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Some travelers make last-minute tour bookings, while others plan their trip way in advance. Many airlines offer great discount for flight booking in advance. Cruise plans are settled for sometimes a year ahead of departure date. Hotels market special promotions for low season. Once the dates are settled, many travelers tend to book their destination tour guide and sightseeing tours together at the same time.
Q. How shall a tour guide manage client bookings much earlier than the actual tour dates e.g. half a year in advance?
Communicate with the clients about tour arrangements immediately. No matter if the tour happens in the same week or six months later the itinerary shall not change largely. Do communicate with your clients about tour details when you confirm your availability.
As a private tour guide that offers personal sightseeing tour, it is good to keep the options open. Your clients may find new places of interest or have some new requests before arrival. Be consistent and accommodating if the client requests are reasonable.
Notify the clients when any tour changes need to happen. It is unprofessional to cancel the tour because of another big group booking. However, there may be changes required due to personal reasons, weather conditions etc. In such cases explain to your clients in full and they will understand. Also provide alternative choices if possible. Try to minimize changes to your client’s travel plan.
Mark down the tour date on your calendar in OurExplorer or personal notebook. It is recommended to set a reminder one week before the tour date. Contact your client to welcome them for the coming visit. Meanwhile, confirm that all tour arrangements are going on as planned. Re-check if all tour arrangements have been confirmed, e.g. car/van rent, tickets booking, etc.
After above professional communications, travelers will enjoy a great vacation while you will have a successful sightseeing tour as a tour guide.
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Saturday 21 August 2010
Sunday 15 August 2010
Interview of Tour guide Jean Liu in Shanghai
1. What is the best thing you like being a tour guide?
Talk with people from different countries and various backgrounds.
2. What is your most memorable moment in guiding so far?
Accompanied two families with kids for a week in the city. After the vacation, they said Shanghai is probably their most favorite city around the world.
3. What is most challenging for you in this career? Have you coped with it?
To cope with different personal interests. As I am a private tour guide for my clients, different travelers will have their own needs. E.g. some people are more interested in local foods, while others prefer shopping. Some business travelers would like to visit places relevant to their work, e.g. teachers to the middle school. There are always new challenges on this and I’m happy to receive.
4. What is your favorite place/thing that you want to show your travel clients?
Pudong river front promenade where is close to the modern highrises while overlooking the bund with buildings from the early 20th century.
5. What if you were not a tour guide? What do you imagine yourself to be?
Some area that can maximize using my English language skills.
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Wednesday 11 August 2010
OurExplorer Interviewed by Wandering Educators - Dr. Jessie Voigts
See full article at - http://www.wanderingeducators.com/best/traveling/learn-locals-our-explorer.html
Always looking to learn from locals? I've got a great resource for you! OurExplorer is an excellent resource for finding local tour guides, so you can learn about a place from the people who know it best. OurExplorer has a plethora of local tour guides (over 2,000) , all around the world (about 140 countries). They are rated and reviewed by users, so you know what you're getting is quality. OurExplorer is yet only two years old this year and has a great record of sharing the world with travelers. We were lucky enough to sit down and chat with Dave Cunningham, Chief Exploring Officer at OurExplorer. Here's what Dave had to say...
WE: Please tell us about our Explorer...
DC: OurExplorer is an online website promoting licensed dependable tour guides to global travellers - www.ourexplorer.com.
OurExplorer was established in June 2008 and has now over 2,000 licensed tour guides in 140 countries around the world.
We are in partnership with the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA). See more information at About OurExplorer.
WE: What is your travel background - how did you get interested in starting Our Explorer?
DC: After attending the 2007 EO Tokyo University and feeling inspired by the speakers, I took a “mini retirement.” I traveled for four months across Europe and South America seeking out new ideas and problems that I could solve using my keen business sense. I was on a mission to make a difference in the world, and it made me feel alive. I found my calling while traveling. I had hired private tour guides in Bolivia, Peru, Cuba and Mexico to show me around. I was amazed at their passion, energy and level of intimate knowledge. I was equally shocked that these highly skilled people often earned less than US$100 per month! I wanted to help and support these guides because I respected them for trying to improve their lives.
I had the option of donating to these communities, but I knew I could do so much more. I resolved to help thousands of private tour guides, especially in underdeveloped countries, earn more money. It was an unyielding promise to help the less fortunate who were already trying to help themselves.
I followed my instincts, and a dream was born.
I quickly put the plan together. I would create a Web site that provides global exposure and user-generated ratings for tour guides around the world. This would lead to more business, which in turn meant more money for those guides struggling to feed their families. Tour guides could get paid directly in cash when they meet with the traveler, which saves them from doling out commission to local travel agents. We called this Web site OurExplorer.com.
WE: Where are your guides located?
