Techniques in Tour Guiding 2018 by Paul Olola

Learners & Practitioners Toolkit
Techniques in Tour Guiding
Towards Top-Notch Guiding

Contents
Topic 1 Origins, History and Evolution of Tour Guiding.
Topic 2 Concepts and Principles of Guiding.
Topic 3 Skills in Tour Guiding : Categories, Types and Qualities.
Topic 4 Tour Management: Requirements, materials & Procedure
Topic 5 Interpretation : Aims, Principles, Planning and Types.
Topic 6 The Tour Commentary : “The Guide’s speak”.
Topic 7 Guiding Tourists with Special Needs.
Topic 8 Tourist Safety, Security and Health.
Topic 9 Codes of conduct and ethics in tour guiding.
Topic 10 Legal Aspects of Guiding.
Topic 11 Guides Contribution to Sustainability.
Topic 12 Trends in tour guiding.
Techniques in Tour Guiding

Aim
&
Purpose
• The unit seeks to develop understanding of the pivotal
role played by Tour Guides in the Tourism Industry, its
factors for success, challenges and future prospects.
• Learners will gain knowledge on planning, developing
and delivery of tour commentaries to diverse groups
and the necessary skills required for success in Tour
Guiding.
Upon completion of the unit, learners shall be able to:
Learning
Outcomes
• Discuss the History and Evolution of Tour Guiding.
• Explain the Concepts and Principles of Tour Guiding.
• Outline the Types, Duties and Responsibilities of Tour
Guides.
• Discuss skills and qualities for effective Tour Guiding
• Plan, develop and deliver a commentary of any
attraction in Kenya.
• Describe factors shaping the future of Tour Guiding.
Unit Aim, Purpose & Learning Outcomes

Tourist
• People who travel to stay in places outside their usual
environment for more than twenty four (24) hours and
not more than one (1) consecutive year for leisure,
business and other purposes not related to the exercise
of an activity remunerated from within the place visited
(World Tourism Organization, 1995).
Tour
Guiding
• An interpretive program where insightful explanation of
an attraction or site is provided to the tourists by a tour
guide, its length depends on the number of tourists and
the type of tour being undertaken.
Commentary
or
Spiel
• Narrations prepared and used by guides to explain and
describe attractions to a tour group, this includes giving
facts and answering questions from tourists, as well as
explaining local rules and taboos inherent to the site.
Interpretation
• An educational activity aimed at revealing meanings and
relationships using original objects, firsthand experience,
and illustrative media, rather than merely communicating
factual information (Tiden, 1977).
Terminologies used in Tour Guiding

Tour Guide
• A person who guides visitors in the language of their
choice and interprets the cultural and natural heritage of
an area in which the person normally possesses an area-
specified qualification usually issued and/or recognized
by the appropriate authority.
(World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations, 2010).
Tourist
Attraction
• The facilities, activities, locations or sites that a tourist
visits, such as a monument, museum or natural wonder
(Mancini, 2003).
• Facilities developed especially to provide residents and
visitors with entertainment, activity learning, socializing
and other forms of stimulation that make a region or
destination a desirable and enjoyable place
(Goeldner et al, 2006).
Effective
Communication
• Reciprocal sharing of information and ideas or written,
oral and non-verbal information according to a common
set of rules e.g. language, non-verbal communication,
symbols among others.
Terminologies used in Tour Guiding…Ctd

Codes of
Conduct
• A statement and description of required behaviors,
responsibilities and actions expected of employees of an
organization or of members of a professional body.
• Codes of conduct usually focuses on ethical and socially
responsible issues and applies to individuals, providing
guidance on how to act in cases of doubt or confusion.
Safety • The condition of being safe, free from danger, risk or injury.
Health
• The state of complete physical, mental and social well being
and not merely the absence of disease.
Security
• Any measure taken to ensure the safety of facilities,
personnel and property.
Tour
Itinerary
• The line of travel linking points in a passenger’s journey,
beginning with the point of departure, followed by those
points traversed in the journey itself and ending at the
destination point (International Air Travel Association, 2011).
Terminologies used in Tour Guiding…Ctd

Museums
&
Zoos
• They provide interpretation of culture, history and heritage to
tourists and the general public.
• They direct tourists through various sections of the museum
or Zoos, ensuring that all areas are covered and different
themes articulated, and moderate the visitor-wildlife
encounter.
Tour
Operators
• Tour operators hire guides as either escort guides or staff
guides to accompany tourists in the course of the tour
itinerary.
• The guides report directly to the tour operator and
coordinate the services of suppliers on behalf of the operator
on the field.
Wildlife
Protected
Areas (PAs)
• These include national parks and reserves, conservancies,
marine parks, wildlife sanctuaries and forests.
• They are areas that provide rich cultural and heritage values
for wildlife and communities.
• Tour guides present information on culture and heritage to
visitors in wildlife protected areas in form of interpretation by
the use of tour commentaries and story telling.
Operational Areas for Tour Guides

Origins & History
The Practice of Tour Guiding
By the end of this Topic, learners shall be able to:
• Discuss the changing roles of guides from different ages of
Travel.
• Identify early motivations of travel that fostered the need for
Guiding.
• Discuss the contributions made by Thomas Cook to Tour
Guiding.
• Evaluate the roles modern day guides have adopted from early
guides.
1

Ancient
Empire
• This is the era of the great empires from 3000 BC to 500 AD.
• Ancient Persians, Assyrians and Egyptians traveled in organized manner.
• During the era of the Greek Empire, travel flourished thus increasing the
number of guides.
• Guides were referred to as pathfinder, leader and explainer using the
Greek terms “periegetai” or “exegetai” and “proxemos” whose
functions was to help fellow citizens traveling abroad.
Middle
Age
• The period between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance also referred
to as the Dark Age.
• This was a period that saw the prevalence of religious pilgrimages.
• Encounters with robbers were common during pilgrimages with most
pilgrims afraid to travel alone.
• References to guides during this period emphasizes on their roles as
pathfinders, protectors, safety escorts and bridges to ensure safe
passage.
• According to historian Casson, a guide was paid large fee for not only
leading the way, but also generating safe-conduct to travelers.
Origins & History of Tour Guiding
Guiding is one of the oldest professions in the world, there are plenty of specific
references to guides in the annals of history in different ages of time postulating the
evolution of guiding which include the following:

Renaissance
&
Grand Tour
• The image of Tour Guides was improved significantly during
the Renaissance and the Grand Tour.
• Young men of the upper classes traveled from Britain using a
prescribed route from England through France, Germany,
Austria, Switzerland to their final destination Italy.
• The Grand Tourist was expected to return from his travel with a
broadened mind, good command of foreign languages, self
reliance, a highly developed taste and graceful manner.
• Since the journeys were for educational and cultural reasons
the individuals or groups were usually assigned personal tutors.
• The tutor (Bear Leader, Antiquarii or Cicerone) would remain
with the traveler and his entourage throughout the journey.
• Many tutors and guides during this period were distinguished
clergy, students, teachers, writers and historians.
• Plenty of reference are made during Renaissance of British and
European royalties and rich individuals hiring guides.
• According to a British writer Francis Bacon, he pointed out to
the need of a personal guide or courier when traveling
especially one who was a linguist and who knows the right
people to meet and proper things to do.
Origins & History of Tour Guiding…Ctd

Modern
Age
• During the 17th and 18th century, travelers to and within the
new world were explorers rather than pleasure travelers.
• The first travelers were ordinary and often indigent explorers
who traveled a lot to find a new way of life.
• Few new world travelers and guides are known to have
existed during this period.
• Due to the great distance and limitations of transportation,
time and money, pleasure travel to and from the new world
was undertaken by a few privileged and curious Europeans.
• Three renowned European writers who made visits to the new
world during this period include Charles Dickens, Francis
Trollope and Alexis de Tocqueville who traveled widely and
wrote comprehensive accounts of their travels mentioning
some of their guides.

Sir
Thomas
Cook
• It is without underestimation the role played by Sir Thomas Cook after
the 2nd World War that provided the impetus for development of the
modern tour guiding as we know it today (Brendon, 1991).
• Thomas Cook is considered as the first travel agent as he transported
570 passengers on a round trip train excursion as the first rail excursion
agent.
• He became the first tour operator in the world after diversifying his full
time excursion agency to offer packaged tours to the growing travelers.
• Cook organized intracontinental and intercontinental tours around the
world including the Grand Tours of Europe, pilgrimage tours to Egypt
among others.
• In 1851 Cook launched a newspaper called “The Excursionist” to educate
travelers on the places of interest in France, Germany, India, Australasia,
America and Far East in the package tour.
• His son John Mason Cook later set up oversees editions of the
newspaper and in May 1902 it was renamed to “The Travelers Gazette”
and continued being published until 1939.
• During the 20th century, Cook through his travel agency gave training
to guides to support his quality tours that were started in the second
half of the nineteenth century, he provided travelers with personalized
tours which were escorted by a tour leader.

Development of Tour Guiding in Europe
• England was one of the first countries to regulate and train guides with the
London Country Council and the Regent Street Polytechnic offering training
courses for guides from 1936 to 1939.
• Tour guiding in Europe developed after the 2nd World War 1939 – 1945,
which saw travelers visit Europe.
• The London Country Council re-established its guide training program and
the Tourist Authority was established in 1949 to 1951 as an official status for
“approved guides” that accredited guides with a badge and certificate.
• European guides have been widely regarded as having the most advanced
training and highest guiding standards in the world with an exception of
Israel which has the world’s best trained, most highly respected and best
paid guides.

