Tour guide Nesrin in Istanbul

Tour guide Nesrin in Istanbul

1) What is the best thing you like being a tour guide?
I think tour guiding is the most suitable job to my life style and personality. I'm a very active person and good at communication,

easy going and flexible; love travelling, people, and the most important adore Turkey and its cultural, historical richness. I am also so proud of my country and my people so I try to do my best to show my beautiful country to my guests and make them contact with locals to understand the real life in the country.


2) What is your most memorable moment in guiding so far?
Tour guiding does not mean talking about everything that we know. All of our guests are interested in different things; some of them love history, some likes to hear stories of people and monuments and some loves taking pictures and enjoy the moment.
Once, I had an international group (Canadians, Avustralians, New Zealendars, Americans) ranged from 30 to 65 years of age and we were on a round trip in Turkey for 14 days. Each of them were interested in different things. I like making my guests involving the tour with sharing their knowledge, experience, memories and skills. We were in an ancient site which was called Arycanda on the Mediterrian site of Turkey. We were the only group in the site. I had already finished my explanation about the ancient Roman theatre and its great acoustic. In order to check the acoustic :-) I asked my quest who was good at singing and some of the lady sang a well known song with her wonderful voice and we were all happy to live that moment like Romans. Then we move up to Gymnasium of Arycanda and everyone was ready for the running race for a free ice-cream at the end of the day :-) We all had a wonderful day and It was everyone's favourite site with memories.


3) What is most challenging for you in this career? Have you coped with it?
The most challenging thing is serving to people. Most of our guests have different interests, needs, expectations so we , as tour guides should be flexible enough to meet the expectations of our guests and make them enjoy their time us. I believed that I've coped with it successfully.


4 ) What is your favorite place/thing that you want to show your travel clients?
Istanbul !! It was my dream to live and have tours in this wonderful city. I adore Istanbul:-)) Istanbul is among the special cities of the world with its position as a bridge between Europe and Asia. It unites its natural beauties with its historical and cultural accumulation. Wherever you look, there is a story to be told. You do not need to go further to see the historical sites, you live with it while you are wandering in the streets of Istanbul. It is the midpoint of the new and old ,modern and classic. It is a privilage to visit Istanbul and being a guide in this beautiful city.


5) What if you were not a tour guide? What do you imagine yourself to be?
I would be a chef in a restaurant that serves intercontinental cuisine. I love cooking and try different recipes from the world cuisine. My husband is my gourmet :-))
It is among my future plans to have cooking tours in Istanbul to introduce the rich Turkish cuisine.

Sightseeing tour with Nesrin - Istanbul Old City Tour

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Visit Shanghai for the World Expo 2010 - Best tour guides

“Being the first World Exposition on the theme of city, Exposition 2010 will attract governments and people from across the world, focusing on the theme "Better City, Better Life." For its 184 days, participants will display urban civilisation to the full extent, exchange their experiences of urban development, disseminate advanced notions on cities and explore new approaches to human habitat, lifestyle and working conditions in the new century. They will learn how to create an eco-friendly society and maintain the sustainable development of human beings.” -- Expo2010.cn

Book a dependable tour guide in Shanghai

Travel in Shanghai - sightseeing tours

Shanghai is a vibrant city with over 20 million residences. It is the financial hub of China as well as a popular sightseeing destination. The city offers a variety of attractions, from the modern 21st century highrises to the colonial western architecture, from the historical Chinese garden to the local lane houses Shikumen.

For more details, check out http://www.ourexplorer.com/shanghai-tour-expo2010.aspx

How to customize sightseeing tours for travelers?

Travel agents usually offer standard packages for destinations. Travelers can choose between the offers, but not so easy to change the itinerary in a package. It is hard to find customized sightseeing tours to personal interests. The advantage of having a private tour guide is the flexibility of sightseeing. Here are some tips for tour guides to create client-oriented sightseeing tours.

Consider the country origin of traveler. People from North America have different cultural background from Asian travelers. They are interested in different things at the destination. E.g. Tuk-tuk riding can be an amazing experience for American people while not to the interest of Vietnamese. Chinese travelers may find cathedrals imposing while British people are used to them at home. Japanese visitors prefer more time at shopping while Malaysian are more interested in food. Even within the same continent say Europe, travelers from different countries will differ in their customs. People from the same origin share similarities in culture and customs. This may not apply to all individuals from one place. Yet knowing the country origin will help a tour guide to customize the initial tour schedule. The more a private tour guide considers, the more possible a client will confirm the sightseeing tours.

Consider the personal background. School teachers are interested in local schools and education system. Children prefer fun activities to pure cultural visits. Business people may want to see their industry products at the destination. Include something relevant to the traveler’s personal background when possible. This offers clients with a real customized sightseeing tour to their interest.

Consider the purpose of visit. Are the travelers coming for a family vacation? Is it a short extra day from business trip? Are they cruise passengers looking for a shore excursion? For family vacations, travelers usually look for a relaxed tour schedule. Entertainments and attraction for the kids will be appreciated. Business people are limited in time so they would prefer a compact itinerary to maximize the experience. Cruise passengers also stay short at destinations, from half a day to 2 days in one port. However, many cruise passengers would enjoy a leisure plan with visits to major scenic spots.

Consider other elements to make a better plan. For example, the number of people in the group to arrange transportation and restaurants, season and weather conditions if certain activities are affected, children and senior people in the group to adjust activity intensity…

Customizing sightseeing tours is all about personal interest. Destination is the same but travelers want their own trip and unique experience. Sightseeing tours are not about the scenic spots, but about the traveler’s visit. It is “my” trip and vacation that travelers care. Therefore, tour guides shall develop the sightseeing tour to the traveler’s personal interest.

Have you any tips to share on customizing your tours?
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Tips for Cruise Passenger pick up by tour guide

Cruise passengers are a big group of clients for tour guides in coastal cities around the world. Some tour guides targeting luxury travelers focus on cruise ships only. Cruise pick-up is similar to meeting at the airport but has its own situation. It is different from meeting clients at the hotel lobby or other venues. Here are some tips for cruise ship pick up.

Check the cruise port, especially when there are two ports at your destination city. Sometimes there will be a cruise port in city centre, while another far out by the sea for bigger ships. Check with the cruise port as well as your cruise passengers. Avoid missing your clients and wasting your effort.

Re-check the cruise stop and weather on the day. It is recommended to re-check the cruise stop on the day or one day in advance. It happens that the cruise ship changed the port of their original plan. Or they cancel the stop because of cruise itinerary changes. Sometimes, extreme weather like big fog prevents the ship from docking on time. One solution is giving your full contacts (mobile especially) to the cruise passenger. Thus, as a tour guide for pick-up, you can be notified of any sudden changes.

Confirm the cruise ship people exits. Are there several exits at one dock? Some ports are very busy that they provide several exits for passengers from different cruises. Make sure you are waiting at the right exit. Do your clients need to get outside the port to meet you? There are many ports where only big travel agents can get close to the ship. If yes, inform your clients in advance so that they know where to find you. Do hold a clear sign with the client’s name. Cruise ships are usually big with several thousand passengers.

Any experience you want to share about meeting cruise travelers?