Are you a good guide?

The following are important guidelines that, together with experience, will help you to satisfy your clients and be a good private tour guide.

If you are part of european tour guides associations or of private tour guides group in Australia, or want to create your own independent city sightseeing tours in U.S., or you know languages and want to be english speaking tour guide, or want to show what only native guides can, then this is the place for you. You are free to promote your services!

Below you will find general guidelines to help you...

1. good with people – you need to enjoy working with and for people
   1. honest
   2. helpful under any circumstances
   3. friendly, you might be the first contact during the tourists trip
   4. patient, don’t get impatient if someone asks a million questions or tries to contradict you
   5. Know what to do in unexpected circumstances.
   6. Always keep a first aid kit and know how to use it
2. been a good entertainer
   1. enthusiastic
   2. active
   3. good sense of humour
3. communication skills
   1. speak clearly
   2. transmit your knowledge whether is a sightseeing tours or something related to art, culture, sport etc.
   3. take advantage of any moments where you can pass on knowledge
   4. use body language: smile, eye contact with everyone etc.
   5. Try to be a good team leader and don’t be a dictator! People want to enjoy themselves
   6. Engage the tourists with activities, or demonstrations.. it has to be a two-way thing… ask questions and give hints to help tourists understand things by themselves
4. good shape
   1. being a guide might require a lot of energy so stamina and good health are things to think about.
5. professionalism
   1. be punctual and organised
   2. courteous and attentive
   3. inform tourists of locations, times, special considerations etc. put yourself in their place. What would you need to know before and while taking the tour?
6. knowledgeable
   1. language: make sure everyone understands you and that you make it clear in advance which language you are going to use
   2. make sure you know everything about the tour you are providing and related issues
   3. do your homework and prepare everything in advance. People will remember and reward you for this! Remember people will recommend good service and experiences!
   4. do research in order to provide a memorable experience. People will thank and remember you for this!
   5. You have the chance to transmit to people why your tour is important. Do your best to transmit an experience, tell stories, traditions, make people feel as if they lived in the environment! Make people think!
   6. If you don’t know the answer to a question say “I don’t know” and write it down. Have the information ready for the next tour and even better you can communicate via email to the tourist answering his/her question
7. responsible tourism
   1. respect for local environment, products, traditions, religions, cultures and needs. See the how to do a good tour link
8. IMPORTANT - ask for ratings on the web
   1. You have the chance to see how you are doing and improve. Say to your clients at the beginning and at the end of the tour that they’ll receive an email asking for their opinion. As a guide, you will have the great opportunity to see what people think about you and improve your skills!!!

Do your best to share an experience, tell stories, include traditions, … make people think! … Your challenge is making people live an experience!

People want people! Facilitate contact among people within the group and between the group and the locals if possible, respecting local culture, religions, traditions etc …

Remember, people will evaluate you at the end of the tour and the better the tour is the more clients you will have.

Here you go, have fun and help people enjoy themselves!!!! Good luck!

Remember: the more original your tour / experience is the more fun your clients will have!