Development of Tour Guiding in Europe
• The origin of tour guiding comes from a person who would lead a travel
party through unfamiliar terrain and would show the way or route to the
travelers.
• Early travelers were often accompanied by guides who had become familiar
with the routes of earlier trips.
• As travelling became common and people frequently travelled for leisure
and fun, they started seeking support from companions who were
expected to take good care of them.
• In the 19th century when leisure travel became more common place,
women and young children were not expected to travel alone with relatives
or house servants acting as their companions.
• Travelers sought support from experts who could interpret nature and local
culture to them thus giving birth to the demand and rise of the professional
tour guide.
• Today tour guides act as escorts for people visiting foreign countries
providing them with additional information on interesting facets of life in
another part of the world.
In a way, tour guides today have taken the place of early scouts by acting as
experts in settings and situations that other people find unfamiliar.

Guiding Concepts & Principals
• Highlight ways of classifying tour guides.
• Discuss the types of tour guides.
• Discuss the concept of tour guiding.
• Explain the types of tours and transport modals applicable.
• Explain the roles played by different types tour guides.
• Describe the duties and responsibilities of tour guides.
2

The Concept of Tour Guiding
Cohen
(1985)
• Traditionally the role of the guide has been focused on two issues,
one the “pathfinder” and a “mentor.”
• Pathfinder : One who leads others through social and natural
areas unknown to its travelers.
• Mentor : A person serving as a guru to the seeker, guiding
towards insight and enlightenment.
• Cohen argues that while the modern tour guide have origins as
either pathfinder or mentor, these roles have now developed into
leadership and mediatory roles.
• Under leadership, the guide must give direction to the tour,
control the group and is responsible for the social component
which involves tension management, serving as an integrating
force, maintaining morale and providing animation.
• The mediatory role sees a tour guide as a middleman between his
party and the local population. He interposes himself between the
party and the environment making it non-threatening to his party.
• Communication is the principal role of the guide under the
mediatory sphere. He influences his group by pointing out objects
of interest, provide information and interpretation.
The Concept of Tour Guiding

Concept of Tour Guiding…Ctd
Communication
Tool
• Tour Guiding is a means of communication with the
public whereby relevance of sites are revealed,
attention are drawn to the tourist assets and
underlining the details and inter-linkages that would
often stay hidden from tourists.
• Interpretation is much more than providing
information, it is a communication process where
participants (interpreter & visitor) mutually affect each
other.
Management Tool
• Enhancing of visitor attitude and understanding of the
tourist attraction or site.
Educational
&
Learning Process
• It is an educational activity meant to influence visitor
attitude and behavior in order to enhance the desired
ethics e.g. conservation, responsible tourism, respect
for host culture etc.
• It brings the visitors from the sphere of the known to
the unknown.
The Concept of Tour Guiding…Ctd

Interpreter
• In many instances, the tour guide acts as an interpreter in
foreign languages for the travelers.
• The tour guide also interprets information, sites and attractions
to the tourists.
Presenter
• The tour guide is a presenter for the travelers by providing
relevant and interesting commentaries on sites seen and places
visited
Care-giver
• The tour guide is also a care giver for the travelers as he or she
provides relief to unpleasant situations at the most difficult
times.
• They maintain the safety and security of tourists at all times.
Overseer
• The tour guide is the representative of the tour operator in the
field.
• Tour guides are responsible to the tour operator for any
unplanned failure of other suppliers to deliver confirmed
services.
Principles of Tour Guiding
Today, travelers seek support from experts that can provide them with services in the
destinations in multitude of ways, these are the basic tenets of tour guiding that
provide for a guide as:

Point to Note
It is out of the principles of tour guiding that a cascade of duties,
roles and responsibilities of a tour guide are generated.
Timekeeper
• The tour guide makes sure that the services are provided
in a timely fashion and within the scheduled time as per
the tour itinerary.
Mediator
• Tour guides in the course of their profession operate
between cultures thus naturally playing the role of inter-
cultural mediation.
Coordinator
• Tour guides act as the link between the various suppliers
and coordinates the delivery of services from each.
• The supervision of luggage and van handlers is
coordinated by the tour guide and assisted by the courier.
Principles of Tour Guiding…Ctd

Honesty
• Provide information and explanations about an attraction
honestly and never take advantage of the ignorance of the
tourists.
• Use common sense by being honest and saying “I don’t
know….. or I will check.”
Fairness
• Act fairly and reasonable in all dealings with co-workers, host
communities and tourists.
Factual
• Ensure factual presentations by distinguishing legends, truth,
stories and traditions.
Tactful
• Always act with tact and diplomacy in dealing with the guests.
• Act as a link between the visitor, the area and its people.
Safety
• Ensure tourist safety and warn them on: Plants that might
cause some allergies, unsuitable food and drinks, elevations
for those with fear of height, dangerous wildlife, pickpockets.
• They try to ensure that the tour will be enjoyable and safe.
Responsibility
• Protect the reputation of tourism industry by making every
assignment a treat, with respect to the environment, wildlife
sites and monuments, local customs and traditions.
Duties & Responsibilities of a Guide

Local Guide
• A person competent enough to guide in a certain
locality or area.
Freelance
Guide
• A guide that is not personally connected to any operator
or agency and is paid on per trip basis.
Staff Guide
• A guide that is personally connected to a tour operator
or agency and receives monthly remuneration or salary.
Escort Guide
• A guide who accompanies a group of tourists from the
point of origin to the destination and back to the origin.
• He or she usually handles the tour group’s check-in and
check-out.
Linguist Guide
• A person who speaks fluently two or more foreign
languages and is used to translate languages during
tours.
Meet and
Greet Guide
• A guide who meets individual groups of visitors arriving
at the airport, help them get their luggage and may
accompany or drive them to their hotel.
Types of Guides

Educational Guide • A guide that tends to student study educational tours.
Driver Guide
• A person who operates a tour vehicle while at the
same time delivers commentaries to the tourists.
Interpretive
Guide
• A person who is able to interpret the natural and
cultural heritage of a community and destination.
Transfer Guide
• A person who receives tourists at terminals dealing
mainly with the provision of general information and
confirming the destination programs acquired by the
tourists i.e. hotels, tours.
• His main skills lies in the in-depth knowledge of the
standard procedures at airports and hotels i.e. check-
in, flight confirmation, luggage logistics etc.
Specialist Guide
• A guide who specializes in a certain field e.g. botany,
architecture and is used to offer specialized tours.
On-site Guide
• A guide who is based at a particular attraction and
provides tours for one or several hours.
Types of Guides…Ctd

Point to Note
Some Tourist Guides are categorized based on the
nature of tourist attraction they are based and the type
of tours that they conduct, for example ; Wilderness
Guide, Eco-Tourist Guide, Forest Guide, Culture Guide,
Religious or Pilgrim Guide, Adventure Guide
Step-on-Guide
• A guide who conducts tours and delivers commentaries
while travelling on a vehicle.
Shore-excursion
Guide
• A guide who works on-board a cruise liner, yacht or river
cruise vessel.
Hop-on Guide
• A guide who accompanies self-drive tourists in reserves,
parks, heritage and historical sites, cities and regions.
Cruise-excursion
Guide
• A guide who takes visitors from cruise ships or chartered
touring Yacht onto the shore at various points along the
journey showing them the main attractions
Types of Guides…Ctd

Genre Environment Type of Guiding Type of Guide
General or Mass
Tourism
Any (Vary from one
hour to a day tour)
General Tour Guiding • Generalist Guide
Group or
Package Tours
Any (Usually extended
and overnight tours)
Tour Escorting
Driver Guiding
• Escort Guide
• Driver Guide
Nature Based
Tourism
Natural Environments
(Vary from one hour to
a day and overnight
tour)
Nature-based
Guiding
Eco-tour Guiding
• Botanical Guide
• Eco-tour Guide
• Desert Guide
• Island/Beach Guide
• Wilderness Guide
Adventure
Tourism
Natural Environments
(Day and overnight
Tour)
Adventure Guiding
• Adventure Guide
• Mountain Guide
Cultural and
Heritage
Tourism
Heritage and Historical
Sites (Vary from one
hour to a day Tour)
Heritage and
Culture Interpreting
or Guiding
• Archeological Guide
• Architectural Guide
• Historical Guide
• Cuisine Guide
• Religion Guide
City/Urban
Tourism
Cities/Towns/Shopping
areas/Industrial Sites/
Business/MICE/Tourist
Attractions (Vary from
an hour to a day Tour)
City/Urban Guiding
Special Interest
Guiding,
Real Estate Guiding
• City/Urban Guide
• Real Estate Guide
• Shopping Guide
• Special Interest Guide
• Golf Guide

Types of Tours
Water-Based Tours
These are scenic tours
undertaken in aquatic
environments, such as
oceans, lakes, seas, and
rivers, they include:
• Snorkeling
• Scuba-diving
• Canoeing
• Yachting
• Cruise ship tours
• Ship-wreck diving
• White-water rafting
• Sport-fishing

Types of Tours
On-Foot Tours
These are Tours that are
carried out within a
particular tourist
attraction primarily on
foot, They include:
• Trekking and Hiking
• Nature Trails
• Foot Expeditions
• Board and Canopy
Walks
• Botanical Tours
• Hunting Tours
• Wildlife Tracking

Types of Tours
Surface Tours
These are tours undertaken
using roads, as main mode of
transport, they include:
• Game Drives
• Mountain Biking
• Country Drives
• City/Town Tours (Driven)
• Self-Drive Tours

Types of Tours
Aerial Tours
These are scenic tours that
are carried out using ways
aimed at providing tourists
with a bird-eye-view of a
given attraction.
• Hot air balloon tours
• Aero plane tours
• Helicopter Tours
• Zip-line Tours

Skills in Tour Guiding
Categories, types and qualities
• Discuss the categories of skills required for effective tour
guiding.
• Describe the types of skills necessary for effective tour
guiding.
• Explain the qualities for effective tour guiding.
• Highlight the possible ways of updating knowledge in tour
guiding.
3

