CU B.SC TTM Tour Guiding and interpretation skills

functions of communication such as giving instructions, eliciting opinions or social chats ( McConkey, et al., 1999b) Mirenda and Iacono, (1990) indicated that collecting necessary information concerning communication abilities of intellectually disabled people is significant to identify obstacles of communicating with this segment. Furthermore, lack of this knowledge may contribute to making the staff interacting with this segment unaware of the attempts done by disabled to communicate. Communication styles differ among people with intellectual disabilities; some may use speech, others rely mostly on non-verbal communication. Practices of professional and service providers who interact with them should be flexible accordingly (Gallagher, 2002; Keith et al., 2015; Sack & McLean, 1997). Verbal and non-verbal communication Previous literature has identified two types of communication, verbal and non- verbal communication (Bradshaw, 2001; Martin, et al., 2010; Onley, 2001). While verbal communication includes using words to deliver messages, non-verbal communication does not involve speech (Dyche, 2007; Martin, et al., 2010; Onley, 2001). Although using both methods of communication is well established in literature, non-verbal communication is regarded as more significant in conveying a message. It involves facial expressions, touch, gestures and body language (Martin, et al., 2010). Previous research has shown that communication with intellectually disabled people is a challenging matter since there is a difficulty associated with receiving and understanding messages (Martin, et al., 2010; Schalick III, et al., 2012). It is revealed that failure of service providers to adapt their communication methods to the communication abilities of the intellectually disabled, for instance not paying a much concern to non-verbal communication, is one of the key obstacles in communicating with this segment (Martin, et al., 2010; Wilhelmsson, et al., 2010; Sigafoos et al., 2016). The intense use of verbal communication by staff communicating with this segment is highly reported (Bradshaw, 2001; Finaly et al., 2008; Healy & Noonan-Walsh, 2007). Using complicated language which exceeds the communication abilities of individuals, using long sentences, and posing more questions have also reported as problems related to staff communication with intellectually disabled people (Healy & Noonan-Walsh, 2007). Misunderstanding of the individual’s preferences as well as giving less concern to non-verbal communication have been observed among staff presenting other communication barriers (Finaly et al., European Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research Vol.7, No.2, pp.1-25, May 2019 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) 6 PrintISSN:ISSN2054- 6424(Print),Online ISSN:ISSN2054-6432(Online) 2008; Martin, et al., 2010). In their studies, Balandin et al., (2001); Martin, et al., (2010) and McConkey et al., (1999a) indicated that insufficient knowledge among service providers concerning communication substitutions 151

methods has a negative influence on communication success. Good communication is necessary to enhance the performance of service providers and to improve the quality of life of this important segment (McConkey et al., 1999a; Pinazo & Reina, 2017). Accordingly, improving the communication competences of tour guides is a key challenge for successful interaction with intellectually disabled tourists. Lack of necessary knowledge of different features and requirements of different disabilities as well as lack of special designed training for professionals and service providers may represent key obstacles in achieving successful communication with intellectual disabled people (Hall, 2008; Pinazo & Reina, 2017; Sack and McLean, 1997). In their study Hogg et al., (2001) indicated that people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMDs) do not relay on verbal communication. Instead, they depend on facial expressions, vocal sounds, body language and behavior to communicate. Therefore, it is significant for those who provide support to intellectually disabled people to gain more information concerning their means of communication and adapt their communication behavior accordingly. Tour guides: Role and communication competences Previous literature has shown that those who interact with intellectually disabled people may expose to situations which could not be predicted and that knowing specific communication needs, information and strategies are important factors to overcome such situation and to succeed in communication (Bradshaw, 2001; Pinazo & Reina, 2017; Sack & McLean, 1997). Hall (2008) indicated that one of the main barriers in integration and inclusion of disabled people is the “attitudinal barrier” and that training programs designed to raise awareness of disability among service providers who interact with this segment has a significant positive effect on employees’ understanding of the person’s disability and the difficulties he/she is meeting will enhance the employees’ knowledge, attitude and performance in communicating with this segment. Tour guide are one of those service providers who have a direct contact with tourists (Huang et al., 2010; Weiler and Walker, 2014) and should develop their knowledge, attitude, and communication abilities when interacting with this segment. During the tour, tour guides have a high level of contact with tourists (Maka, et al., 2011). Accordingly, tour guides’ performance is a substantial factor in achieving tourist satisfaction (Ferguson, et al., 2016). In this concern, Rabotic (2010) showed that a positive tourist experience is an important outcome achieved through the important role of tour guides and that contacting and interacting with customers are key determinants that affect tourist perception of a tour guide characteristics and service quality. 152

