Nevertheless, there is always a certain fascination with the unknown. Curiosity about distant cities and foreign cultures is what developed societies and nations. Traveling from one area to another was originally for the purposes of settlement, advancement, and improvement of living conditions. Today, however, travel is commonplace. People travel for business, for recreation, and for education. School children may take field trips to their state’s capitol city, and college students may study in foreign countries. Recreation and vacation travel, however, account for much of people’s disposable income. Early travelers were often accompanied by guides or scouts who had become familiar with the routes because they had made earlier trips to investigate safe and comfortable passageways. Later on, young children and women were not expected to travel alone so often relatives or house servants acted as their companions. Today, part of the travel job, tour guides act as escorts for people visiting foreign countries or to provide additional information on interesting facets of cities or towns. Tour guides take the place of the early scouts, but still act as experts in settings and situations that other people find unfamiliar.
In their travel careers, tour guides escort groups of tourists to different cities and countries and are knowledgeable companions and chaperons. Tour guides try to ensure that the passengers in a group tour enjoy and interesting and safe trip. They work to meet the needs of the group by finding our general interests and by directing individuals to those specific areas, whether these may be museums, nature walks, or local shops,. They also make themselves aware of individuals considerations such as special meals or lodging needs. A tour guide may schedule airline flights, bus reservations, or train tickets. Some book cruises, house boats, or car rentals. Tour guides research area hotels and other lodgings for the group and plan sightseeing tours, whether by bus or walking, and stops at various points of interest. Handling all the details of a trip prior to departure is one basic responsibility of a tour guide. Hotel reservations, special exhibits, theatrical presentations, and side trips all have to be made in advance. Itineraries and daily activities are scheduled, and alternate outings are planned in case of inclement weather conditions and to give passengers options.
The second area of focus is, of course, the tour itself. Here, the tour guide must make sure that all aspects of transportation, lodging, and recreation meet the itinerary planned. This is part of the travel employment of a tour guide. He must see to it that travelers’ baggage and personal effects are loaded and handled properly. Some tours include meals and trips to local establishments and a guide must be sure that each passenger is present for the various arrivals and departures of the trip’s activities. Furthermore, tour guides provide interesting information on the locale to the group and alert them to special sights. They are familiar with the history and significance of places through research and previous visits. They see that the group stays together so that they do not miss their transportation arrangements or get lost. Guides also arrange free time for travelers to peruse individual interests, although time allotments and common meeting points are established in advance.
In traveling jobs, tour guides must be resourceful to handle necessary changes in plans or unacceptable accommodations. They must know an area’s resources so that they are able to offer assistance in dealing with emergencies such as an ill passenger or lost personal items. Tour guides are prepared to answer or find out answers to various questions passengers may have regarding currency, restaurants, and necessary travel identification or preparations. They are actually expected to be outgoing, friendly, and confident people in handling such travel agent jobs. They are aware of the travelers’ needs and the kinds of questions and concerns they might have. They are sensitive to the range of activities that areas have to offer and plan sightseeing trips accordingly. Likewise, tour guides are comfortable being in charge of large groups of people and have good time management skills in his travel tourism jobs. They are resourceful and are able to adapt to different environments. They are also fun loving and know how to make others feel at ease in unfamiliar surroundings.
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