DC: We promote local tour guides, thus our tour guides are located in over 450 cities covering 140 countries. And we are still growing daily.
WE: What are their qualifications?
DC: Each country and/or region has their own qualification system for licensed tour guides. Our tour guides have passed their local exams and acquired a tour guide license/certificate. Some guides are even international tour leaders.
WE: How can travelers find the best fit with your guides?
DC: As we provide direct communication between travelers and local tour guides. Travelers can enjoy much more personal data about the tour guide to make an informed decision compared with traditional booking through travel agents. Once a travel destination is decided, travelers can search and find local guides on OurExplorer. We recommend;
- Read the tour guide’s self introduction and service provided to see if he/she fits your needs
- Read the rating/reviews section from previous clients
- Contact the tour guide directly via “Send Email” and see if they reply quickly addressing the travel needs.
- Book the tour guide on OurExplorer to reserve the date, as the top tour guides are always popular.
WE: What should travelers know about working with a tour guide?
DC: Tour guides can address to personal needs and make customized sightseeing tours for travelers. The more travelers inform the tour guides about their travel interests and needs, the better your tour will be with the local guide.
WE: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
DC: A dependable local tour guide adds a lot of value to travelers who seek an authentic and meaningful overseas experience. Explore through the eyes of a dependable local.
WE: Thanks so very much, Dave! I love Our Explorer, and highly recommend it to our Wandering Educators.
.
Always looking to learn from locals? I've got a great resource for you! OurExplorer is an excellent resource for finding local tour guides, so you can learn about a place from the people who know it best. OurExplorer has a plethora of local tour guides (over 2,000) , all around the world (about 140 countries). They are rated and reviewed by users, so you know what you're getting is quality. OurExplorer is yet only two years old this year and has a great record of sharing the world with travelers. We were lucky enough to sit down and chat with Dave Cunningham, Chief Exploring Officer at OurExplorer. Here's what Dave had to say...
WE: Please tell us about our Explorer...
DC: OurExplorer is an online website promoting licensed dependable tour guides to global travellers - www.ourexplorer.com.
OurExplorer was established in June 2008 and has now over 2,000 licensed tour guides in 140 countries around the world.
We are in partnership with the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA). See more information at About OurExplorer.
WE: What is your travel background - how did you get interested in starting Our Explorer?
DC: After attending the 2007 EO Tokyo University and feeling inspired by the speakers, I took a “mini retirement.” I traveled for four months across Europe and South America seeking out new ideas and problems that I could solve using my keen business sense. I was on a mission to make a difference in the world, and it made me feel alive. I found my calling while traveling. I had hired private tour guides in Bolivia, Peru, Cuba and Mexico to show me around. I was amazed at their passion, energy and level of intimate knowledge. I was equally shocked that these highly skilled people often earned less than US$100 per month! I wanted to help and support these guides because I respected them for trying to improve their lives.
I had the option of donating to these communities, but I knew I could do so much more. I resolved to help thousands of private tour guides, especially in underdeveloped countries, earn more money. It was an unyielding promise to help the less fortunate who were already trying to help themselves.
I followed my instincts, and a dream was born.
I quickly put the plan together. I would create a Web site that provides global exposure and user-generated ratings for tour guides around the world. This would lead to more business, which in turn meant more money for those guides struggling to feed their families. Tour guides could get paid directly in cash when they meet with the traveler, which saves them from doling out commission to local travel agents. We called this Web site OurExplorer.com.
WE: Where are your guides located?
DC: We promote local tour guides, thus our tour guides are located in over 450 cities covering 140 countries. And we are still growing daily.
WE: What are their qualifications?
DC: Each country and/or region has their own qualification system for licensed tour guides. Our tour guides have passed their local exams and acquired a tour guide license/certificate. Some guides are even international tour leaders.
WE: How can travelers find the best fit with your guides?
DC: As we provide direct communication between travelers and local tour guides. Travelers can enjoy much more personal data about the tour guide to make an informed decision compared with traditional booking through travel agents. Once a travel destination is decided, travelers can search and find local guides on OurExplorer. We recommend;
- Read the tour guide’s self introduction and service provided to see if he/she fits your needs
- Read the rating/reviews section from previous clients
- Contact the tour guide directly via “Send Email” and see if they reply quickly addressing the travel needs.
- Book the tour guide on OurExplorer to reserve the date, as the top tour guides are always popular.
WE: What should travelers know about working with a tour guide?
DC: Tour guides can address to personal needs and make customized sightseeing tours for travelers. The more travelers inform the tour guides about their travel interests and needs, the better your tour will be with the local guide.
WE: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
DC: A dependable local tour guide adds a lot of value to travelers who seek an authentic and meaningful overseas experience. Explore through the eyes of a dependable local.
