With a wide outlook, the tour guide pledged that his trips are entertaining and exciting for people with different interests. But knowledge does not come from anywhere, it is the result of constant self-improvement. What ways of self-education are available to a modern specialist?
Books, magazines, archives
Exploring paper sources is the oldest way of learning. Tour guides draw a variety of facts from the works of historians and cultural experts. However you shouldn’t add those in the strict scientific form to your tour, is better to elaborate on those, adding emotions, because tourists need to be inspired, and not lulled by dry figures.
You must give considerable time to reading
You can find almost finished story blocks in the books of writers, and history popularizers. Some of them are passionate about a particular historical period, and others about a particular city. And they can make colorful and exciting speeches about their passion, presenting not only dry information about events and personalities but also stories, anecdotes, parables, and legends.
An excellent source are celebrities memoirs or recollections of their contemporaries. A biased view allows us to see living people, not portraits from textbooks.
A lot of information you can find in the city archives: construction of famous buildings, criminal incidents, and cultural events. However, is not as simple to extract information from primary documents as from books, the cause is "an impression of life" rather than systematized and classified data. Therefore, you need to learn to work with such documents.
Courses and lectures
Tour guides may not have the skills for studying the archives and thus can use all the information from those, as there are experts who professionally elaborate such documentation. They bring the data into a "digestible" form, the information becomes clear and interesting to people without historical, architectural, and other special education. The researchers also collect evidence from different sources and track scientists' reviews. A result of this work is detailed lectures on a particular topic.
Where the tour guides may find out more about those? Firstly, the performances take place under the auspices of various scientific knowledge-promoting societies. Secondly, at the courses held by tour guides leagues or similar organizations.
Courses are a great opportunity to ask questions to more experienced colleagues
A lot of useful things can be found at the events held by other tour guides. It is not only history, architecture and ethnography information, but also a way of behaving, methods of speech presentation and skills of communication with tourists.
The World Wide Web
You shouldn’t neglect the Internet, a mind-blowing source of information. And we are not talking about the electronic versions of books: the work with those is not different from the use of paper copies. The World Wide Web has its own methods for the collection and dissemination of information. These are forums on specialized websites, history groups in social networks, and thematic communities of the "live journals".
On such websites meet amateur historians and fans of the cities. They discuss not only the information that they read somewhere, but the one got through their own efforts. Some people study the family archives of several generations, others go to the underground or climb on the roofs, and still, others wander with a camera on the back streets in search of surprises.
"Oh, here you can bring tourists! They hardly will see somewhere such a sign as"
Not all documents presented there claim to have historical value, but an entertaining urban legend or a signature moment animating the story is quite acceptable. "Unpublicized" attractions or an unusual look at well-known places inspire the creation of uncommon trips to mystical nooks of the city, the culinary habits of the residents, and others.
Tools for tour guide self-education are varied: among those, both the tradition-bound people and the innovation supporters will find a suitable one. No matter which way you expand your horizons, the most important is that you do it.
Self-education is an important aspect of becoming a successful local tour guide. Here are some other ways to pursue self-education in this field:
-
Visit the destinations you will be tour guided to and in. It's important to visit the destinations you will be guiding in and get a feel for the area. Explore the sights, try the local food, and talk to the locals to gain a deeper understanding of the culture.
-
Network with other local tour guides: Networking with other tour guides can provide you with new ideas and insights into the tour guiding profession. Join professional organizations and attend industry events to meet other local tour guides and learn from their experiences.
-
Stay current with technology: Technology is rapidly changing the tourist industry, and it's important to stay current with new tools and apps that can improve the tour experience.
By pursuing self-education and continuous learning, tour guides can improve their knowledge and skills, and provide a better experience for their clients. We try to go deeper and explain each strategy in detail:
When visiting a new place for future tours, a local tour guide should pay attention to several key factors in order to provide a comprehensive and enjoyable local tour experience. These include:
- History and culture: Learn about the history and culture of the place, including its landmarks, customs, and traditions. Be familiar with local legends and folklore, as well as historical events that took place in the area.
- Sights and attractions: Familiarize yourself with the main sights and attractions, and note any changes or renovations that have taken place since your last visit. Make sure to also note any hidden gems that are not widely known to visitors.
- Transportation and logistics: Familiarize yourself with the transportation options available in the area, including public transportation, taxis, and car rentals. Also, take note of any logistical considerations, such as accessibility for people with disabilities or mobility limitations.
- Accommodations and dining: Research the local accommodations and dining options, and note which ones are best suited for different types of travelers, such as budget travelers or luxury travelers.
