In last week’s conversation with our esteemed guest, Mr. Passah, Snr., he made mention of the diverse categories of tour guides. Each type of guide, as you can imagine, brings a unique flavour to the world of exploration, catering to a variety of interests and passions. Let’s delve into these distinctions as we conclude our discussion.
GUEST: The COACH or GENERAL guide is with the tour group for the period of the itinerary. This may be a few hours or weeks.
The SITE guide is at the various visitor attractions – castles, museums, zoos, waterfalls, etc
COMMUNITY guides are experts in walking tours with tourists in the community such as Tafi Abuipe Kente Weaving village, James Town, Tamale Central Market, Elmina fishing harbour and town.
SPECIAL INTEREST guides include those specialized in bird watching, butterflies, architecture, etc.
In the book, co-authored by Mr. Passah, Tour Guiding: The Ultimate Guide to Theory & Practice, the Community guide is also known as the Local Tour guide.
The Special interest guide or Thematic guide would therefore include adventure guides (they specialize in outdoor activities and adventure sports, museum tour guides (history and art are their expertise)
HOST: Great! This should be an eye opener for many. A tour guide is not just a tour guide. Would you advise that people interested in pursuing careers in tour guiding start by specializing?
GUEST: It is better to have a broader knowledge before specializing.
HOST: Alright. I can imagine that even the best tour companies have their fair share of negative reviews on TripAdvisor. Even if you are one of the top tour businesses or guides, there will always be people who disagree with the way you conduct your tours.
What could have gone wrong when you read reviews such as the following?
“We felt somewhat ripped off, given how much we paid for the tour to then pay 20 euros per day for 21 days.”
or
“Paid top price and got budget tour.”
GUEST: Some tour packages go through a number of buyers before they get to the final buyer – our guest. Many of those Tour operators add their commissions and promise services that were not promised by the local ground handler, such as the number of meals per day. These may create problems at hotels.
HOST: This calls for effective communication between Tour operators and Tour guides.
I observe that Tour guides have a flair for creating humour. What role does this play in tour guiding and how do you determine just the right number of jokes to crack?
GUEST: Humour releases tension. This will depend on the group, age, profession, and situation. It must not be at the least moment. There are other ways to keep guests from becoming bored/restless, etc. A good and appropriate story, sharing an interesting life experience, a brief stop during a tour can change a stressful situation.
HOST: From my experience with the children who had for a garden tour, I can imagine nobody would want to conduct tours with ‘loads of people’. Is there a group size limit for professional tour guides to handle?
GUEST: Hmmn, very difficult to determine. A group of twelve should be the best size for a single guide. A hostess/host should be on board to assist the guide if the number goes beyond this. But a Tour operator may be concerned with the budget (the fewer the number, the higher the cost).
HOST: What is the likely career path for tour guides?
GUEST: A broad-based education -professional tour guide training-licensing-practicing as tour guide – specialization – Tour operator. Belonging to appropriate professional associations is recommended.
HOST: Your expertise in the tourism industry spans over thirty years. I can’t close this conversation without asking you about how you began your career as a tour guide.
The picture below is a section of the Kakum National Park. It showcases a Special interest guide on a medicinal trail with his guests.
GUEST: My late father used to take me along during his travels. He worked with the Catholic Church, building schools and churches in the Eastern and Brong Ahafo regions. My love for geography also whipped my interest in travelling. As a teacher I organised excursions for my pupils in the elementary and students in Secondary schools. Then there is the natural urge to help others. It is also possible that a film I watched during my adolescence, in which a Japanese tour guide handled a group including a British monarch during their tour of Japan, had an impact on me.
HOST: It’s amazing how different experiences in life shape our career choices. What are your regrets in becoming a tour guide?
GUEST: Regrets? I have NO regrets!
HOST: That’s interesting. Thank you so much for your time, Mr. Passah Snr., Its been an enjoyable conversation.