WE: Thanks so very much, Dave! I love Our Explorer, and highly recommend it to our Wandering Educators.
.
Tuesday 3 August 2010
Client segmentation for tour guides – business travelers
As a tour guide, especially foreign-language tour guides, you are meeting travelers with various needs. Business travelers belong to a specific group. Their main purpose of the trip is on business e.g. a company visit, business cooperation, market investigation etc … Sightseeing can make up part of the trip but is secondary in importance.
So how can you design an ideal sightseeing tour for business travelers?
Be accommodating to their business needs. Business travelers usually have a short time in one destination. The free time for sightseeing is often their holiday time. Are they expecting an evening tour? Do they want some local exploration between business meetings? It is helpful to know their available time and pick-up/ending locations. Thus a tour guide can provide the itinerary most accommodating to the work plan.
Be flexible with the schedule. Business trips are not as flexible as a vacation visit. For a vacationer all the time belongs to them personally. For business travelers there may be a temporary meeting, an extra plant visit or a dinner with partners... The clients would appreciate you as the tour guide being flexible with the schedules. Of course the guide cannot always stand by. Flexibility works only when both parties are available. It reduces full cancellation in some cases.
Maximize the experience to personal interest. As the tour time is limited, you can not show business travelers everything in the destination. Sometimes, you may not even cover the most famous spots. Ask your clients about their personal interest. Let them choose the places they would like to visit, and help you make a customized sightseeing tour itinerary. This will maximize the trip experience. Some people are frequent travelers to one destination. They could have known part of the city very well, e.g. area nearby the local office. It is necessary to ask in advance, avoiding duplicate visit.
Get prepared with some industry-related queries. Business travelers may be interested to get some industry information from different people. This time, from you as a local guide. You are not expected to be an expert in the industry. However, if you know your clients’ area before meeting, it is recommended to read some relevant news or search for some industry background. This will contribute to your communication with clients during the trip.
What is your tour guiding experience with business travelers?
So how can you design an ideal sightseeing tour for business travelers?
Be accommodating to their business needs. Business travelers usually have a short time in one destination. The free time for sightseeing is often their holiday time. Are they expecting an evening tour? Do they want some local exploration between business meetings? It is helpful to know their available time and pick-up/ending locations. Thus a tour guide can provide the itinerary most accommodating to the work plan.
Be flexible with the schedule. Business trips are not as flexible as a vacation visit. For a vacationer all the time belongs to them personally. For business travelers there may be a temporary meeting, an extra plant visit or a dinner with partners... The clients would appreciate you as the tour guide being flexible with the schedules. Of course the guide cannot always stand by. Flexibility works only when both parties are available. It reduces full cancellation in some cases.
Maximize the experience to personal interest. As the tour time is limited, you can not show business travelers everything in the destination. Sometimes, you may not even cover the most famous spots. Ask your clients about their personal interest. Let them choose the places they would like to visit, and help you make a customized sightseeing tour itinerary. This will maximize the trip experience. Some people are frequent travelers to one destination. They could have known part of the city very well, e.g. area nearby the local office. It is necessary to ask in advance, avoiding duplicate visit.
Get prepared with some industry-related queries. Business travelers may be interested to get some industry information from different people. This time, from you as a local guide. You are not expected to be an expert in the industry. However, if you know your clients’ area before meeting, it is recommended to read some relevant news or search for some industry background. This will contribute to your communication with clients during the trip.
What is your tour guiding experience with business travelers?
Thursday 22 July 2010
How to promote sightseeing tours via video
Using video to promote sightseeing tours is not as hard as one might think. Thanks to the developments in camera and internet technologies people are used to watching and sharing videos online. A travel video can be more vivid than static photos. Tour guides should take advantage of such modern technologies to promote various sightseeing tours via video and build client trust to book them.
See tour guide with video
1. Choose a tool to record the video.
A video camera can provide high quality movies, but it is not a must. One consideration with video camera is the file size. The bigger the video file is the faster your internet connection is required to save it. No one wants to spend a whole day uploading one video, right? Cameras are widely available. Most cameras nowadays have a video option and the quality is pretty ok. Many mobile phones also have a camera tool. Some computers have built-in cameras which you can use directly. Remember the purpose is to promote your unique sightseeing tours or show your personality and English fluency to potential clients. Blurred images create nothing but negative impression. Choose any recording tool that is convenient and fit for the purpose of your sightseeing tour promotion.
2. Select the best background and thing to say in the video
What will help your clients confirm the tour and increase client bookings for you? Again, do not forget the purpose of your videos. This is not destination promotion but to promote your tour service. The clients will be more confident when they see and hear you directly. You can show your favorite part in the destination where travelers can’t find in any guide books. The most famous or impressive scenic spots may also work with you doing the introduction. It is easy to identify the sightseeing tour location when you present by the most famous views.