Hard Skills
• These are also called Technical Skills that help us perform a
job well. Training Institutions such as Colleges, Universities
amongst others such as The Technical University of Kenya do
a good job in imparting hard skills to potential tour guides
through its tourism and travel management training
programs at certificate, diploma and degree levels.
• They are the basic technical and administrative procedures
which are prerequisites to perform a job and can also be
derived from books or hands-on-experience and training.
• They are easy to observe, quantify and measure, and are also
easy to train because mostly the skills are new to the learner.
Soft Skills
• They are also called people skills and are desired qualities
that does not depend on acquired knowledge.
• They are a cluster of personality traits, social graces, facility
with language, personal habits, friendliness etc. that make
people vary.
Skills for Effective Tour Guiding
In the competitive environment of Tour Guiding, to be successful today
requires the right balance of Hard skills and Soft Skills as discussed below:

Skills for Effective Tour Guiding…Ctd

Pleasing Personality
• Being outgoing with entertaining skills with a liking
and understanding towards other people’s diversities.
Genuine Interest
in People
• Caring, courteous, respectful, empathetic, patient and
diplomatic.
• Should be a peoples-people who tolerates diverse
personalities.
Resourcefulness
• Being flexible, able to think creatively and improvise
fast.
Sense of
Leadership
• Taking charge of a group and being able to manage
them effectively at different situations.
Organizational
skills
• Being able to stick to time, itinerary program and
oversee the smooth running of the tour.
Incident & Crisis
Management Skills
• Being able to remain calm, implementing
occupational health and safety procedures amongst
other contingency plans.
Research Skills
• Ability to find information and display eagerness to
know more.
Qualities of an Effective Tour Guide

Sense of
Ethics
• Be loyal to the tour operator/employer and do not engage in
unethical actions for financial gain.
Sensitive
&
Respectful
• Be able to recognize diverse cultures, adapt to accommodate
people from all nationalities and backgrounds.
• Abiding to local procedures and contributing towards
responsible and sustainable tourism.
Love for ones
country
• A tour guide should always portray his/her country positively
and build a good image.
• In case of any service shortfalls arising from national systems,
remember to cite ongoing efforts and improvements made.
• Emphasize on the positive aspects of the commentaries and
let the love of country and people show in your words and
deeds.
Confidence
• Show confidence through the body language, maintain eye
contact while responding to tourist questions and always
smile.
Good Health
• Always conduct tours while in perfect health physically,
emotionally and mentally.
Qualities of an Effective Tour Guide...Ctd

Good
communication
skills
• Proficient in spoken and taught languages.
• Use of words that are simple and easy to understand.
• Try as much as possible to always get rid of local accent.
• Use synonyms to explain/describe something.
• Use non-verbal communication in difficult situations.
• Speak audibly, not too soft and not too loud.
• Conduct the commentary in a relaxed and entertaining way.
• Give tourists time to brainstorm on your explanations.
Punctuality
• Be on time for tours, conduct the tour itinerary in a timely
fashion.
• Manage the group movement considering time allocation at
site seeing spots and other attractions, don’t be too fast or
slow.
Responsibility
• Encourage responsible and sensitive behavior from the
tourists that respects local culture and sensitivities, behave
with consideration of others.
Entertaining
• Use the skills learned to interest and entertain the
tourists while delivering commentaries.
Qualities of an Effective Tour Guide…Ctd

Professionalism
• Avoid taking/making phone calls or replying to text
messages while on duty.
• Incase of incidences, take a professional approach to solve
them following the set guidelines and procedures.
Good Grooming
&
Dress Code
• A tour guide should always report to duty in clean
uniform, shoes, well kept hair, short nails and clean teeth.
• For female tour guides, flat shoes or boots should be
appropriate, shorts or trousers and short hair.
• Avoid usage of strong body oils and perfumes, lipsticks
and nail colors.
Decisive
• Make prompt choices while keeping the general welfare of
the tourists in mind and follow the majority rule bearing in
mind that you cannot please everybody.
Knowledgeable
• Tour guides should be thoroughly knowledgeable about
the cities, regions and countries where they work.
• Tour guides help travelers to understand the culture of the
region and the way of life of its inhabitants.
Qualities of an Effective Tour Guide…Ctd

Updating Tour Guiding Knowledge
A practicing Tour Guide should always endeavor to obtain more knowledge
and has various ways available for him/her to find new information and
expand knowledge. However, the method(s) chosen should be:
• Easily available : It can be found and used in the local area e.g. library.
• Low in cost : Should ensure adequate learning at low cost in short time.
The figure below shows possible ways that can be explored by a tour guide:

Tour Management
Requirements, Materials & Procedure
• Highlight the requirements for leading tours.
• Discuss the materials required for effective managing and
leading of tours.
• Describe the procedure followed by tour guides for effective
tour management during pre-tour, on-tour and post-tour.
4

Preparation
• Be punctual at all times, at least one hour before the tour starts.
• In cases of multi-guide tours, find some time to sit down, discuss
in order to synchronize information and learn from each other.
• Study the destination prior to the tour to be cognizant and
prepared to answer any questions raised by the tourists.
• Have an update of global and local news as well as
environmental, cultural and economical issues.
Planning
• Plan your commentary in a structured fashion that is coherent
and eliminates time wastage or repetition.
• Be ready for pertinent and impertinent questions.
Awareness
• Be aware of basic human behavior, attitudes and personalities.
• Intercede when necessary during hosts-guests interactions or
during the visitor-wildlife encounter.
Professionalism
&
Ethics
• Never tell your personal life at first meeting.
• Never sell anything at first meeting unless they ask.
• Learn how to say NO to indecent proposals.
• Incase of problems, approach them professionally.
• Be practical when making judgment, think if it benefits majority.
• Always make a head count before, during and after the tour,
especially after stops.
Requirements for Leading Tours

Forms
• The Tour Guide Itinerary.
• Daily Tour Report.
• General Tour Report.
• Time Sheets.
• Expense Sheet.
• Seating Chart.
• Passenger List.
• Optional Tour List.
• Tourist Questionnaire.
• Emergency Form.
• Confirmation Copies.
• Supplier, Activity, Rooming
Lists.
Supplies
• Miscellaneous Items: Trash
Bags, Anniversary Cards or
Birthday Cards, Luggage
or Duct Tape.
• Bottled Drinking Water.
• Credit Cards.
• Vouchers.
• Tickets.
Gadgets
• Electronic Translator.
• Cellular Phone.
• Public Address System.
• Personal Digital Assistant
(PDA).
• First Aid Kit.
• Global Positioning System
(GPS)
References
• Maps.
• Tour Guide Book.
• Travel Manual or Guide.
• First Aid Manuals.
• Emergency Call List
• Ground Handler Call List.
Materials Required for a Tour

Tour
Itinerary
• An itinerary is a listing of a tour’s day-to-day activities. Tour
managers work with two different itineraries.
• The first is the one clients see, which often appears in the
sales brochure. The second itinerary is a more extensive
one for the tour manager’s use.
Things-To-Do
List
• Tour guides must remember dozens of little details, a
better method is to use a checklist of reminders.
Supplier List
• Organizations that provide tour operators with services are
called suppliers.
• The most common suppliers include hotels, airlines, cruise
lines, bus companies, restaurants, and attractions.
General Tour
Report
• On this form, a tour conductor reports delays, problems, or
other unusual occurrences. The tour conductor also
profiles the group on this form.
• Finally, a general tour report usually asks a tour director to
evaluate service from the personnel at hotels, restaurants,
airlines, cruise lines, and attractions.
Materials Required for a Tour…Ctd

Time Sheets
• A few companies, especially those that pay an hourly rate,
will require you to log in your working hours for each day
on a company time sheet.
Copies of
Confirmations
• Some tour operators provide tour managers with
photocopies of confirmations, with prices and dates agreed
upon, from each supplier.
Rooming List
• Several weeks before a tour begins, the tour operator must
send a list of passengers for that tour to each hotel being
used.
Expense
Sheet
• To be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses, you’ll
probably have to use a special form to list each expense.
• Occasionally, a special form for telephone expenses will
also be required.
Passenger List
• This document lists vital information on each client.
• Information such as a name, home address, and telephone
number will be crucial in an emergency.
Blank Seating
Chart
• On most tours, passengers are given assigned seats on
aircraft, trains, tour vans and even coaches.

Blank Seating
Chart
• On most tours, passengers are given assigned seats on
aircraft, trains, tour vans and even coaches.
Optional Tour
List
• Many tour companies offer extra side tours to clients at
an additional cost.
• On this form, tour managers note which clients have
signed up for extra cost services.
Tourist
Questionnaire
• Tour operators are interested in feedback from clients at
the end of a tour. Questionnaires are the best way to
obtain first hand information.
Emergency
Form
• For legal purposes, a tour operator must receive a
detailed report on any accident, sickness, or death that
occurs during a tour.
• This form must be filled out carefully, with all
circumstances, time and date of occurrences, and
responses made clearly described.
Daily Tour
Report
• Tour Guides use this report to record the daily
experiences and progress of the Tour to be submitted to
the tour operator at the end of the itinerary.

