The art of guiding “viva voce” or “live voice” implies the use of the human body with all its expression capabilities. It is the communication between a tour guide and tourists
The Guide transmits a message in a clear and interesting way, with explanations without political intention or discrimination; but with content, with veracity, with good expression, with interest and motivation. This exchange allows a good understanding and appreciation of the culture or tourist resource of the visited place, so that the visitor becomes a enthusiastic diffuser
If the Guide does not generate this, all the effort made during the promotion and sale of the tourist product, runs the serious risk of being wasted and worse, still, losing the multiplication of possible new visitors
The art of guiding alternates long and thoughtful explanations with other short and easy ones to help the tourist understand, welcoming and honoring him as a guest, bringing him closer to all the manifestations of the culture of the local population. This is precisely the challenge of the Tourism Guide, to make the walls speak to tell their story. Therefore, his professional training, his own experience, added to the continuous training in the necessary areas and to those of his preference, will make him the necessary cyclone of a final product with excellent quality
The role and function of the Tourism Guide is to welcome, organize, inform and entertain visitors. The FEG (EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF ASSOCIATIONS OF GUIDES), defines the role of the Guide as: “guide and guide the visitor (in the language in which they have requested it) on the attraction in question, interpreting the culture itself.”
They add, “the role of the Guide is to lead groups or people, showing them monuments, museums and sites of a place, giving a general introduction of the visited area or carrying out a specific or thematic visit.”
The Guide is a kind person, with a pleasant personality that arouses the interest of enjoying his company. He knows how to control his temper, be smiling and polite. His way of speaking is clear, leisurely, he uses the appropriate and non-vulgar words, which in the case of speaking a foreign language does so fluently
The Guide guarantees service, attention and professionalism. It shows an image that we try to value daily, respect and enforce it, make it known and keep it in mind at all tourist events, public or private. Those who act in this profession without charging the fees that correspond to them obtaining their profits at the expense of commissions or passenger favors, should not be considered Tourist Guides
The Guide being the visible image of an agency, the first contact and probably the last one, the importance of its presence and good image is fundamental since it will remain latent in the memory of visitors.
Your Guide must have a License granted by the competent authority, today it is the Tourism Department of the Junta de Andalucía. Those who belong to this Association also have the credential that individualizes them. For your safety we include a sample
The Tourism Guide offers:
- A professional, careful and committed service.
Objective information, free from prejudices and propaganda. - Reliable and true information, differentiating it from its opinions, from anecdotal data or from stories that originate in popular traditions and legends
- Also, take care that each visitor respects the area they visit (monuments, attractions and local customs)
- Supervises the planned itinerary, ensuring that all program services are provided
- Be attentive to passenger comfort and safety
- Provides all necessary assistance in case of difficulty and / or emergency.