3. Some editing work may increase the promotional effect.
For example, add a subtitle to tell where you are or who you are, edit video length to present the key information, reduce noise in the background to complete a higher quality presentation … Microsoft system has windows movie maker for easy editing. Ulead VideoStudio software is also a good choice for beginners. Short videos less than 3 minutes are good. Also put the best content or most important messages at the begging. Because, 1) the file is not too large to upload onto the internet, 2) leave more sightseeing tour introduction to your actual meet with clients, 3) internet surfers may not be interested enough to complete the whole video, or their website connection is too slow to load.
4. viral your videos
You can upload your video to platforms like YouTube, DailyMotion, MetaCafe… Share your video link among friends or networking sites like FaceBook. Tell more people via social media sites e.g. Digg, StumbleUpon. Promote through tour guide websites like OurExplorer, where video presentation is allowed.
Think creatively! Videos allow the tour guide to present sightseeing tours in a vivid way and motivate a client to booking your tour services.
.
See tour guide with video
1. Choose a tool to record the video.
A video camera can provide high quality movies, but it is not a must. One consideration with video camera is the file size. The bigger the video file is the faster your internet connection is required to save it. No one wants to spend a whole day uploading one video, right? Cameras are widely available. Most cameras nowadays have a video option and the quality is pretty ok. Many mobile phones also have a camera tool. Some computers have built-in cameras which you can use directly. Remember the purpose is to promote your unique sightseeing tours or show your personality and English fluency to potential clients. Blurred images create nothing but negative impression. Choose any recording tool that is convenient and fit for the purpose of your sightseeing tour promotion.
2. Select the best background and thing to say in the video
What will help your clients confirm the tour and increase client bookings for you? Again, do not forget the purpose of your videos. This is not destination promotion but to promote your tour service. The clients will be more confident when they see and hear you directly. You can show your favorite part in the destination where travelers can’t find in any guide books. The most famous or impressive scenic spots may also work with you doing the introduction. It is easy to identify the sightseeing tour location when you present by the most famous views.
3. Some editing work may increase the promotional effect.
For example, add a subtitle to tell where you are or who you are, edit video length to present the key information, reduce noise in the background to complete a higher quality presentation … Microsoft system has windows movie maker for easy editing. Ulead VideoStudio software is also a good choice for beginners. Short videos less than 3 minutes are good. Also put the best content or most important messages at the begging. Because, 1) the file is not too large to upload onto the internet, 2) leave more sightseeing tour introduction to your actual meet with clients, 3) internet surfers may not be interested enough to complete the whole video, or their website connection is too slow to load.
4. viral your videos
You can upload your video to platforms like YouTube, DailyMotion, MetaCafe… Share your video link among friends or networking sites like FaceBook. Tell more people via social media sites e.g. Digg, StumbleUpon. Promote through tour guide websites like OurExplorer, where video presentation is allowed.
Think creatively! Videos allow the tour guide to present sightseeing tours in a vivid way and motivate a client to booking your tour services.
.
Tuesday 13 July 2010
Tour Guide Survey with Jose in Acapulco
1. What is the best thing you like being a tour guide?
The best thing be a tour guide is to have the opportunity to meet people from other countries and tell them about the history and customs of our people.
2. What is your most memorable moment in guiding so far?
The most memorable moment well there are many ones, I had great experiences when we had big groups of tourist coming and we didn’t stop doing tours all day long for six months.
3. What is most challenging for you in this career? Have you coped with it?
It’s a challenge to take the same tourist to different tours and still they enjoy them.
4. What is your favorite place/thing that you want to show your travel clients?
My favorite place is the cliff divers show, the tehuacalco archeological ruins and the museum of san diego fort.
5. What if you were not a tour guide? What do you imagine yourself to be?
I don’t know my first job was a taxi driver at the age of 18 years old and I loved the experience.
See more on tour guide Jose in Acapulco
Friday 9 July 2010
OurExplorer started a Tour Guide Photo Contest!
Have you got some memorable travel experiences with your local tour guides?
Did you take fun pictures of your guide during your overseas trip?
OurExplorer present you a great opportunity now to win 5 free private tour guides for your next overseas trips - you can activate them anytime.
Join Tour Guide Photo Contest 2010 – OurExplorer Now!
Submit a photo of you with your tour guide or just the tour guide on his/her own. Put in a phrase what best describes your tour guide in the photo.
Example = “my best tour guide”, “my funniest tour guide”, “my most clever tour guide”...
The deadline is 31st August 2010. Waiting for your great photos!
With a private tour guide, you can have an authentic yet customized adventure overseas. OurExplorer has now over 2,100 local tour guides in 140 countries.
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