Although communication have been considered a significant approach to examine the determinants of tourist satisfaction (Ap & Wong, 2001; Leclerc & Martin, 2004; Rabotic, 2010; Ryan & Dewar, 1995; Weiler & Walker; 2014; Zhang & Chow, 2004)), yet no previous studies have investigated communication competences of tour guides when interacting withintellectually disabled tourist. The current study moved beyond prior research by adopting a multidimensional approach that examines tour guides’ key communication skills when leading tourists with intellectual disability. The study provides a conceptual and empirically verified framework that captures tour guides’ perceptions of verbal and non-verbal communication as well as tour guides’ specific personal traits and behavioral patterns while interacting with intellectually disabled tourists thereby extending existing research on people with intellectual disabilities. The study concludes that tour guides’ communication competences remarkably contribute to the visiting experience of intellectually disabled tourists and to their satisfaction. It suggests as well that tour guides must take into consideration improving their knowledge, awareness and communication skills regarding intellectually disabled tourists to enrich disabled visitors' experience, specifically the non-verbal communication dimension which has a considerable influence on the communication success. Likewise, the findings recommend that tour guides should take into account the communication abilities of intellectually disabled people to satisfy this important niche market and improve their quality of life. The study establishes the representative dimensions of tour guides communication competences who engage with tourists with intellectual disability and the relevant indicators that measure each dimension. Dimensions and indicators that have been identified in the scale were validated by certified tour guides who actually communicate with tourists with intellectual disability. Accordingly, tour guides can accurately assess their performance, tourist satisfaction, the quality of certain services designed for visitors with special needs and the required advancements that should take place. The aim of this study is to raise awareness of the communication needs of tourists with intellectual disability and improve the communication abilities of tour guides interacting with this segment to make their tours more inclusive Oral performance (Delivery of commentary) Tour Commentary: Many times, you must have experience of listening great leaders. When they speak, each and every word of their speech has some meaning and we can recall their 153

message. We like to listen to them. May be due to their quality of knowledge, oratorship, style of speaking and command over language. When there is coverage of some subject through voice or speaking mode and people listening feel captivated and impressed, it is an example of good commentary. It is the basic job of a tour guide to research the place, develop story line, and rehearse it again and again. Being a tour guide see light and sound show. It is a good method to learn commentary made by a novice tour guide. Light and sound show gives you the best idea to develop commentary. Do not copy it. Try to come out with the best commentary in your style and idiosyncrasy. The Commentary is information exchange about the place, product, attraction, happenings, related stories, facts and figures etc. Commentary must have flow of information from tour guide to the audiences. Commentary must be in positive tone. Commentary must be in steps. You must remember that commentary help people to understand and appreciate what they actually see. Many students seek adventure through tours. They can begin with the basic information and plan a tour and tour commentary. They can learn effective touring and tourist psychology, group dynamics and other practical challenges by the course of time. Steps of Tour Tour Commentary  Creating atmosphere  Talking around the topic  Core commentary  Summarizing commentary  End of commentary Creating atmosphere Start your commentary with meeting and greeting with the tourist. Use light words. Try to engage them in talks with you. Try to catch attention of clients. Welcome them warmly. 154