Pre
Tour
• Be punctual at least one hour prior to the tour commencement.
• Study your tour assignment thoroughly.
• Be aware of the composition of the group. (children, teens, senior
citizens, if foreign know their nationality, their language, culture.
• Review the itinerary i.e. the inclusions and exclusions of the tour.
• Check your transport amenities (luggage, microphones, trash bins).
• Check for special holiday or activity occurring during the tour.
• Be aware of required cash advances, vouchers and tickets.
• Know the vehicle to be used, its plate number, driver’s name and
contact.
• Confirm the interests and expectations of the tourists.
• Make sure you have complete names of the guests, cash advances
and tour vouchers.
• Begin with a smile, greeting and introduction, show a warm
welcome to the tourists.
• Always state your name and designation prior to the tour.
• Brief visitors about the purpose of the tour for the day and what to
expect from it, the locations, events, activities and places of visit.
• Give the distance and traveling time to the destination.
Procedure for Tour Management

On-Tour
• Discuss itinerary, rules and regulations, check other concerns
and hand out essential documents.
• Provide any necessary precautions.
• Provide a brief history of places and events or activities.
• Deliver your spiel/ or commentary for the tour in a
conversational rather than memorized or noted manner.
• Announce comfort stops and always do a head count after
every stop.
• Announce inclusions of the tour and what to expect.
• Do not miss to point-out important landmarks along the way.
• Announce the next day’s itinerary and give instructions.
• End the day/tour by thanking the guests and wishing them a
good night or evening.
Post-Tour
• Gather all collected vouchers.
• Accomplish the financial report with receipts, vouchers and
other support documentation.
• Prepare and submit the tour report immediately after the tour
(Reports on unusual events that occurred, those that need
improvement or encouragement).
Procedure for Tour Management…Ctd

Interpretation
Aims, Principals, Planning & Types
• Discuss the aims of interpretation in tour guiding
• Identify the types of interpretations used in tour guiding.
• Outline the characteristics of effective interpretation.
• Highlight the composition of a tour commentary.
• Discuss factors to consider in tour commentary planning.
• Describe techniques for fostering tourist attention and
participation while delivering commentaries.
• Outline ways of generating tourist enthusiasm during the
delivery of a commentary.
• Determine ways by which rapport, order and cohesiveness
can be developed during the delivery of a commentary.
• Demonstrate the mix learnt skills by delivering a commentary
on any attraction in Kenya to an audience.
5

Aims of Interpretation in Tour Guiding
Interpretation is an educational activity which aims to reveal meanings and
relationships through the use of original objects, by first hand experience, and by use
of illustrative media, rather than simply communicating factual information.
It is used in attractions like zoos, Aquariums, theme parks, national parks, museums
and reserves, marine parks and heritage sites.
The aims of interpretation in tour guiding are as follows:
• Provide visitors with sufficient information to further educate themselves on how
to behave in minimal-impact with regard to local culture, local community, the
environment and local economy
• Raise visitor knowledge and awareness of wildlife and habitats thus encouraging
pro-conservation attitudes and motivation to act on conservation issues.
• Stimulate visitor interest and promote learning.
• Encourage the development of a conservation ethic through the use of persuasive
communication.
• Encourage enjoyment and satisfaction thus contributing to the commercial
viability of tourist operations.
• Produce themes that are understandable, concise and represent complete
thoughts that are important ideas for an area, and provoke positive reactions.
• Help visitors move from tangible experiences to understanding systems,
processes, relationships and meanings.

• It is thematic such that it provides a foundation to the key concepts that visitors
should understand upon their visit.
• Comprises of strong, exciting and irresistible topics which are able to convince
visitors to be actively involved.
• Comprehensive in the knowledge of its topics.
• Structured and organized in a way that is easy to understand and follow.
• Connects the tangible (objects, people and places) to the intangible aspects
(ideas, meanings and concepts) i.e. builds personal connections to visitors.
• Transfers visitors from the sphere of “unknown” into the sphere of “known”:
Visited destinations may remain a patchwork of fleeting images and signs
appearing and disappearing in front of every eyes, the selection and
Interpretation of cultural peculiarities otherwise ignored or misunderstood
moves visitors forward through explanations of hardly available signs.
• It is Entertaining and captivates visitor enjoyment.
• Culminates to first-hand experiences via participatory activities of high quality.
• It is Integrated into an overall visitor management strategy so that it reinforces
desirable visitor behavior and it is supported by other features of the setting.
Principles of Effective Interpretation
The theme in interpretation lies on the fact that the topic and messages can persuade
the audience or provoke positive reactions in an individual, to be effective in achieving
this it is necessary for the interpretation to reflect a number of principals:

Interpretive Planning
Interpretive planning is a process that identifies and describes significant visitor
experiences in a park, forest, zoo or any other resource-based recreation area, and
recommends ways to provide, encourage, sustain, facilitate and assist those
experiences.
Good interpretive planning helps guides in any resource-based visitor attraction to:
• Develops consensus on a long-range vision for interpretation, visitor experience
and resources.
• Provides visitor experiences while protecting resources and enhancing
stewardship
• Develops the most cost effective and sustainable solutions to visitors and
resource issues.
• Ensures the effective use of interpretation and education to meet management
goals (outputs and outcomes).
• Fulfills the mandates of serving the public and protecting resources.
• Ensures essential values of an attraction and experiences are accessible to
visitors.
• Ensures that interpretive facilities, programs and media are designed to work
together in accomplishing visitor use and goals in resource preservation.
• Ensures visitor enjoyment, their understanding and support for preservation of
natural resources.

Types of Interpretation
• Interpretation differs from other forms of education as it is offered in an
informal way to visitors on leisure whose enjoyment is paramount.
• There are different types of interpretations that can be offered with their
prevalence dependent on the setting by which it takes place, its aims and
the resources available.

Captive Animal Displays
• Captive settings such as Zoos and Aquariums are
popular wildlife-based tourist attractions.
• The design of animal displays in captive settings
considers the needs of the animals being displayed,
the staff who take care of these animals and the
visitors whose attendance supports the enterprise.
• More naturalistic animal displays provide for greater
educational benefits as they provide information on
habitats and allow observation of natural animal
behaviors.
• Visitors prefer and respond positively to some
aspects of these enclosures including presentation of
variety of animals in one place, ability to see animals
moving and sense that animals were happier.
• Today a combination of technologies and new
construction techniques are used with variety of
additional interpretive media to create an immersion
experience.
• Captive animal displays offer an interactive and
structured interpretive programs that are effective in
achieving various goals in wildlife interpretation.

Animal Shows &
Demonstrations
• Animals shows involve interacting
with animals and are popular at
zoos and theme parks because
visitors can see the animals clearly
and often the animals are moving
• Visitors get the opportunity to
touch the animals and develop an
emotional response which
encourages their learning.
• Animal shows and demonstrations
are effective only if they are part of
a structured activity with clear
interpretive or educational goals.
• Steps should be taken to avoid
giving visitors the impression that
the animals are tamed as this
promotes unsafe behavior and
encourages visitors to think about
the animals but not their habitats.

Exhibits & Signage
• Can be available 24 hours a day.
• Use real objects and features in their own setting
• Are relatively inexpensive and quick to set up.
• Can be designed to blend with the site/environment.
• Provide on-site interpretation of particular site.
• Can depict a place as it appears many years before.
• Presents features from unattainable visitor views.
• Illustrates invisible phenomenon affecting a resource
• Establishes a park identity at remote/unstaffed sites
• Alerts visitors to safety at the point of danger.
Limitations
• Limited amount of text and graphics per panel.
• Does not work well for complicated subject matter.
• Focuses attention on tangible resources thus less
effective with intangibles and universal concepts.
• May intrude on a site’s visual landscape and are
impractical at sites with climatic or environmental
extremes.
• Are susceptible to vandalism.
• Some locations may need expensive site
preparation.

• Suited to the presentation of chronological and sequential material.
• Can capture realism and provide emotional impact.
• Provide opportunity for dramatization.
• Can be portable for off-site use.
• Provides views of places, animals, plants and seasons otherwise
unavailable or inaccessible.
• Can create a mood or atmosphere and reach many visitors at once.
• Can be adapted to serve visitors with special needs.
• Can be produced in different languages.
• Can illustrate the before and after effects.
Limitations
• Cannot be used everywhere.
• Requires back-up equipment, periodic maintenance and regular
monitoring.
• May be perceived as impersonal or sterile.
• Offers little opportunity for in-depth or own-pace study.
• May be visual or auditory intrusion.
• Can have expensive production and maintenance costs.
• Low-budget products can fall short of visitor expectations.
Audio-Visual Media

Publications
• These include brochures, pamphlets and modules.
• Are portable and can treat a subject in-depth.
• Provides a source of detailed reference information.
• Can be produced in multiple languages.
• Suited to presenting sequential or complex material.
• Can be read at visitor’s own pace.
• Can be a source of income and be revised at
reasonable cost.
• Have value as a souvenir, something to take home.
• Can be used on pre-visit, on-visit and post-visit.
• Can treat the same subject for different audiences.
• Maybe appropriate for stories lacking in photographs
or artifacts.
Limitations
• Can discourage potential readers due to long length
or complex texts.
• Can be a source of litter.
• Requires periodic revision to be current and accurate
• May require facilities and maintenance such as
brochure dispensers.

Guided Tours
• Are more enjoyable due to direct person-to-person
communication with optimum control of visitors.
• Can be customized to meet changing conditions or
visitor needs thus effective on visitor learning.
• Can use group or visitor reactions to stimulate interest,
attention and social interaction.
• Can be interactive, versatile, effective and relatively easy
to implement.
• Can be cost effective especially in the short term.
• Can convey complex messages, and help visitors
connect tangibles and intangibles to universal concepts
• Can be effective in managing visitor-wildlife interactions
Limitations
• Require well trained interpreters.
• May not give consistent messages.
• Requires close supervision and management.
• Can be difficult and expensive to maintain year round.
• Have high recurring costs.
• Can be difficult to critique properly.

The Tour Commentary
The Guide’s Speak
Preparation, Planning & Delivery
6

A tour guide should prepare the spiel/commentary before the beginning of
the tour and it is composed of the following main parts:
• Introduction.
• Briefing.
• Presentation.
• Closing.
The procedure for preparing tour commentaries is as follows:
• Establish the needs and interests of the tour group.
• Confirm the itinerary.
• Access sources of information about sites to be visited.
• Research facts about the attractions to be visited.
• Prepare the text of the commentary based on established facts.
Preparing for the Tour Commentary
Tour Commentaries are narratives used by tour guides to describe a site and
provide information about various aspects of a country to tourists while on tour.
They are generally referred to as “guide speak” and include general information
and local stories about attractions or sites, events and personalities in a country.

