1. Explain the process involved in tour guiding?

2. What are the barriers in tour guiding? How should this be addressed?
3. List down the contribution of a tour guide in the creation of a sustainable tourism industry.

Most of us nowadays want to travel and visit as many places as possible in order to escape
reality and unwind in order to forget, even just for a moment. We are all aware that due to the
pandemic, we are unable to travel and that’s the reason why many people are excited and eager to
travel in order to relax and unwind, even if only for a short time. However, I really thought that the
pandemic gives us an opportunity to think and realize what we truly desire on our life in the near future.
It is a matter between your dream job and your desired goals, but did you know that there are jobs that
allow you to pursue both? If you didn't know or didn't have any idea, I would say there are.
Have you ever wished of having your dream job that allows you to pursue your goals where you
can travel world—and still get paid for it? Do you want to get paid to travel the world? If it’s a yes, I
would say that being a tour guide will allow you to pursue both of the things that you desired in your
life. Getting your dream job and pursuing your desired goals are what most of us really wanted this day.
Due to that, it is really such a flex to the people around you such as your family, relatives, friends, and so
on, that you got your dream job while also fulfilling your desired goals at the same time. You'll be able to
visit your dream destinations around the world, meet people from all over the world, and wake up in a
city that you've always wanted to visit. However, being a tour guide is not as easy job as you might think
because there are steps that must be taken in order to pursue this job. But, did you still really think that
this job was meant for you? Then, if you truly want to be a tour guide and believe that this is the job for
you, you must understand the process or the step by step that a tour guide must take in order to
become a tour guide.
So, what are the steps to becoming a tour guide? Those who want to become tour guides should
remember and consider the following five steps. These are the steps: research tour operators ahead of
time, remember that it's both a job and a lifestyle, prepare for the interview process, always study, and
last but not least, prepare for your first tour as a tour guide. Let's discuss about it! The first step is to do
your research on tour operators ahead of time because doing so will be extremely beneficial to you.
You'll have an idea about those different tour operators, find a tour operator where you can connect,
be able to choose a tour operator that will help you grow and learn, as well as find a tour operator that
suits and aligns with your interests. There are many tour operators with different tour styles that may or
may not align with your interests, which is why it is absolutely essential to conduct advance research.
So, it can enable you in choosing a tour operator with whom you can work freely and whose tour style
suits you. The next step is to remember that being a tour guide is both a job and a lifestyle, because
when you decided to become a tour guide, you expected to change your lifestyle and that there would
be some things you would have to give up. As a tour guide, you are constantly needed for your work
and, at times, you are unable to get proper rest because your work does not really have specific day or
time. You must be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and there will be times when you cannot
see your loved ones. You need to adapt and accept this to achieve what you really want and desired.
However, it is okay because you will learn and grow from it. The third step is to get ready for the
interview. If you really want to be a tour guide, you must prepare thoroughly for interviews because this
will be determined by whether you will become tour guide or not. Also, in this your dream and goals
depend on this. So, make sure you give it your all during the interviews and persuade the tour operator
that you are deserving of and qualified for the job. Show them that you are fit and qualified to be a tour
guide. In next step, it means you passed and accepted the next step. So, in this step, you must always
study because, as a tour guide, you must know all of the answers because the tourists you handle rely
on you. You must study with eagerness and dedication because it is your responsibility to always answer
all of their questions. Tour guides are always studying in order to provide the best tour and experience
for their tourists. You can't be a tour guide if you're too lazy to study because you need to be well-
knowledge in the places or destinations that you've been assigned to. And at last, you must plan your
first tour as a tour guide. As a tour guide, this is a very important event in your life, so you must ensure
that it is memorable for you as well as the tourists you are responsible for. It is natural for you to be
nervous and encountered problems, but remember all you do and how much effort you put in to get
here to become a tour guide. Be confident, trust yourself and always think positively, this tour will be
successful and memorable for all of you.