Talking around the topic Talk about their country, your country, weather, political scenario, celebrities, something special about the place etc. In the beginning, we must introduce the tourist place. If your are starting from hotel, talk about the city, its population, economy, political scenario, celebrities, movies, handicraft, specialty of the place, food, fun points, festivals etc. Core commentary After reaching at the monument, tour guide must show top visual priorities (TVPs) means important things catching attention of the tourists. Explain them each and every part of the destination. Tell them the background. For example: if you have taken tourists to Qutub Minar. Tell them about the nearby places to the Qutub Minar. Why it was constructed? If you are at Humayun Tomb. Tell them about the people gathered during the time of construction, market place for them, and their life style. Core commentary Core commentary means tell the tourists about structure of Qutub Minar. Architectural details of Qutub Minar. Unfinished toward and why it was constructed? End of commentary A tour guide must ask queries of group members before concluding the commentary. Some up commentary with the concluding note. At the end, sum up your note. Connect it with the present context. Important points to remember in commentary There are a number of clues to improvise the commentary. Main points are:- Promote your country Never ever criticize your country during commentary making. Highlights achievements. 155

Educational but not boring Your commentary should be informative, captivating, not boring. It must create interest if group members. It should be able to bind all the group members. Informative but not overwhelming Do not overwhelm during commentary making. Try to give more and more information. Good stories Include good stories in your commentary. Stories must be from the local area. Information should be delivered in manner that must be interesting to the guest Commentary must be presented in such a manner, so that, it must create interest among group members. There should be humor in the commentary. Do not be stressful while commentary making. Also, do not create stress among group members. Use simple words Use simple words while making commentary. Words of your language (not the language of tourist) must be pronounced properly and tell them meaning of local words. For example: what is Dwarpal (usually found in palaces/ temples) Also read Role of a Tourist Guide Get confirmation remark When I was a child, my grandmother used to tell me stories of Panchatantra. I had to say ‘yes’ after each sentence. It was the acknowledgement that I am listening her. So, try to confirm that group members are able to understand what you are speaking. Give pause when required Speak louder Use both the hands Facial expressions Elements of a Tour commentary 156

A tour guide must prepare a commentary having following art:  Introduction  Presentation  Closing  Steps how to make commentary  Start with greeting or introduction  Sense of humor must be part of the information  Draft tour commentary related information  Present scripted commentary  Respond to queries raise by customer  Modify scripted commentary in response to unexpected events  Identify the commentary information that needs to be conveyed  Keep proper tone while making commentary  Volume must be appropriate. If volume will be very high, you will not be able to continue for long time. If it is too low. People cannot listen you.  Rate of speech must be appropriate roughly 125 words per minute. Also read Tour Guiding Types of commentary  Scripted commentary  Non-scripted information A scripted commentary must have:-  Draft commentary  Trail/ practice the draft  Revise and refine the draft according to the group  Practice the simulated commentary 157

 Present it How to prepare and present tour commentary to the tour group A tour commentary refers to information provided by the Tour Guide to the tour group members as part of the tour. Preparing tour commentary information. Prepare draft script for commentary that needs to be conveyed to the tourists/ group members. Trial draft script Revise draft scripts Learn ancillary information When you are preparing a tour commentary information: Realize that there is a scripted element plus an unscripted component to all commentaries. Identify tour group, if possible, and their requirement, wants and preferences. Prepare new commentaries for all custom/ private tours Use established and approved scripts for the commentaries for regular/ schedule tours. Activities involved in preparation of a scripted commentary:- Research the tour Check the advertising/ promises made Know/ learn the route Involve/ get input from others Demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary to guide tours Also read Walking Tour 158

Activities involved in preparing a scripted commentary:- Research the tour Check the advertising/ promises made Know/ get input from others Preparing tour commentary information Performance criteria for this elements are:- Find out information to be conveyed through country. Research on the collected information. Classify it keeping in mind the type of clients you have in your group. Develop a theme for the commentary information to be conveyed to the clients. Kinds of tour guides Freelancer Freelancer tour guide is working for many companies. Staff tour guide is connected with a travel agency and gets remuneration for services. Develop themes for commentary and information to be delivered to the guest through commentary Theme must be finalized on the basis of Identified requirements of customer and Characteristic of the tour group How to make a tour commentary Start with the smile, meeting and greeting, introduction. Brief about the tour. Review inclusions and exclusions. Tell them about distances and time taken for the tour. 159