Know the content of your spiel backwards and forward, but don't memorize in
verbatim.
• Distractions or interruptions, including questions from your audience, will
leave you floundering. Instead, learn the concepts and meaning
exhaustively and deliver them with an inflection that reflects both
enthusiasm and authority.
• This will also let you answer questions and segue back into your spiel. The
way you deliver the spiel can be just as important as what you say, so take
the time to work on it.
Project the right body language.
• Stand up straight to convey confidence in your product as you pitch your
spiel. Shake hands firmly, but not too forcefully. Maintain confident, yet
easy-going body language so you appear approachable but not aggressive.
• Take your cues from the potential client so see if your body language is
mirrored or if you need to tone it down.
Planning for the Tour Commentary…Ctd
The following guideline should be ensured in planning and delivering a spiel:

Planning for the Tour
Commentary…Ctd
Build natural rapport with your audience.
• Whether it is a single person or a group,
pay attention to their reactions, especially
their facial expressions and body
language, as you deliver your spiel.
• Watch for signs of boredom or discomfort
to adjust your spiel accordingly e.g.
fidgeting, yawning and checking the time
are signs of boredom.
• Recapture attention by interrupting your
spiel to relate a short personal experience
or by moving about to focus their
attention on you.
• If you're extremely confident and talking
to one person, you can grasp his arm or
shoulder while making an important point
as if to take him into your confidence.

Delivery of Commentaries On-Transit
• Confirm the interests and expectations of the tourists at the outset of the tour.
This is preparatory task done before the tour.
• Introduce yourself by clearly state your name and designation, the purpose of the
tour, the distance to be travelled, locations, events, expectations and activities.
• While on the way present the commentary in a conversational rather than noted
or memorized manner.
• Make the commentary interesting, relevant, simple and delivered in a logical
sequence.
• Be sensitive to the group’s interests and tailor the commentary to the group.
• Seek feedback throughout the tour to ensure tourist attention is fostered.
• Respond to enquiries accurately and positively, when an answer is not available,
refer to the field guides and other sources of information.
• If an answer is not available for a query, apologize and refer the enquiry to an
alternative source of information.
• Focus on what you know, be specific and express the information in terms of
what the tourists can see.
• Be accommodating and flexible towards members of the group allowing for
different points of view and ways of doing things.
• Allow enough time at each stop to allow tourists to fully enjoy and gain
information with private time at the stop.

Delivery of Commentaries On-Site
• Start with a greetings and introductions.
• Deliver the commentary in a manner that makes the
guests interested.
• Deliver the information using good sense of humor.
• Remember commentaries help people understand and
appreciate what they see.
• Face the group, not a few, speak slowly and clearly with
an audible voice.
• Always maintain eye contact with the visitors.
• Prepare yourself for questions that may be asked.
• Take control of your breathing and emphasize on the
important words.
• Use synonyms and examples when making explanations.
• When mentioning a local name, repeat it or spell it.
• Maintain silence, if the need arises.
• Listen carefully to questions and other concerns.
• Never argue or debate with the visitors.
• Always end the tour by thanking the visitors and wishing
them a good day, evening or night.
• Issue questionnaires to obtain visitors views, feedback,
opinions and recommendations of the tour.

Change your Voice-speed
• A consistent pace of voice can make the delivery of commentaries
ineffective.
• Varying the speed of your voice depending upon the tourists and
purpose of your communication.
• When you have to gain attention and excite the tourists, speak quickly
and enthusiastically.
• Speak slowly to enable the visitors to pay attention to your words.
Fostering Visitor Attention & Participation

Fostering Visitor Attention & Participation…Ctd
Punctuate with pauses
• It is important during the commentary delivery to break the flow of
information so that the tourists can comprehend what they have heard.
• Generally a pause in the commentary delivery is taken when a tour guide
has conveyed an important point or wants the tourists to anticipate.
Articulate clearly
• It is very important that your commentary is clear to the audience.
• Avoid technical terms unless explained and use the simplest word often.
• Learn basic foreign terms and phrases even if you are not a linguist.
• For this you should have expertise in pronunciation and articulate each
word clearly when you speak to gain more confidence and clarity.
Shift the pitch of your voice.
• Frequency of speech is called pitch of voice, depending upon the aim of the
speech you can use high and low pitches at times .
• Using extremes can tarnish the success of your commentary delivery.

Control your voice volume
• Volume of voice creates a direct impact on the audience, an average volume
should be used in general .
• But again depending upon the aim of the commentary, it can be loud or soft.
When you use a combination of loudness and softness in your communication
it adds special effect to the commentary.
Use of Gestures
• A gesture can communicate all that the tour guide feels, consciously or
unconsciously.
• Shaking of hands, head, holding, embracing or patting on the back, all convey
varied messages.
Facial Expressions
• Facial expressions are most natural and unconscious, they continually change
during interaction and are observed constantly by the audience.
• Smiling is considered to be pleasant and helpful.
Posture
• A tour guide has to cultivate and maintain elegance in his or her way
of standing and walking as it conveys messages about personality.

Eye Contact
• Eye contact is significant for effective commentary delivery during Tour Guiding.
• The frequency of contact may suggest either interest or boredom.
• For example, a Tourist Guide should look straight into the eyes of the tourists,
although pleasantly and affably to show confidence and interest.
Paraphrasing
• Paraphrasing is simply explaining statements or remarks in shortened or
renowned versions of facts so as to clarify the meaning the tourists need.
Paraphrase this Case
A group of tourists visiting Ndere Island National Park in Kenya is on
a scenic tour. On-route, the bus passes through Port Victoria located
on the West of the Island in Kisumu, near the site of the landing of
the British in 1945. The tour guide had previously read the following
extract and wishes to paraphrase the facts to the group
The Paraphrase in this case would be:
Ndere Island National Park is one of the Scenic Islands of Lake
Victoria located in Kisumu. Port Victoria (Where we are now) is
significant as a landing site of the British in Kenya in the 1945.

Keep the
Commentary Light
• People travel for enjoyment so present the facts in a
witty and humorous fashion.
• However do not be a stand-up comedian, always
modulate your voice for variation and emphasis.
Keep the
Narrations Positive
• Each country or province has problems do not dwell
on them and constantly highlight the improvements
and progress made on them.
Know your
Audience and
Involve Them
• Tailor the information to each particular group. If the
group is made of farmers or accountants, point out
the sites they might find most interesting.
• Schedule and allow many photo opportunities as the
tour will allow.
Keeping Visitors Enthusiastic
The tour duration affects the amount of energy the tour guide needs to use
with the idea being having the tourists happy and enthused throughout the
tour, to keep the tour group enthusiastic, the tour guide needs to:

Be Accurate
&
Specific
• Present information in a scholarly manner that is accurate
and specific.
• Quiz the visitors on the commentary to add some
entertainment and interest.
Personalize the
Information
• Groups are curious about the guide’s personal and
professional life, turn this curiosity to an advantage and
weave some personal information into the commentary.
• Be aware that your life does not become the tour.
Keeping Visitors Enthusiastic…Ctd

• Have a mastery of the subject, tourists will respect a guide who knows his
subject well.
• Adopt a friendly attitude and take responsibility for creating and maintaining
harmony.
• Let visitors know that their enjoyment is of primary concern.
• Respect others and be a careful and concerned listener.
• Establish an environment where each visitor feels free to contribute, is more
interesting and advantageous to all. In this way, visitors are more likely to
approach a guide with minor issues before they become major problems.
• Give clear instructions, a guide who says “we’ll be leaving in about ten
minutes” guarantees a late departure. A clearer approach is to say “we will
be departing at eleven sharp, according to my watch it is ten forty.”
• Do not give ultimatums that cannot be enforced. E.g. telling visitors that
they will be left behind if they are late. Will they? Although leaving behind a
perennially late person may be extremely popular with other tour members,
it should never be done without considerable warning and care.
• Follow through on promises. It is best to be conservative with promises and
do not mention places and events that tourists may not be able to see.
• Avoid playing favorites and treat everyone the same.
Developing Rapport, Cohesiveness & Order

Keeping up-to-date with current issues on the subject matter or at the site.
• This gives some measure of energy to the tour guide and subsequently to
the narration.
Striving for continuous improvement in the performance.
• Review the daily performance, take an informal poll of the visitors and make
amendments each tour time.
Look at the site or attraction products through the eyes of the visitor.
• Remember, most may be seeing the site(s) for the first time. Imagine what
can be improved, what may be of interest and anticipate questions so that
the answers may be ready.
As a performer, draw on the groups energy.
• The guide may feel renewed during the many hours of the tour by looking
at the visitors reactions, feeling their enthusiasm, asking open questions to
ensure active participation and eliminate boredom.
Keeping the Commentary Up-to-Date
Keeping the tour commentary updated is fundamental to enjoying the tour
guiding job and for the repeat visitor(s) as the commentary remains top-notch.
A tour commentary can be kept lively using the following ways:

Special Needs Visitors
Tailored Guiding
By the end of this topic, learners shall be able to:
• Determine categories of visitors that may require special
needs during a tour.
• Identify enabling factors that have led to increased number of
visitors with disabilities.
• Outline types of disabilities that visitors may have during a
tour.
• Discuss tour guiding techniques applicable when dealing with
various visitor disabilities.
• Explain the general guidelines for working with categories of
visitor disabilities.
• Discuss the guidelines applied by tour guides in enhancing
tours for visitors with disabilities.
7

The increase in the average age of the travelling population.
• As travelers grow older, it is likely that illnesses and accidents that will cause
limitations will occur, hence there will be more people living with disabilities
which is evident worldwide in modern cities.
Recognition of the disabled.
• The world is gradually recognizing people with disabilities with the
construction of flattened curbs, ramps, braille signs, disabled parking area,
wash rooms, sign language in television programs amongst others, with
additional educational and support organizations and programs having
been established.
• In Kenya, there are positions for representation of the disabled in the
national and local government which have been set up to give the disabled
a voice.
Growth of Travelers with Disabilities
The 1990’s and succeeding decades have provided increased opportunities for
people with special needs. Recent years have seen an overwhelming increase
in the percentage of travelers with disabilities with the percentage expected to
increase in the future due to the following factors:

