Humans are creatures of moving from place to place, for relaxation, jobs, As much as travelling is a great idea, it can be overwhelming leading to frustration because you can’t get around your location. This is where a tour guide comes in. A Tour Guide, also known as a travel guide, tourist guide or local guide plays an important role in tourism.
A tour guide introduces you to all the aspects that are required so that you can enjoy the place and not regret missing out on anything. They are the best trip planners and help to create an experience for you as demanded, by providing the idea and importance of the destination that is to be travelled.
Using a guide is the best use of your time.
The hassles of obtaining tickets, making reservations, checking operating hours are easy for a good tour guide. A tour guide will always know the best hours to visit attractions, when prices are best, which places you can skip and any number of tricks and tactics that will help you get the most out of travel to a heavily visited location.
A good guide might bring you to an attraction in the morning before the crowds arrive, or arrange for a private, after-hours tour. You’ll get to do and see more when hiring an expert.
You are probably thinking that hiring a guide is an additional expense, so how can it save money? You don’t have to figure out the route by yourself and risk getting lost which can cost you more money.
A good guide will structure your itinerary to be cost-effective and tell you which way is more cost-efficient to travel around, helping you save money.
A guide will tailor a tour to your needs and tastes.
Flexibility is one of the greatest advantages while hiring local tour guides. Tour guides serve different purposes, so they offer tailored services to you. They operate as per your request. This means that you are the one to inform them of the best time and place you are comfortable with to do the touring.
A tour guide can help create your itinerary, arrange your accommodations and transportation and even probably save you money. They offer tips on where and what to eat, what to enjoy and what to avoid. They can adjust and deliver a family-friendly tour to a family with children or a fact-filled one to a group of history buffs. A knowledgeable guide can emphasise on the important facts of any sightseeing visit, and this will prove quite valuable especially when you have very little time in one place. This is a very common occurrence when on a cruise with limited time at each port.
A guide can take you to places that you would never know about.
Even if you spend hours searching the Internet or reading guide books, you will never really know the lesser-known places of interest. A good guide can tell you all the best places frequented by the locals and how to experience your trip as a true insider.
Since they are locals, who know well the places you are visiting, they give you a great experience by directing you to interesting places to be.
A guide will point out things that you would never notice.
A guide will explain and make sense of what you are looking at. They will make what may seem as a pile of stones come alive! A guide will put what you are seeing in its historical, religious and cultural context – they serve as historians.
The tour guide can answer questions about anything that sparks your curiosity. He/She will tell you about the customs, habits and morals of the people and explain what makes the country different from yours. For instance, they can tell you what to wear or what not to wear, especially in religious places.
For example, in China, leaving chopsticks upright in my bowl was a big faux pas, since food offerings are made to the dead in that manner. Having someone on hand to help you understand these differences is well worth the cost.
Tour guides can even serve as your security personnel who tell you the safety measures of a place, places to go and not go, etc.
A guide is your personal resource.
They can answer your questions and are able to suggest things that match your interests, both before and during your trip. In places that are exceptionally rich in historical or cultural significance, an educated tour guide can offer a depth of experience and knowledge to which no guidebook, audio guide or plaque-reading will come even close.
A good guide can explain the stories behind the monument, temple or statue and is always up-to-date with the facts.
A guide is a new-found friend in a foreign country
Travelling is fun, but can sometimes be challenging. Many countries are very large and they have different from the states, with various languages, culture and system differences. This can be really confusing and overwhelming, especially if you’ve never been before.
Hiring a tour guide solves this problem. He/she doubles as your guide and your friend. You will always have your personal connection in that country. Since tour guides are professionals who are expected to be friendly, you can be sure of a great vacation.
Daily Tasks of a Tour Guide
- Pre-briefing about the group.
- Meeting the group.
- Going over emergency procedures with the group.
- Explaining points of interest during the trip.
- Answering questions about the tour.
- Distributing promotional material.
- Making sure the group stays together and is safe until the end of the tour.
A Few Things To Keep In Mind Before Hiring A Private Tour Guide
First, go through a recommended, reputable company. A quick online search will give you a feel for the offerings in a city and what fellow travellers have to say about their service. Many countries licence their tour guides to ensure quality, and we’ve had terrific luck with agencies that employ university history majors as their guides.
Secondly, make sure that you have a full accounting of how your time will be spent each day you’re with your guide. It is important to make your daily plans and keep your guide abreast of your desire
Lastly, don’t forget to tip generously for good service. If you have engaged a guide for multiple days, tip at the end of your time together. Also consider paying for your guide’s meal when you stop to eat — they will appreciate it!