Checklist for a tourist guide - OurExplorer

OurExplorer would like to give full credit and recognition to the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) for these excellent checklist points.

Checklist for Professional Tourist Guides

Checklist: All Tours

DO
1. Use top visual priority (TVPs)
2. Be flexible
a) Select appropriate commentary for group
b) Be prepared to change route
c) Be prepared to change the itinerary
d) Be able to provide alternative routes
3. Give a balanced commentary
Link, relate, qualify and develop according to timing
4. Stress the social history
5. Allow and handle questions
Always listen carefully, repeat the question and use it to gain further rapport.
Be honest: say if you do not know the answer; look it up and report
6. Give time for guests to talk
7. Limit detail to the important
8. Explain technical terms and jargon
9. Be confident. Conceal your nerves. Remember you know your subject well
10. Remember your assets: voice, personality, and knowledge… and smile!
11. Be imaginative
12. Use the visitors knowledge; find our if there are any specific interests and include them
13. Use common sense
14. Be diplomatic
15. Carry appropriate reference books e.g. for birds, trees, technical devices etc.
16. Present the site or experience in the best possible way

DO NOT
1. Forget to mark the tour in your diary immediately!!
2. Forget to count: group members, restaurant seats, entrance tickets etc.
3. Speak without having something to say
4. Express personal or negative opinions and/or comments
5. Present controversial topics: politics, religion, sex etc.
6. Assume existing knowledge
7. Assume customers to be ignorant
8. Presume to be an expert or get over-extended on a subject
9. Be negative e.g. “What a shame about the weather” or “This usually looks better” or “If only we could…”
10. Hurry your guests, comment on lack of time
11. Turn your back to the group or turn your head away whilst speaking (exception: moving coach!)
12. Start speaking before group is assembled and composed
13. Speak while walking
14. Overtire your guests with too much information or too many dates
15. Tell lies or make uninformed guesses
16. Offend your visitor
17. Argue – either with the customer or the driver, or indoor staff
18. Forget the name of your group, hotel, programme, voucher
19. Unfavourably compare guests or persons or programmes
20. Give medication to your clients

OurExplorer hope all you tourist guides benefited from these excellent points

OurExplorer Tour Guide - New website version goes live

Thanks again for all your great suggestions during 2008 on OurExplorer.
Each tour guide who contributed and gave feedback has helped every new tour guide who will join OurExplorer into the future.

The changes to OurExplorer are focused on 3 main things -

1. Make OurExplorer easier to use
2. Increase the amount of tour guide profiles clients review
3. Increase the amount of tour guide bookings

OurExplorer would love to hear your thoughts on the new 2009 site.
Love it or hate it?