Very important
Persons
(VIP’s)
• VIP’s require the service and attention of specially trained
guides in some instances.
• They may benefit from having special arrangements of
service checks upon arrival and departure at attractions,
airports and hotels.
Children
• Children are sensitive to health issues and are active
therefore require special attention when providing them
with meals and activities at attractions.
• They should never be left alone at any one time or
unaccompanied as they may get lost, hurt or play with
dangerous objects or animals.
Infants
• Although often accompanied by an adult, they may require
outlets with baby food, diapers, bassinets etc.
Expectant
Tourists
• Depending with the stage of pregnancy, certain activities or
level of indulgence may be limited for these tourists.
• They require soft adventure, clean accommodation, food
and water during tours, an attendant to assist them incase
needed.
Visitors with Special Needs
Tourists who may be considered as having special needs include the following:

Elderly
Travelers
• Elderly tourists require special care, e.g. special meals.
• They may request for an assistant to aid in their movements at
attractions, when boarding and disembarking the tour van etc.
• Allow extra time for the tour as many activities will take longer,
such as getting on and off a motor coach, eating and walking
anywhere.
• Pause frequently and make several short stops on walking
tours.
• Be particularly attentive to fatigue or any signs of stress or
illness. If a participant becomes frightened or short of breath,
allow him to sit and rest for at least a few minutes.
• Pay close attention to special medical problems or difficulties
and their status.
• Since hearing and memory problems are more common as
people age, always repeat instructions, especially meeting
times.
• Do not underestimate older people as some are incredibly wise
and guides can learn from them.
Visitors with Special Needs…Ctd

Disabled
• The disabled vary in their disability ranging from hearing,
seeing, walking, talking or even moving.
• Some disable may bring along guide dogs, hearing
devices, wheel chairs to aid them during the tour, in hotels,
airports and restaurants.
Tourists with
Medical
Conditions
• Some tourists have chronic conditions that they manage
using prescribed medication e.g. Asthma, Disorders and
Allergies.
• This group needs close monitoring in any activity,
attraction, hotel and transport mode, the food they eat and
their daily encounters.
• The tour guide should have medical emergency numbers
and in some cases knowledge of procedures to follow
incase of an emergency or eventuality.
Religious
Travelers
• Religious visitors are sensitive to destinations they visit,
what they eat, activities undertaken and what they see.
• They may require special meals, a prayer room or area etc.
Visitors with Special Needs…Ctd

General Guidelines for working with the Disabled
Understanding that a slower pace is necessary
• A group of normal visitors might visit four sites in three hours, those with
disabilities may take longer loading and unloading of wheelchairs from motor
coaches, moving or carrying people and looking for handicapped entrances
etc. might take time.
• The disabled have accepted their situation and are comfortable with it, rushing
people will only frustrate the group and make them angry.
Recognition of varying individual level of disabilities
• Guides should begin a tour without expecting a group or individual’s level of
ability to be the same because every person with disability is different and has
his or her own weaknesses and strengths.
Knowledge of disabled support facilities
• Guides should know all the entrances and access to buildings included during
the tour as many of the buildings designated as accessible may have limited
accessibility during the tour.
• For example, a building may have an access ramp but may not have an
elevator, this means that all floors except the first floor are inaccessible.
• It is the guide’s responsibility to visit a site on a familiarization tour before the
actual tour in order to avoid frustrations and inconveniences.

General Guidelines for working with the Disabled…Ctd
Knowledge of special services
• The guide should be aware of the existing special services in attractions and
tourist facilities that may enhance the tour and make it comfortable.
• Several places such as airports, museums, public buildings offer special
services for people with disabilities.
Consideration of the ability and pace of the group
• When traveling with a group with only one or two persons with disabilities,
the guides must consider the abilities and pace of the whole group
especially for those of travelers with disabilities.
• One way to serve both is to offer free time at certain places, allowing
people to explore at their own pace.
• Guides should inform a person with disability in advance if there is a
forthcoming obstacle and in some cases, the person may choose to stay
behind or the guide may suggest that he or she may browse at the shops
or near the motor coach.

Visual
Impairment
• Use descriptive words and be prepared to show things you
would have shown to a sighted tourist.
• Remember it is only the visual element of communication that
causes difficulty for this group of tourists.
• Accompany and always explain what you are doing to the
tourists.
• The tour operator should provide information on attractions
and activities of the itinerary to the tourists in braille format.
Responding to Visitors with Disabilities
The following are important points for tour guides to remember when dealing
with visitors with disabilities:
• Treat all travelers with dignity and respect.
• Always offer help and respect the response for your offer of assistance.
• Always communicate in a very clear manner so that everyone can understand.
• Learn more about disabilities and ways to enhance the tours for travelers with
disabilities.
• Learn more about disabilities and ways to enhance the tours for travelers with
disabilities.
• Be observant for signs of disability.
The following guidelines are used for enhancing tours for visitors with disabilities:

Speech
Impairment
• Listen carefully to what the tourist is asking or suggesting using
gestures.
• Tactfully ask him or her to repeat anything you do not
understand.
• Be sympathetic as he or she may be frustrated by the difficulty.
• Be patient, do not rush or interrupt the tourist.
• Once aware of the message, confirm your understanding.
• Avail a pen and paper for the tourist to write something upon
request.
• If someone is able to perform sign language, ask for help.
Hearing
Impairment
• Look at the tourist for him/her to see your face.
• Form words by making full use of your mouth for them to be
able to read your lips.
• Speak slowly, deliberately and do not shout.
• Check for the tourist’s understanding.
• Use body language to support the message.
• Always remember that it is not their intelligence that causes the
difficulty therefore do not talk down on them and be patient.
• Consider writing things down and showing your words to the
customer.
Responding to Visitors with Disabilities…Ctd

Learning
Impairment
• Some learning disabilities include hyper-activity, hypo-activity,
inattention, lack of coordination, perceptual and memory
disorders amongst others.
• Before commencement of the tour, give a clear overview of the
tour by describing where the group is expected to go, what the
group is expected to see, how long it will take and what they are
also expected to learn.
• Know what behavior is expected from them as well as specific
rules of conduct, repeat important or difficult ideas and always
ask the group if they have any questions.
• Use different methods of learning and involve a variety of senses.
• Use a variety of approaches since there are different kinds of
learning disabilities.
Responding to Visitors with Disabilities…Ctd

Being
unfriendly to
Visitors
• The failure of guides to be friendly and sincere and the lack
of desire to share one’s self with tourists expresses coldness
towards them.
• Most travelers regard meeting people as the primary reason
for traveling thus, having a cold guide turns them off.
Treating
visitors with
Condescension
• The attitude of treating visitors on a lower level is a common
complaint of visitors.
• A guides who talks to primary school students using the
same tone as he speaks to fourth year university students or
one that assumes that every senior citizen has hearing
difficulty unknowingly insults the guests.
• The top-notch guide has several ways to determine a group’s
level of understanding including questioning, listening and
encouraging participation.
Developing
Attitudes
• Over the years guiding has attracted many “robots” as guides
who have adapted the “I can do this with my eyes closed”
attitude. Such behavior is offensive as it shows there is lack of
interest and it is tiresome for the listeners and the guide as
well.
What to Avoid in Guiding all Visitor Groups

Failing to Follow
the Itinerary
• Several service leaders propose that guides should
refrain from saying “sorry, our policy is…” if they are not
convinced that deviating from the rule book is
detrimental to anyone.
• Although itineraries serve several purposes for the guide
and tourists, they are seldom followed to the latter with
most companies furnishing itineraries to visitors
avoiding noting times to avoid having clung on by
visitors and guides.
Giving visitors
the run-around
• In a case where a task falls outside the guide’s
responsibility or expertise, his or her handling of the
situation can make the difference between the visitor
getting assistance or feeling as if he is getting the “run-
around.”
• The guide should not refer them to places where they
are unlikely to be helped.
What to avoid in Guiding all Visitor Groups…Ctd

Tourist Security, Safety & Health
Guide’s Primary Concern
Risks, Emergencies & The Guide’s Responses
8

Tourist Security
The Guide’s Intervention
• Discuss forms of crime that tourists may fall victim to while at
destinations or attractions.
• Distinguish between crimes against tourists and collateral
crimes.
• Explain reasons as to why visitors are often susceptible to
crime during their visits to foreign destinations.
• Describe ways by which tourists can fall victims of crime due
to their own decisions while at destinations.
• Discuss the tour guides Interventions towards tourist security
at destinations.

Crimes against Tourists
• These are specific crimes that target visitors. From the criminal’s perspective,
these people have a parasitic business relationship with the tourism industry
i.e. without tourists, there can be no crimes against tourists.
• The criminal in this case, needs the tourism industry to succeed. Where
there are no tourists, there cannot be tourism crimes.
Collateral Crimes
• These are local crimes that have no relationship with tourism but spill over
into the tourism industry.
• The spill over effect may be due to tourists being in the wrong place at the
wrong time or the crime giving an impression that a locale is unsafe thus
discouraging visitors.
Types of Crime in Tourism
Tourism is a unique industry, it is the world’s largest industries and the world’s
least-protected industry, For most of human history, travel was often torturous as
travelers encountered robbers and kidnappers. Today, vacationers view their trips
as an escape from the world’s problems and worries of everyday life. While on
tour, the last thing they want to be concerned about is being victims of crime.
This section discusses two types of crimes and how Tour Guides may intervene.