What is expected from the tour? Take necessary precaution. Do not miss important points/ landmarks/ place on the way. Announce short breaks/ comfort stops on the way. Always do the head count to ensure that all are in the group? In commentary we will give introduction. It will include population, climate, history, important places, agriculture, economy, distance of major cities, eminent personalities. Dynamics of commentary Commentary should be interesting. Do’s and do not’s during commentary making Being a tour guide, you must present commentary in rhythm. Do not pause unnecessarily. Give emphasis on proper pronunciation. Always, face towards the group. Keep yourself motivated and smiling. Never ever fight with Driver or support staff during commentary making. Do not allow other staff to give commentary. It will create bad impression on the group members. Sense of humor A quality of being amusing someone is known as humor. It is very important in tourism industry. A tour guide must have ability to appreciate mood and state of mind. A tour guide hav9ing good sense of humor is mostly popular among the group members. 9.3 SUMMARY  Tour guides need to communicate effectively. It is of utmost important that your travellers understand the information and ideas shared by you. Take a look at the few components of communication skills for tour guides to communicate effectively. 160

 An important part of the communication skills for tour guides is having open communication. For communication to be successful, always encourage open communication. You can have open communication by engaging your travellers, asking questions, inviting their feedback and point of view. Do not use a convincing or superior tone as open communication means accepting the different point of views. This will help to increase understanding of the different type of travellers you meet. It will also help to collect more knowledge about different culture, places and things, thus improving yourself as a tourist guide. 9.4 KEYWORDS  guaranteed tour: a tour guaranteed to operate  guest account: an itemized record of a guest’s charges and credits  guide: (1) a person qualified to conduct tours of specific localities or attractions (many reliable guides are licensed), (2) an airline, bus, railroad, or ship manual of schedules and fares, usually printed seasonally  head tax: fee charged for arriving and departing passengers in some foreign countries  heritage: a very broad expression that describes anything that has a link with some past event or person (e.g. cultural heritage refers to past customs and traditions with the unspoken implication that these are worthwhile or creditable) 9.5 LEARNING ACTIVITY 1. Define the term Attitude ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 2. Name the key sources of tourism information. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 161

9.6 UNIT END QUESTIONS A. Descriptive Questions Short Questions 1. What are the Pre- Tour, on Tour and Post Tour -Communication skills of tour guides? 2. What are the Steps for delivering commentary ? 3. . Write the Topology of tourism impact. 4. What do you understand by VISA ? 5. Name various impacts which have laid down the need of Tourism Industry. Long Questions 1. Define Personality and write its determinants. (5) 2. Explain the roles and objectives of STDC. (5) 3. What do you understand by Tourism Terminologies? What is the importance of these Terminologies? 4. Differentiate between natural tourism products and man - made tourism products with examples. 5. Decsribe the leadership roles of a tour guide ? B. Multiple Choice Questions 1. Which demand comprises of category of people who do not travel for same reason a) Suppressed demand b) No demand c) Effective demand d) Actual demand 162

2. A country is mainly benefited from tourism by the --------------------- a) Tourist expenditure b) Tourist travel c) Accommodation d) None of these. 3. Which is the most important economic benefit of tourism a) Increase in employment b) Increase in production c) Foreign exchange d) None of these. 4. Tourism demand measurement is referred as ---------------- a) Tourism statistics b) Tourism marketing c) Tourism segmentation d) None of these. 5. Which statistics simply measures the number of people who arrive at a destination. a) Volume b) Value c) Expenditure d) None of these. Answers 1-,a 2-a, 3-c, 4-a, 5-a 163

9.8 REFERENCES References book Doxey, G, V, (1975). A causation theory of visitor-resident irritants; Methodology and research inferences. Evans, N., Campbell., B & Stonehouse, G. (2003). Strategic Management for Travel and Tourism. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Freeman, R. E. (1983). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Advances in Strategic Management,Hall, C.M. (2007). Tourism in Australia (5th ed.). Pearson Education Australia: Frenchs Forest, Australia. Websites  https://www.tourismbeast.com/tour-commentary/ 164

