1.3 Be environmentally aware
There is an ever-increasing and long overdue awareness of environmental issues, and the tourism industry as a whole is working hard to promote this awareness. Tour guides and directors have a responsibility to encourage the protection of our fragile planet.
(a) Do not litter. Manmade garbage is just as big a problem in the city as the wilderness. If you pack it in, pack it out — even in town. And make sure members of your group follow this rule too.
(b) Reduce, reuse, recycle. Help keep pollution under control whenever possible by observing the Three R’s — reduce, reuse, recycle. Watch for energy efficient power alternatives such as propane buses, or perhaps you could walk the two blocks to the restaurant rather than busing everywhere. It is also wise to encourage your driver to turn off the bus engine whenever possible. This is not only for environmental reasons but also for your clients. We were once on a tour where the only way to see the view at one site was to stand directly in front of the spot where the fumes poured out of the bus’s exhaust system. It made a big impression. Too bad it was not the right one.
(c) Do not pick the flowers. Don’t allow tour participants to take flowers, artifacts, or other “souvenirs” from natural or historical sites. Make sure they don’t feed wildlife, as this can disrupt the animals’ natural feeding habits. Remember the principle: “Take only pictures; leave only footprints.”
1.4 Hurry up latecomers
Travelers who are less than punctual should be dealt with politely, promptly, and firmly. Since a late start usually cannot be made up at the end of the day, everyone comes out losers when one person constantly holds up the rest of the group. If you set a good example by always being on time or early, most people will do the same.
1.5 Keep written, daily reports
In addition to whatever daily reports your tour operator requires, it is to your own advantage to document anything unusual, different, or new. You never know what tidbit of information may be useful on your next trip — quality of service, new or improved attractions (how long did the gondola take now that it has finally been overhauled?), weather, food, road conditions (that new bridge under construction will slow down traffic for the next six months — maybe it is time to find an alternate route), and, of course, expenses. Once you are home, transfer everything into your files for future use.
1.6 Have map, will travel
Maps are like hieroglyphics, and learning to read them efficiently and accurately is a survival skill for any tour professional. Here are some of the points to consider.
(a) Learn how scale and direction translate from the printed page to what is in front of you. You must be able to look at a map and know which side of the bus an attraction will be on or how far away the hotel is — even when you are reading the map upside down.
(b) Certain conventions are common to most maps (for example, north is usually at the top). If you are familiar with the conventions, you will adjust more easily to the idiosyncrasies of a particular map.
(c) Cities and even villages sometimes change overnight. Roads are built or built over, and a shopping mall may spring from what was once open countryside. Several years ago, members of a cycling tour made plans to tent overnight in a small town called Farmer. They arrived at what was supposed to be the center of town, but the only buildings in sight were an abandoned gas station and a farmhouse. Since night was approaching, the tour director knocked on the door of the farmhouse to get directions. “Farmer?” said the owner with a laugh. “Heck, Farmer burned down six years ago.” Make sure your map is up-to-date.
(d) Maps can be a source of information about attractions to include in the tour. Watch for historical site markers and information included in sidebars or inserts.
2. Welcome To Today’s Destination — Providing Commentary
How many steps are there to the top of that pyramid? Is the water safe to drink here? How much is this painting worth? What time is dinner tonight? How long did it take to carve Mount Rushmore?
People on tour expect their guide to know everything — everything about getting to the destination, every obscure bit of history, every plan for the future, every species of flora and fauna, even some questions that will leave you shaking your head in bewilderment, like the guide taking a group on a 20-minute ocean ferry ride who was asked how far above sea level they were.
All right, so you don’t know the juicy details about the miller’s daughter who had an affair with the lord of the manor’s son in 1567. What do you tell the tourist who is not going to be happy until you have given an answer?
At one time people said, “If you don’t know, smother your guilt and feelings of inadequacy, remember it’s a losing battle to keep ahead of all the questions, and fake it.” Tales with sex, thievery, and religious persecution are hard to check and sound plausible almost everywhere. The danger of this approach is that a different version of the story may show up on the postcard rack at the next stop. A better, more professional approach is simply to admit you don’t know but will make every attempt to find out — and then follow through!
One guide taking a group of German tourists around the lakes of central British Columbia was asked a technical question about tying flies for fly-fishing. The guide was not a fisherman, so he didn’t know the answer. That evening he checked with a local fishing enthusiast who not only supplied the answer but also passed on a copy of The Fisherman’s Calendar for the upcoming year. The German was ecstatic and the guide learned something new about a popular subject.
Of course, it helps if you are a historian or have already made many trips to the area you are traveling through. But even if you aren’t or haven’t, there is an easy solution. Read, read, read before arriving at any destination. Most guides already have a passionate interest in the areas they travel to, so research is a pleasure, not a chore. With minimal effort you will discover hundreds of excellent guidebooks on popular destinations and almost as many on most of the obscure ones. Several lightweight reference books can be tucked into a guide’s shoulder bag or kept close at hand on the office bookshelf. To start off your own resource library, here are some names to watch for:
• Baedeker publications
• Berlitz’s Executive Travel Guides
• Birnbaum guides
• Canadian and American Automobile Association publications
• Fielding’s guides
• Fodor’s travel guides
• Frommer’s Comprehesive Guides
• Michelin guides
• Passports Illustrated Travel Guides (from Thomas Cook)
• Rick Steves’ European travel guides
• Triptiks road map and guide books
• Tourism and tourist bureau publications
For entertaining and obscure facts, the Guinness Book of Records is often overlooked, as are a host of other trivia books. If you want to add some lighthearted anecdotes, these books can be fun and educational.
Experts are often willing to share information and personal experiences which add a special dimension to your commentary. See if you can arrange a tour with, or a brief talk from, someone at the local archives, museum, weather bureau, college, indigenous