Tour guides also need to be able to explain things clearly and precisely, so tourists understand what they are seeing. In addition, they should be friendly, helpful and easygoing because they will deal with many different people from different parts of the world.
They need to be organised, have good management skills and have an eye for detail to plan exciting and fun trips for everyone involved.
They should have good leadership skills because they will often entertain groups of people in busy cities or countries where a lot is happening at once.
Tour guides must be able to keep everyone together and make sure no one gets lost or separated from the group. To do this effectively, tour guides must be able to think quickly on their feet and come up with solutions if something goes wrong during the trip (like legal trouble or a mix-up with security systems)
If you’re interested in being a tour guide but don’t know where to start, here are some hospitality training courses in London.
Tourist guides play a particular part in every tourism experience; they add their signature to the social aspect of getting to know a new region.