UNIT – 10 LINKAGES IN TOUR GUIDING STRUCTURE 10.0 Learning objectives 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Function of Tour escort, Tour leader, Tour manager, Tour Conducting & Tour Guiding 10.3 Summary 10.4 Keywords 10.5 Learning Activity 10.6 Unit End Questions 10.7 References 10.0 LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this unit, you will be able to:  Define the function of tour escorts  Distinguish between tour leader and tour escorts 10.1 INTRODUCTION Most of us refer to Tourist Guide as Guide and confuse the subtle difference in the job description of a Tourist Guide with that of a Tour Escort. Due to the subtle difference in the job description, many a times the job overlaps. Who is a Tourist Guide? Tourist Guide is person who has thorough knowledge of destination or site as she/he is knowledgeable about the particular destination and its attractions. Along with the insight of a destination in terms of culture, food, flora and fauna, traditions, festival etc; the tourist guide will add his/ her own theme/ style to make it a memorable trip for the guests. Guest can be individual or a group and the tourist guide will – lead the guests for sightseeing, shopping, etc and be aware of the timings of opening and closing of the monuments, knows routes and means of travel to the sites 165

selected, provide safety not only to the Guest but also to the host community and tourist site, give information about the sites and destinations to the tourists in an entertaining manner, like in the form of stories and legends; and at least be bilingual to connect with the guest/ visitor as well as communicate with locals. 10.2 FUNCTION OF TOUR ESCORT, TOUR LEADER, TOUR MANAGER, TOUR CONDUCTING & TOUR GUIDING Most of us refer to Tourist Guide as Guide and confuse the subtle difference in the job description of a Tourist Guide with that of a Tour Escort. Due to the subtle difference in the job description, many a times the job overlaps. Who is a Tourist Guide? Tourist Guide is person who has thorough knowledge of destination or site as she/he is knowledgeable about the particular destination and its attractions. Along with the insight of a destination in terms of culture, food, flora and fauna, traditions, festival etc; the tourist guide will add his/ her own theme/ style to make it a memorable trip for the guests. Guest can be individual or a group and the tourist guide will – lead the guests for sightseeing, shopping, etc and be aware of the timings of opening and closing of the monuments, knows routes and means of travel to the sites selected, provide safety not only to the Guest but also to the host community and tourist site, give information about the sites and destinations to the tourists in an entertaining manner, like in the form of stories and legends; and at least be bilingual to connect with the guest/ visitor as well as communicate with locals. According to World Federation of Tourist Guide Association (WFTGA), “Tourist Guide is a person who guides visitors in the language of their choice and interprets the cultural and natural heritage of an area which person normally possesses an area – specific qualification usually issued and / or recognised by the appropriate authority” (En 13809 of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) Adopted by WFTGAat its Dunblane, Scotland Convention 2003). Such specifications are usually issued and/or recognized by the appropriate authority. There is also confusion whether it is Tour Guide or Tourists Guide or just Guide. In India, for instance, we usually refer to them as Guide or at times Tour Guide. Tourist Guide would be the appropriate way to address them since Guide can be a leader or motivator helping someone to form an 166