• Although crimes against tourists have a direct relationship with tourism
and impact on tourists directly, collateral crimes on the other hand may
not have direct relationship with tourists but can impact on tourism
directly through tarnishing the image of a destination.
Types of Crime Affecting Tourism...Ctd

Carry much portable wealth
• Visitors carry valuables in the form of portable
wealth.
• These may be electronic gadgets like cameras,
cellphones, jewelry and money which attract
criminals.
They are short staying and Transient
• They often have tours to multiple destinations thus
may not notice that they have lost something of
value and when they notice may not have an idea as
to whether the object was stolen or lost.
They are unfamiliar with crimogenic hotspots
• They often lack proper details about their destination,
the places through which they will pass on their way
to the final destination as well as the local population.
• They may not know the local customs, language,
points of danger and consequently, it is the traveler
who is always at a disadvantage in a confrontation.
Tourists as Soft Targets to Crime
Tourists provide lucrative conspicuous targets to crime because they tend to:

Tourists as Soft Targets to Crime…Ctd
They do not know what to do when faced with difficult situations
• They are often conspicuous in their new settings and operate on unfamiliar
political, cultural and sometimes linguistic turf.
• They are often stripped of many of their cultural and familiar ties, and
protective institutions.
They are less likely to report crimes or return as witnesses
• Travelers are rarely willing to invest in the time needed to file a police
report and are often unwilling to spend the time and money needed to
return to the site in order to testify against their assailant.
The ostentatious behavior of tourists
• Few locals think being poor is bad and being rich is good, though they do
not know that being a tourist does not necessarily mean one is rich.
• Tourists involve in activities, events and live in accommodation that locals
may subscribe to be for the “rich”, this tends to draw them into crime
especially in destinations with poor economic status.
• This is also found in classic literature described as the “Robin Hood
Syndrome” of the “good guy” who steals from the rich to give to the poor.

They often ignore caution
• Travelling is taking risks and travelers often
take risks that they would not take back at
home.
• Caution on carrying a lot of portable wealth or
leaving valuables un-catered for often go
unnoticed by visitors during tours.
They often assume where they are visiting is safe
• They often let down their guard or lower their
level of inhibition.
• Since travelers are on a schedule, they often
lower their standards of security and safety for
the sake of staying within a specific time
frame.
They lack professional travel knowledge
• Few travelers are professional travelers, but
most criminals are highly adept at what they
do.
• In the competition between visitors and
criminals, criminals often have the advantage.

• Illicit or criminal activity at by tourists e.g. illicit drug use at destinations.
• Failing to respond to local customs.
• Engaging with prostitutes and call girls.
• Excessive consumption of alcohol while at the destination.
• Carrying large sums of money in predictable places such as back pockets.
• Having desired items such as jewelry and cameras not kept in hotel security
safe boxes.
• Participating in activities where crime is high such as nightclubs and
nightlife.
• Are often in anomic states i.e. they pay little attention to where they leave
their valuables.
• They travel to areas of the locale in which they are unfamiliar without the
company of a guide.
• Differentiation in dressing.
• Use of foreign language or accent.
• Inattentive actions or carelessness leading to loss of personal effects, money,
documents etc.
However, in some instances, tourists become victims by their own decisions to
pursue risky and illicit activity, these cases include:

• Offering adequate safety and security information to tourists at the outset of the
tour itinerary so that they are alert and appraised of their own safety.
• Issuing visitor tips at stops that may range from warnings about dangerous city
spots and petty crime hazards such as pickpocketing.
• Providing tourists with information of attractions that will ensure they are
appraised of the cultural sensitivities and the do’s and don'ts at destinations.
• Intervening during the host-guest interactions to ensure minimal overindulgence
and to control the ensuing contacts.
• Monitoring the tour group’s movement, maintaining a favorable pace allowing for
the accounting of each group member and avoiding dubious neighborhoods.
• Ensure tourist attractions of high visitor concentrations like malls, theatres and
exhibitions provide safety and security plans or precautions e.g. exit signs,
assembly points, escape routes prior to visitation.
• Coordinate the day’s itinerary with guards, tourist police or local law enforcement
authorities to provide assistance and protection from theft and harassment.
• Keeping up-to-date with security information from national tourism administration,
regional and local tourist offices, private tourist information centers etc. that cover
laws, regulations and practices that tourists need to know to reduce security risks.
Tour Guide’s Pre-Crime Intervention
The guide has an active role to play among other personnel accompanying
tourists to ensure prevention of security risks, these roles include the following:

• When material loss occurs to tour member(s), the guide’s knowledge on
crime handling can turn such a security calamity into a tolerable
inconvenience.
• Incase of damage to luggage or loss of property in hotels or by other
handlers, the tour guide must report the damage in order for any negligent
handling that may have occurred to be discovered and appropriate remedial
action taken.
• For tourists with travel insurance which caters for loss and damages of
material wealth, the tour guide’s action(s) and direction in handling the
matter can make the process of pursuing a claim from insurance providers
smooth and fast through ensuring the timely report of crime and proper
documentation such as police abstracts are acquired on the right time.
• The tour guide may also serve as witness in criminal proceedings to provide
reliable testimony that is crucial for making informed verdicts by law courts.
• The recurrence of crime in destinations recorded on the general tour report
informs the future direction of tours with emphasis on security.
Tour Guide’s Post-Crime Intervention
The Tourist guide and other personnel accompanying tourists impact largely
on any unprevented security risk or dilemma that occurs in the course of the
operation of the itinerary in the following ways:

Tourist Safety & Health
• Explain the tour guide’s role in overcoming health and safety
risks during the tour.
• Explain the reasons visitors are prone to health and safety risks.
• Discuss preventive measures a tour guide may apply in regards
to health and safety of tourists.
• Discuss the implications for disregarding or ignoring health and
safety precautions.
• Realize the impact tour guide’s intervention on health and safety
of tourists.
• Outline the general procedure for health and safety in tour
guiding.
• Assess potential health and safety risks at attractions.

Tourist Safety & Health Risks
• The basic needs of a human being is to live new experiences and feel
secure which are more accentuated when on travels abroad than in
resident life. Quality tourism experiences incorporate the principles of
safety and health as an overriding objective in destinations.
• Travelers are more susceptible to safety and health hazards when traveling
and these can manifest as accidents and diseases, visitor safety at
destination can be ensured through informed and conscionable decision
making.
• Planning for visitor safety and health during tours implies consideration of
risks originating from two main areas i.e. physical and environmental risks.
Physical and environmental risks manifest if tourists:
• Are unaware of the natural characteristics of a destination i.e. flora and
fauna and their effects.
• Are not prepared from the medical view-point i.e. vaccinations.
• Do not take precaution in their eating and hygiene habits.
• Are exposed to emergencies i.e. natural disasters, epidemics etc. arising
from the physical environment.

Tourist Safety & Health Risks…Ctd
However well planned a tour can be, there may arise an emergency situation
that are as a result of breech of tourist health and safety. The tour guide will
there need to handle emergency occurrences by applying health and safety
procedures.
For this discussion, emergency discussions in health and safety will be limited
to those emanating from physical and environmental risks including:
• Heat stroke.
• Heat exhaustion.
• Common cold or flu.
• Stomachache.
• Diarrhea.
• Stings, bites and attacks.
• Cuts.
• Bruises.
• Allergies.
• Poisoning through food or plants.

Stomachache and Diarrhea
• Advice visitors not to drink tap or unsafe water from boreholes, rivers and
streams even if it looks clear or clean. Remember that disease carrying
pathogens are not visible to the human eye.
• Inform visitors to always carry bottled water with tamper proof sealing.
• Caution visitors on consumption of unhygienic foods on the streets or trying
out strange local foods and drinks that seem risky.
Accidents and Attacks
• Alert the tourists on possible risks that they may encounter at attractions
which may include; touching wild animals and insects, walking off stipulated
paths, keeping safe distance from wildlife, going beyond safe points, sticking
to safety precautions etc.
• Advice visitors on suitable dress code: shoes and clothing for excursions.
• Match visitor capabilities e.g. age, gender to activities e.g. hiking, swimming,
rafting etc.
• Remind visitors to observe safety signs and warnings at attractions and
always confirm with the tour guide before indulging on high risk activity.
• Use qualified safety guides in high-risk attractions.

Flu (Influenza A & B)
• A virus that attacks the body by spreading through the upper or lower
respiratory tract and is common in cold conditions.
• Spread through inhaling air droplets containing virus and direct contact
with respiratory secretions through sharing utensils, food, drinks.
Response procedure
• Washing of hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after meals.
• Avoiding sharing of food, drinks, utensils etc.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• When out-doors, carry non-toxic wipes or hand sanitizers for quick clean-
ups
• Sneezing on tissue or cloth to prevent risk of spread.
Allergies
• Ensure tourists with allergies are kept away from allergy sources e.g.
animals, foods, insects, dust and plants.

Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion
• Caused when people are not well adjusted to heat exercise in hot, humid
environment. At high temperatures, the body cools itself largely through
evaporation of sweat. When it is very humid, this mechanism does not work
properly.
• The body loses a combination of fluids and salts (electrolytes).When this is
accompanied by an inadequate replacement of fluids; disturbances in the
circulation may result that are similar to a mild form of shock.
Response procedure
• Rest in a cool, shaded area.
• Give cool fluids such as water or sports drinks (that will replace the salt that
has been lost).
• Salty snacks are appropriate as tolerated.
• Loosen or remove clothing.
• Apply cool water to skin.
• Do not use an alcohol rub.
• Do not give any beverages containing alcohol or caffeine.

Procedure for Handling Emergencies
When a visitor falls ill or gets injured during a tour, first-aid is the only
immediate response applicable to save his or her life or alleviate pain and
suffering. However, the tour guide can only perform first-aid if he or she is
certified due to legal ramifications that can follow afterwards if he or she is
not qualified and the situation becomes terminal or leads to loss of life.
In case of an emergency, the tour guide should follow the following procedure:
• Remain calm and remember that time is crucial, use it wisely and efficiently.
• Try to discover the cause of illness by checking and noting the symptoms.
• Control the crowd, call the ambulance and direct paramedics to the site.
• Note the time of the day, the attraction or site you are at.
• Verify if the visitor is travelling alone or with a companion if in a group tour.
• Check for medications, visible medical bracelets or identification.
• Practice safe hygiene, do not engage in risky behavior if the cause of the
illness is unknown that is if there is blood involved and you have a cut or
abrasion use gloves to protect your own health first.
• Protect personal belonging and valuables.
• Check for medical insurance coverage.