Most of us think that tour guide, is a job that is always fulfilling because you can pursue both of
your desires for your life. You work for your dream job and still travel around the world, visit many
places, meet new people, experience different cultures, learn from different countries and still enjoy
being at work. We people only see the results of the hard work of tour guides but we didn’t see their
struggles, challenges that they encountered while tour guiding. It is true that this job, is like a reward job
because it gives you many opportunity to your life and I understand that most of the people want to
become a tour guide because of those reasons. But, I would make an argument that tour guiding does
not always provide happiness and fulfillment because you will face numerous challenges; you will always
be under pressure when creating an itinerary because it only means that the tour will be dependent on
you; and if you encounter problems, you must deal with them immediately and devise solutions. See
what I mean? Tour guiding is not what you expect or think it is, but if you are truly committed to
becoming a tour guide, it is possible. You must be aware of all of their roles and responsibilities, as well
as the amount of effort and time they put into this job.
As I previously stated, there are barriers in tour guiding, which is fairly typical of all jobs. So, I'll
look at what those barriers are and how it should be handled. The first barrier that tour guiding facing is
that they do not have stable or consistent income and no labor insurance. This is a common issue that
most tour guides face because there is no guarantee that they will be able to lead a large number of
tour groups in a month, especially during the off-season. We all know that tourists or people rely on tour
guides when they travel, but tour guides also rely on tourists because they can't make money or have an
income unless they have tourists to guide and tour. So, I see that they rely on one another However, if
you are a tour guide, you will have many ideas on how to improve your situation day by day. I believe it
will be one of your strengths because you will be able to build your own image and reputation among all
of your tourists. As a result, there's a chance that the tourists you've worked with in the past wanted
you to be their tour guide. Next, is that tour guide nearly work 24 hours. Then there's the fact that as a
tour guide, you spend the majority of your time on the job. You are always needed by your tourists
because tour guiding is more than just traveling and touring with them; it is also about being responsible
for their satisfaction, contentment, and safety. There have been instances where you have encountered
problems, which simply means that you must devote all of your time to your roles and responsibilities as
their tour guides. The next barrier is that you will feel lonely because your time is devoted to your work
and you are constantly on tour and in foreign countries. You cannot always stay at home, so you will be
away from your loved ones, such as your family, friends, and partner, because the trip will be either
short or long. You won't have time to spend with and bond with your loved ones, which can make you
feel lonely. As a result, this barrier is also common among tour guides, who are constantly struggling to
cope their time between work and family and friends. Tour guiding can be very lonely, but we must
always keep a positive attitude.
The next barrier to mention is that as a tour guide, the barrier of repeating travel in the same
location is very common. This barrier is experienced by all tour guides because if you have been a tour
guide for a long time, repeating traveling to the places that you go to may become boring to you and the
excitement that you will feel in the places will fade gradually and you will lose interest in it. The other
barrier is that being knowledgeable is a must so, it is required. We are all aware that as a tour guide, you
must have sufficient knowledge of the places you will visit because there are cultures that you must be
familiar with in order to inform the tourists that you are assigned to. There are countries and places with
different cultures that you must know because sometimes there are things that must do and must not
do, and you are also responsible for dealing with various people, which is why it is important to have a
broad knowledge because your decisions and actions will reflect you as a tour guide. And lastly, being a
tour guide will put your patience to the test because you will meet a variety of people, each of them
have their own set of preferences, attitudes, and so on. So, there's a chance you'll encounter a tourist
who will get on your nerves because he/she didn't respect you or didn’t understand the situation and
shout at you. Additionally, it will test your patience if your plans don't go as planned due to delays, and
so on. However, even if the tourists get on your nerves, don't get into a fight with them. Do not initiate
any conflict with them; instead, be patient and begin a healthy communication with them.

 Tour guides make a major contribution to the development of sustainable tourism by providing
travelers with guidelines that they must follow before visiting the places or destinations assigned on
that day. They can provide essential information or guidelines on how to avoid negative impacts
when visiting sensitive areas such as wildlife refuges, historic sites, and so on. For example, you are
in a wildlife area and you are aware that as a tour guide, you are responsible for ensuring that the
travelers assigned to you do not violate any rules. You can explain to them as a tour guide that in
wildlife areas, they must maintain appropriate distances, stay on trails to avoid trampling plants or
causing erosion, and limit water and energy use to avoid related environmental impacts.
 Tour Guides can also give tourists or travelers an in-depth overview of the places or destinations
that should be protected because they are tourist destinations. We all know that all tourist sites
have a value to a specific country, which is why, as a tour guide, you provide important information
that they must know in order to protect the place or destination. You can interpret this to mean that
these locations or destinations are unique and unusual, which is why officials and the people who
managed this places requires protection.
 A tour guide is essential in educating tourists so that they can contribute to s sustainable tourism by
informing visitors about the importance of contributing to the preservation and protection of the
country's culture, natural habitats, and treasures. They must have a enough knowledge before going
to the sites or places.