opinion or make a decision and tour guide is correct only if the guide is with the tour group for the entire length of tour package. A tourist guide on the other hand is for a limited period of time and at times restricted to a particular site or destination. History of Tourism-II Who is a Tour Escort? Tour escort, at times also referred to as tour leader is a professional who specializes in meet & greet clients and escort them in the destination, assisting guests, regulate and manage the timing of the group, ensure the presence and involvement of the participants, verify and confirm facilities and services, provide and explain the travel program, maintain group harmony, manage any excursions, buy tickets for museums or means of transport, manage reservations with restaurants and accommodation facilities; and generally resolve any problems that may arise during the trip. Since a tour escort / tour leader is not a guide therefore does not provide specific explanations and information, but can provide general information of any kind. A Tour Escort is someone who escorts visitors at a public place such as a museum or an art gallery, or at sightseeing and recreational tours. They are typically responsible for accompanying the visitors According to World Federation of Tourist Guide Association(WFTGA), “a person who manages an itinerary on behalf of the tour operator ensuring the programme is carried out as described in the tour operator’s literature and sold to the traveller/ consumer and who gives local practical information is known as Tour Manager/ Tour Director / Tour Escort”. 16.2.3 Difference between Tourist Guide and Tour Escort Tourist Guide and Tour Escort are two terms often used in the similar vein. Yet there exists a subtle difference in the job description of both, as well as recognisation by appropriate authority. When we use the word Escort, it means that they are following behind you, or watching over/ protecting you. While guide means you’re following them and they are leading you. Mancini (2003) says that ‘Tourist Guide is someone who takes people on sight-seeing excursions of limited duration’. Tour Escort on the other hand ‘is a person who manages a group’s movements over a multi-day tour’. Tour guide is a qualified person, at times with specialisation in a particular area such as art, history, natural attraction and so on, who accompanies people visiting works of art, museums, monuments, natural attractions and others giving historical, cultural and related information to the tourists. Tour escort, on the other hand, is a qualified person who accompanies people travelling through different destinations within and outside the country to ensure the regular operation of the planned trips by providing necessary support services for its entire duration as well as giving significant information of the site. 167

From the above following can primarily be said about the difference between Tour Guide and Escorts: - A Tourist Guide is a licensed professional; whereas, a Tour Escort may or may not be a licensed professional. The licensing authority for Tourist Guides in India is the Ministry of Tourism, who issues regional guide licenses. A Tour Escort is the person who accompanies the Tourist / tour group all through the Tour whereas, a guide is someone who may or may not 213 accompany the Tour Group / tourist throughout the tour depending upon his Tour Guide and Escorts speciality. A Tour guide can be a tour Escort, if required, but a Tour Escort cannot be a guide, without a license. 16.2.4 Importance of Tourist Guide and Tour Escort Tour Escorts and Tourist guiding are very critical component of the tourism value chain and play an essential role in ensuring repeat tourist visitation. Tour Escorts and Tourist Guides act as ambassadors of the destination/ region/ country since they are the first to meet and welcome tourists and they are often the last ones to bid farewell to them when they leave the country. In between during the travel, tourists are in regular touch with the Tour Escort and Tourist Guide and go back home with an impression about destination based on their interactions with the Tour Escort and Tourist Guide. Depending on the interaction and services received from the Tour Escort and Tourist Guide, the guests will return home as a satisfied or dissatisfied customer. Most of the people in a tour use the services of a Guide to learn more about the place they are visiting in terms of history, geography, architecture and culture. Therefore it is important that the information provided by the guide is authentic and creates no discomfort to the guest. The tourist should leave the destination with a positive and accurate image of the destination. Types Of Guide There is the generic definition of “tour guide” which was established in the section above. Tourist guides are certified and licensed; and assist the guests/ visitors in seeing the place in an excellent, unique way. Tourists Guides can be classified based on four different criteria. Let us study the many kinds of tourist guides available: Classification based on Licensing Authority As you are aware, the major difference between a Tourist Guide and Tour Escort is that a Tourist Guide is a licensed Professional while Tour Escort may or may not be licensed. In India we find three licensing authority for Tourist guides and we can classify guides based on the licensing authority. They are: 1) Site/ Local/ City Guides – Guides are selected and trained by local bodies and given license to operate as local guides. For Example, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) 168

