- Private Guide ―
- Articles ―
- 4 steps to a new route: route drawing instructio...
The topic is chosen, the information is studied, the story plan is ready, so it's time to plot a route. After all, showing on the ground is the most important part of a tour. Without it, your event turns into a lecture. What exactly needs to be done?
According to the chosen topic, tourists can see:
Ruins of an ancient theater in Side represent a popular tourist site
Surely in your area you can find dozens of attractions. You shouldn’t tell tourists about all of those during one tour: 10-15 points are the optimal number for a route, calculated for 2-3 hours. Their selection is carried out according to the following criteria:
A very important criterion for the selection is its location. The waypoint can be interesting and unusual, but if for a five minutes glance you have to wander over hill and dale for two hours, such an option is unlikely to attract the customers.
It’s a wonderful example of street art, but it is not easy to get close to
At this stage, you will need a detailed map of the area which helps the guide drawing a line connecting separate points. First of all, you should define the display sequence. It can be carried out in chronological order, if the story is about the life of a famous person or event of a certain epoch. Or, to be based on a topic (for example, studying Art Nouveau buildings), then it is better to move between the nearest waypoints.
In any case, you need to take into account the availability of convenient access to the monuments and structures, as well as the view points for each stopover point. You should avoid "loops" returning to the already visited places, as tourists appreciate fresh impressions, rather than going around in a circle.
Make some effort to consider several options for moving between the waypoints. Cause, on your way you can find unexpected obstacles like a water pipe breakdown, asphalt repairs and so one.
Before offering a new "way" at the site, check it yourself. Check out the layout of streets and squares: where are the pedestrian zones and parking. Make sure if each point of interest can be seen as well as you imagine it to. Mark the places where tourists can comfortably stay during your story.
And, of course, perform timing, note how long it takes the story and sightseeing, what is the duration of the transfers between the waypoints. Take the help of a friend as alone you will surely shorten the narrative and accelerate your walk, but the presence of a friend will allow to maximally make the test tour seem real.
A tour guide should follow the stated duration of the walk
Following these guide lines, you will easily plot a route, even if you previously had no experience. The main thing is to break the work into steps and pass them gradually.
Being a guide for some decades and a local guide in Vienna for more than 10 years I love your compilation, reconfirming for us “old” guides and surely helpful for those new in the business.
In addition to your compilation in my walking-tours I also pay attention to the time of day. All my stops are “photo-stops” too, I never make my guests to gaze into the sun – I doo (good for my tan)!
In a busy destination like Vienna it also is helpful to find your stops, apart from other groups and not blocking traffic. Guest don’t like to be seen a nuisance by passersby.
I will use your article to help some of my novice colleagues!