References
Bloom, L. (2018, May 31). 10 Ways To Get Paid To Travel The World.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2018/05/31/how-to-get-paid-to-travel-the-world-2/?
sh=4c9e996f2c55

Tripnxt. (2020, January 20). Importance of a travel guide for travelers.

Dr. David John Apigo. Tour Guiding and Escorting. [Instructional Material].

Kabii, F., Wandaka, J. (PhD), Wamathai, A. (PhD) & Jilo, N. The Role of Tour Guides in Promotion of
Sustainable Tourism Practices in Kenya.
http://jthmnet.com/journals/jthm/Vol_7_No_2_December_2019/5.pdf
Corina, F. & Vasile, M. (2018). Tourist Guides’ contribution to sustainability in Romania.
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/TOURIST-GUIDES%E2%80%99-CONTRIBUTION-TO-
SUSTAINABILITY-IN-Corina-Florina-Vasile/e35ce72383dc18ab24ccc2a05e11fff1433e97d9

Good day, everyone! Hello and good morning! Are you all looking forward to our tour?
I can't hear you; are you all excited? That's great to hear. Well, I’m excited too.
Let's start with a headcount to see if we're complete. 1, 2, 3,.... 15. Okay, we're complete.
But first, before we begin. I'd like to greet everyone, have a good day! I know you're all Balikbayans, so
welcome back to our lovely country. I hope we not only discover new things but also have fun during our
tour.

So, on behalf of the Travelers Gate Tour, let me first welcome you all in Manila City, the Philippines'
beautiful capital city! I’m Aurea but, you can call me AM or Miss Rea. I am your official tour guide for
today, who will give all of you a thousand reasons to smile throughout our tour. And in with me, is the
very friendly and so handsome coach captain “Kuya MacMac”. Please greet our Kuya MacMac. He will
ensure that we are safe from the start to the end of the tour. So, sit back and relax because we have so
many things to do in this tour.

I would like to inform you that the ride to the Rizal Park will take about 30 minutes. While we are
waiting to go to our destination, let me share brief details about Manila City. Manila is well-known as
the capital and main city of our country, the Philippines. It is located on the island of Luzon, along the
eastern shore of Manila Bay, at the Pasig River's mouth.

Now, my dear tourist, we have arrived at our destination, the wonderful city park  in the heart of Manila,
Rizal Park ! I'm sure you're all excited to see what has changed in Rizal Park. So, our Balikbayans, I
welcome you all to Rizal Park!
Rizal Park, also known as Luneta Park by many, is a historic urban park in the heart of Manila. Isn't this a
lovely and relaxing place to spend time with family and friends? You can see the bright and clear view
that this park can provide. But did you know that this Park also takes us on a tour of Philippine history
from the Spanish era to the present? Here we can see the most famous monument in our country. This
hundred-year-old Monument of Rizal is probably the country's most famous, most visited, and most
honorable monument in our country. This  is the final resting place of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines'
most celebrated national hero. This will make you want to honor Rizal and appreciate the national
legacy he left for Filipinos. As you can see, to the side of the monument you will see the Site of Rizal's
Execution. And you can see at the entrance, a black granite wall inscribed the Rizal’s ‘Mi Ultimo Adios’
(My Last Farewell). The Eight tableaux of life-size bronze statues depicts the dramatic final moments of
the hero’s life.

As you can see in the background, the 150-foot-tall "The Independence Flagpole".   This is the tallest
flagpole in the Philippines. On the other side, keep an eye to the drinking fountain shipped all the way
from Heidelberg, Germany. This is where Rizal studied at university.

For now, I will give you the chance to take pictures and appreciate the view from here. And as we walk
and tour around the Rizal Park, you will be able to see here also the actual site where Dr. Jose Rizal was
executed. Every part of Rizal Park shows the history and happenings that happened in our country,
Philippines in the past. Where in our national heroes fighted for the country and for the rights of their
fellowmen.