has introduced a new guide policy that will be implemented in all of its monuments across the country. According to this new policy, ASI will select individuals based on their merit and grant them a guide licence, and they will then need to undergo a six-week training programme provided by ASI. These licensed guides will be able to operate only in the monuments of ASI. 2) State Level Guides – The State Tourism Development Corporation of all the states of India, conduct a process of selection of Tourist guides who are then trained and given license to operate as a Tourist Guide only within the border of that one state. For Example, Odisha Tourism Development Corporation will give the license for operations only within Odisha. 214 History of Tourism-II 3) Regional Level Guides – Ministry of Tourism (MoT), Government of India selects Regional Level Tourist Guides who can operate beyond one state. According to MoT, the five jurisdiction or area of operation of the Regional Level Guides would be as under: i) Northern Region: States of Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Union Territory of Chandigarh. ii) Southern Region: States of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territories of Pondicherry & Lakshadweep. iii) Western & Central Regions: States of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Goa and Union Territories of Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu. iv) Eastern Region: States of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. v) North-Eastern Region: States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim & Tripura. The jurisdiction of each region mentioned above would comprise the States / Union Territories, which are covered by the respective Regional Office of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. (Source: Ministry of Tourism, GOI) 16.3.2 Classification based on Employment terms Tourist Guides can be classified based on the employment contract that they have or the way they pick up guiding jobs. They can be: 1) Freelance Guide – Guides are not attached with any particular tour and travel company or hotel or any other organisation. They are freelancers and can work with any tour company or provide their services to the tourist on site. They can also be in a contract with few companies and pick and choose assignment as per their choice. 2) Staff / Tour Company Guide – Tourist Guides on the payroll of only one Tour company and are salaried Tourist Guides. 3) Volunteer Guide – Volunteer Guides, also known as docent. They are the guide who are working free of charge or volunteering on a site. Docent specifically works at a museum. An example will be the Volunteer guides at National Museum, New Delhi 16.3.3 Classification based on Time Commitment Tourist 169

Guides can also be classified based on the time that they give to the vocation. 1) Full Time Guides – Tourist Guides who work as Tourist Guides all through the year are the full time Tourist Guides. 2) Seasonal – the season for inbound tourists in India from October to March. There are some Tourist guides who work only with foreign inbound tourists during the inbound season as tourist guides and not during other months of the year. Tour Guide and Escorts Classification based on Place of Guiding (Specialisation) 1) Heritage/ Cultural – A cultural or heritage guide is someone employed on a paid or voluntary basis who conducts paying or non – paying tourists around an area or site of historical, cultural and heritage importance utilizing guiding and interpretation principles. 2) Nature Guides - Nature tour guides lead groups to natural attractions, national parks, and other outdoor locations where wildlife and scenic locations are the focus of the tour. These guides are experts in the natural sciences and have the ability to engage visitors with their knowledge of biology, geology, and the history of the location. 3) Eco – Tourism – The Guides who communicates and interprets the significance of the environment, promotes minimal impact practices, ensures the sustainability of the natural and cultural environment, and motivates tourists to consider their own lives in relation to larger ecological or cultural concerns are known as Eco – Tour Guides (Source: Quality Assurance and Certification in Eco Tourism) 4) Museum - A Museum Guide is someone who accompanies visitors on a visit to a museum, providing them with information about the various objects in the museum’s collection; and also be responsible for making sure that the visitors do not violate the museum regulations. 5) On – site – A guide who takes tourists on a tour of a particular site only and are available only at that particular site are known as an on-site guide. Onsite guide conducts the tour of a specific building or a limited area. 6) City Guides - A tourist can take a tour of the city by motor coach, van, taxi or hop-on, hop-off bus, or as part of a walking tour and the guide who points out and comments on the highlights of the city is called a city guide. 7) Specialised Guides - Specialised guide has particular skill sets that are highly unique to match the demands of a tourist. These guides may conduct bike tours, white water rafting trips, hiking expeditions or tours that are more physically demanding and unusual. At times they are also known as Adventure Tour guides, depending upon the specialization. 8) Step-on Guides - This kind of guide is more commonly seen in United States of America and are usually free-lanced guides. They are considered specialists who meet a touring group, ‘steps on’ the coach or van to give informed overviews of the area being toured; and then steps off as the tour continues to other areas. 9) Personal / Private Guide: Personal or private guide are also a type of city guide and at times they are 170