- Safety and security: Pay attention to any safety and security concerns in the area, such as pickpocketing hotspots or areas to avoid at night. Make sure to familiarize yourself with local emergency services, such as hospitals and police stations.
Building and developing a network with other local tour guides are important aspects of success in the tour guiding profession. Here are some ways to do this:
-
Join professional organizations: Joining professional organizations related to tour guidings, such as the National Tour Association (NTA) or the International tour guide Academy (IGA), can provide opportunities to network with other tour guides, attend conferences and events, and stay up to date on industry developments.
-
Attend events and conferences: Attending events and conferences related to tour guiding can provide opportunities to network with other tour guides, learn from industry experts, and gain new ideas and insights.
-
Participate in online forums and discussion groups: Participating in online forums and discussion groups related to tour guiding can provide opportunities to connect with other tour guides, ask questions, and exchange ideas and experiences.
-
Collaborate with other tour guides: Collaborating with other local tour guides on joint tours or packages can provide opportunities to build relationships and share knowledge and resources.
-
Offer to help and mentor others: Offering to help and mentor other tour guides, particularly those just starting out in the profession, can provide opportunities to build relationships and give back to the industry.
By building and developing a network of contacts and relationships with other local private tour guides, you can improve your knowledge and skills, expand your opportunities, and grow your business.
Tour guides can use technology to increase their knowledge about history, culture, and human communications in several ways:
-
Digital maps and navigation tools: Digital maps and navigation tools, such as Google Maps, can help tour guides become familiar with the layout of a new location and plan their tours more effectively.
-
Online resources and databases: Online resources and databases, such as Wikipedia and cultural heritage websites, can provide tour guides with information about the history, culture, and attractions of a new location.
-
Social media: Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, can be used to connect with local residents and other tour guides, learn about local customs and traditions, and gather information about new attractions and events. Welcome to join us on Social Networks:
-
Mobile apps: Mobile apps, such as language learning apps and cultural immersion apps, can be used to learn about local customs, traditions, and languages.
-
Virtual reality and augmented reality technology: Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology can be used to enhance the tour experience by providing a more immersive and interactive experience for visitors.
The private tour guide app for Android and Apple allows you to find a local private tour guide, an accompanying person, or a transfer driver, anywhere in the world in two clicks.
How can the app help tourists and local tour guides?
- If the tourist is already in a foreign country and does not know any foreign language, he can quickly find a tour guide in the same region.
- You can create your own route together with the tour guide, to see the sights from an unexpected perspective (for example, see the city from the roof of a skyscraper), or follow a popular tourist route at a comfortable pace.
- Tourists can communicate with different tour guides, see their information on their profiles and select those who they feel comfortable with.
- At the end of a trip, the tourists can write reviews about the tour guides. These are visible to all users and pretty helpful for other tourists.
What is the cost?
For tourists, the application is absolutely free. There is no charge for downloading and using the App. The payments for tours and excursions are made directly to the tour guide after negotiation with him.
How can a tourist use the application?
Private Guide World collected a huge database of private tour guides offering their services all around the world. The number of registered tour guides grows daily. The application offers two search types: general and through location data. In the first case, you can find a tour guide from all over the world to your destination. In the second one, you can find a tour guide the closest to you.
1. Tourists can send their inquiries to a single tour guide or send a bulk message to many of them at the same time through a built-in instant messenger. Please watch the tutorial video about our in-built messenger in English language (on our YouTube channel this tutorial video is also available in German, Italian, French, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, and Portuguese):
2. To send the first message, please, sign up. It is enough to specify your email address and password. The sign-up is necessary for users to be able to communicate with tour guides and share their impressions of the tour guide.
3. You can use filters to search for the tour guides in your destination. One shows the tour guides who are currently online. The second one selects the profiles of those tour guides who speak the language you need.
Who are our tour guides?
They are both professional tour guides and local people who perfectly know their city or country and will be happy to share interesting information and facts about those with you. Anyone can join a Private tour guide Service at any time.
Mobile application for service PRIVATE GUIDE is also available for iOS & Android for free!
The App is available in the following languages: English, Russian, German, French, Italian, and Spanish. The PRIVATE GUIDE App is available for download from Google Play and Apple Store:
By using technology in these ways, tour guides can expand their knowledge and understanding of the places they visit and provide a more informative and engaging tour experience for their clients.
By paying attention to these factors, tour guides can provide a comprehensive and well-rounded tour experience that meets the needs and expectations of their clients.
Read our previous article Why do tourists need a private tour guide?
Read our next article How to get the tour guide profession?