Procedure for Handling Emergencies…Ctd
• Contact your organization management and brief them on the matter, they
should not be ambushed.
• Inform the tour agency or operator for them to contact the nearest
embassy or consul for notification of the next of kin.
• Record the full details of the emergency in the emergency form.

Consider this case and identify causes of the attack and how the
local guide ought to have intervened on pre-attack and post-attack

Codes of Conduct & Ethics
In Tour Guiding
By the end of this topic, learners shall be able to:
• Evaluate the objectives of the codes of conduct in
guiding.
• Discuss the roles of codes of conduct and practice
in tour guiding.
• Discuss the importance of ethics in tour guiding.
• Describe the fundamental aspects governed by
codes of conduct in the tour guiding practice in
Kenya.9

Objectives of Codes of Conduct in Tour Guiding
• Codes of conduct are expected to establish the standards of ethical
conduct and behavior for all tour guides.
• Code of conducts contains rules of conduct and ethics to be observed by
guides in order to maintain integrity and impartiality in their service offer.
• They do not replace policies and rules of tour guiding by tour agencies and
sites for tour guides or those of government towards the tourism industry.
• Professional guides who are members of Kenya Tour Driver Guides
Association and the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association have
codes of conduct and ethics to abide by during the course of service.
The objectives of guiding codes of conduct in Kenya include:
• To ensure tour guides possess correct documentations, qualifications and
ethics in order to provide quality guiding services.
• To encourage continuous education and,
• Encourage the self-development of tour guides.
• To captivate a responsible working attitude.
• Uphold the reputation of Kenya’s tourism industry and,
• Ensure sustained prosperity of the tourism industry of Kenya.

Service
Standards
• Guides shall provide visitors highest standard of service
according to provisions of the travel service contract and
tour itinerary.
• The itinerary shall not be altered without visitor consent
and the tour agent concerned.
• A guide shall prepare sufficiently in advance for each
tour/activity as soon as the itinerary is furnished to him/her.
Cooperation
• Guides shall maintain good and incorruptible working
relationship with partners, service providers and other staff
to ensure services specified in the itinerary are provided at
high quality.
Laws
&
Rules
• Guides shall abide and help visitors understand and abide
by the laws of Kenya, relevant county by-laws and rules of
attraction sites.
Codes of Conduct & Ethics in Tour Guiding
The professional guide’s ethics in Kenya is encompassed within specific areas:

Gratuities
• Guides shall not collect gratuities by any coercive means,
nor shall they exhibit dissatisfaction, provide sub-standard
service or refuse to provide service because few or no
gratuities are given.
• Guides shall follow their employers’ policies concerning
gratuities and shall not make use fraudulent acts to collect
them.
Appearance
&
Conduct
• Guides shall dress properly to enhance their professional
image and the tour agents/attractions that they represent
and serve.
• Guides shall be punctual, reliable, honest, conscientious
and tactful.
Charges
• Guides shall not collect or attempt to collect any
additional charges from visitors on any ground except for
fees necessitated by participation in self-pay activities.
Codes of Conduct & Ethics in Tour Guiding…Ctd

Professional
Ethics
• Be punctual, dutiful, sincere, courteous and attentive.
• Speak/act cautiously, discreetly and objective in their
attitude.
• Be knowledgeable about Kenya and the attractions on the
itinerary.
• Provide visitors with accurate information.
• Respect the religious belief, customs and habits of visitors.
• Shall not abandon visitors during misunderstandings
between him and them or the travel agency.
• Shall not smoke, gamble or drink alcohol during work.
• Shall not sell illicit items or recommend them to visitors.
• Shall not seize visitors’ travel documents unless on proper
grounds and for reasonable time.
• Shall be sensitive to visitors’ interests and values and shall
not share his/her personal views on controversial subjects
such as religion and politics.

Self
Development
• A guide shall periodically be required to attend
courses, seminars or other informative activities
organized for continued professional development.
Promotion of the
Tourism
Industry
• Guides shall have first regard to visitors’ interests and
reputation of the tourism sector.
• Encourage visitors’ assistance in protecting tourism
resources and maintaining public hygiene and order.
• Act as ambassadors by actively promoting tourism as
well as other local industries for the benefit of Kenya’s
economy.
Interpretation
&
Penalty
• Codes shall be observed by all members.
• Enforcement and decisions on violations are made in
accordance to a committee of the Kenya Tour Drivers
and Guides Association which has powers to penalize
persons found in breach of the codes.

Safety
• Guides shall have top priority to visitor safety and remind
them to be aware of their personal safety and that of their
belongings.
• In case of accidents or illness, guides shall arrange for
immediate treatment and seek assistance immediately.
• Guides shall not disclose any confidential information without
authorization from the tour operator or visitor.
• Guides with access or control of the above information shall
always ensure its security and prevent any abuse or misuse of
the information.
Shopping
Activities
• Guides shall ensure visitors understand their rights to; make
or not make purchase, obtain information on products/
services and freedom to choose the products/services.
• Guides shall not compel visitors to make purchases or mislead
them into doing so.
• If visitor(s) are unwell, guides shall arrange for visitor activity
in accordance to their wishes and for them to see a doctor.
• Guides shall not let their attitude to affect/refuse to perform
their duties because of visitor’s unwillingness to purchase.

Self-pay
Activities
• Guides shall only arrange for self-pay activities that are
approved by their tour agent or visitors in case of direct
engagements.
• Guides shall not compel visitors to join self-pay activities,
exert pressure or leave them with no other choice, but all
free choice.
• Prior to arranging any self-pay activities, guides shall explain
clearly to visitors the content, fees, safety and responsibility
issues.
• Guides shall make appropriate arrangements according to
the instructions of the tour agent for visitors not joining self-
pay activity.
• When discharging their duties, guides shall not engage in
any activities other than those approved by their tour agent
and visitors.
• Guides shall not engage in selling goods to visitors to make
profit.

Legal Aspects in Tour Guiding
Potential Areas for Litigation
By the end of this unit, learners shall be able to:
• Discuss the purpose of law in tour guiding.
• Explain the legal obligations of the tour guide to tourists and
the host community.
• Outline the type of laws aimed at safeguarding the interests of
tourists, the tour operator, the tour guide and community.
• Discuss the importance of guides’ understanding of laws
governing the practice of guiding.
• Identify potential areas for litigation in tour guiding.
10

Legal Aspects of Tour Guiding
Laws serve the purpose of controlling the way the best interests of customers
are served by those they rely upon for services. The purpose of law in tour
guiding is to protect the tourists, tour operators and tour guides in areas of:
• Occupational health, security and safety.
• Confidentiality of Tourist information.
• Fair treatment for all Tourists.
• Non-discrimination of Tourists.
• Tour Guide’s contractual obligations.
• Duty to offer high care and skill to Tourists on tour
• Duty to provide factual information without bias or withholding.
Laws safeguarding different aspects of tour guiding in Kenya are
encompassed under civil law, however criminal law may apply in some cases,
these include:
• The Consumer Protection Act of Kenya.
• Law of Contracts.
• Law of Torts and Duty of Care.
• Law of Agency.
• Occupational Health and Safety Laws.

Consumer
Protection
Act
(Article 46.
Kenyan
Constitution,
2010)
• Tourists must be treated equally irrespective of; age, gender,
color, ethnicity, nationality, disability etc. during a tour.
• Tourists should be given alternatives and freedom to choose in
their purchase of tours and activities according to their wants,
preferences and ability to buy.
• Tourist privacy should be respected and protected before, during
and after the tour, their personal information should not be used
for whatsoever purpose without their consent.
Law
of
Contract
• A contract is an agreement between two or more parties which
is legally binding.
• Tour operators, travel agents and tour guides promise to offer
tourists services in holiday packages of particular standards
which encompass array of activities expressed as contractual
agreement prior to service.
• Once tourists purchase a holiday package, a consideration is
made to the offer implying that every party must fulfill his or her
contractual obligation(s).
• Failure to fulfill the contract agreement results to potential for
litigation under civil/private law which arises when a service
provider is sued or found culpable for breech of contract.
Legal Aspects in Tour Guiding…Ctd

Law
of
Torts
• A tort is an act or failure to act that results into injury, loss or
damage to another.
• Tour Guides have a duty of care towards tourists during activities
and adventures and should avoid negligence, recklessness,
carelessness and mistakes which can culminate to suit for tort.
• A tour guide sued for the tort of negligence or recklessness also
renders the tour operator he or she represents vicariously liable
for the tort committed if done during working hours and a clear
relationship exists between the operator and the tour guide.
Contract
of
Agency
• A tour guide working for a travel agent or tour operator under a
contract or as an agent has an agency relationship created
between them.
• The agency relationship results into duties and obligations
which include; performance, obedience, reasonable care and
skill, avoidance of conflict of interest, duty not to delegate duties
assigned to third parties etc.
• In the event that the tour guide breeches the contract of agency
between him/her and the tour operator that he/she
represents, the agency relationship can be discharged.

Occupational
Health &
Safety (OH&S)
• There are legislative requirements for working with
vulnerable people, children and the environment which is
supported by OH&S policy guidelines.
• The objectives of OH&S include meeting and maintaining
professional standards in presentations, minimizing health
risks and hazards, following emergency procedures to
minimize risks as discussed in tourist safety and health
and the tour guide.
• A Tour Guide should be cognizant of OH&S policies and
standards so as to guide the directions of his or her
emergency responses during hazards, injuries, accidents.
Caveat
• This is warning about the character and conduct of an
individual usually issued by institutions and businesses on
newspapers to enable others become aware of their
conduct before employing or contracting their services.
• Tour guides should be free from criminal record(s) that
may limit their workplace activities or opportunities in
areas that involve contact with vulnerable persons such as
special needs visitors.

Techniques in Tour Guiding 2018 by Paul Olola

Techniques in Tour Guiding 2018 by Paul Olola

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