driver and guide at the same time. These guides have their own vehicles and since the area to cover is small, being a driver cum guide is economical. For example - an island-tour 10) Cruise ship Tour Guides - Guides that work for cruise ships can be classified as cruise ship tour guides or shore excursion guides. These guides take group of tourists for the shore excursion and are employed permanently with the Cruise Ship Operators. History of Tourism-II Depending upon role and requirement, the types of Guide can be many others : A tourist guide, a licensed professional, generally accompany tourists to different types of tourist attractions like archaeological sites, museums, churches, monuments, and offers all the information and explanations of interest to the tourists. It is important to establish the role of a guide and all of the accompanying responsibilities, since role of tour guides are far more complex than most people think. Let’s start by discussing the Work Ethics of Guiding. Ethics of Guiding Ethics, Values, Morals and Principles are some terms that we use often in our life and at times interchangeably. Values describe what is important in a person’s life. Principles inform our choice of desirable behavioural constraints (morals, ethics, rules, laws, etc.). Ethics and morals prescribe what is or is not considered appropriate behaviour in living one’s life. Ethics refer to the series of rules provided to an individual by an external source, e.g. their profession. On the other hand, Morals refer to an individual’s own principles regarding right and wrong. Ethical behaviours therefore refer to the set of values governing proper behaviour in the workplace. Work ethic means that employees will be working and acting within the rules of acceptable professional ways of doing things and acting within rules of correct moral behaviour. Work ethic includes - respect for your employer/ where you work, commitment, punctuality, diligence, sincerity, loyalty; and pride in own work. Business ethics adds on to work ethics and says that one understands what is right from wrong; does the right thing to do in any situation when at work; tries to make things better; and respect others and their property. Ethics in professional life is very important, and that’s what differentiates a Tour Guide and Escorts successful guide from an unsuccessful Guide. It is the responsibility of the Tourist Guide to follow these work ethics. The Ethics in tour guiding applies primarily to three areas of the job: Content of tour guiding - Whenever information is being provided to the tourists, a 171

Guide should :  be truthful and honest about the information,  never ever make up information; and  provide all the products and services (eg. take tourists to all the site of a destination) that were advertised and promised in the tour itinerary Behaviour during and after guiding – A guide needs to behave in a manner that reflects his work ethics. A guide should -  deliver tour guide services in a way which is sensitive to local social, economic and environmental issues – meeting the principles of Responsible Tourism,  never ask tourists to go on tours without going through your employer or ask for tips,  do not buy or sell (illegal) items or make a profit from tourists,  always be loyal to the tour company that employs you for the tour,  declare your income for tax purposes, and  not pay bribes or charge tourists for special services outside of the itinerary. Management of tours and activities – Professional ethics are reflected in the way tour is planned, organised and managed. A guide should -  not change itinerary to visit places/ shops for special commissions, if it changes the quality and value of the tour.  avoid missing out any activity and stops at sites. Role of a Tourist Guide A tour guide is someone the group of tourist follow from site to site. The primary role of a tour guide is to be - 1) Leader – the guide must be a leader who can move group of tourist and someone the tourists will gladly follow from site to site. 2) Educator – being knowledgeable about the region, locality and site is very important. The information imparted should be correct and shared in a manner that does not offend anyone, either the guests or the hosts. 3) Host – the guide is the host for the tourists and should behave accordingly. The guide should not forget to share information about local tradition and culture and behave with the politeness of a host. 4) Interpreter – like an interpreter, guide should interpret local traditions and culture for the tourists. He must also be the interpreter between the host community and the guests since they might have a language barrier. 5) Public relation representative – Guide is the public face of not only the tour company but also of the country or destination a tourist group is visiting. History of Tourism-II Responsibilities of a Tourist Guide The role and responsibilities of a guide is to organise, inform and entertain tourists. Guides are mainly freelance, self-employed, and often seasonal and may be at times working during unsociable hours. The responsibilities of a tour guide are many while being ethical is one of 172

them. Few responsibilities of tour guide are  Tour-guides need to be familiar with the places where people come, as this affects the ways people behave. The cultural differences and the expectations and level of service may vary depending on the country of origin.  Communicate with the group/s or their representative/s about the details of the tour – assembly time and place, destination, accommodation, transportation, immigration concerns (if the tour is set abroad) and costs  Greet visitors as soon as they get on board the bus, and show people to their seats if necessary  Distribute materials to the group at the beginning of the tour, which includes audio headsets and brochures  Describe points of interest around the city to the group and answer any questions, which requires learning a comprehensive history of each check point  Buy tickets and or make arrangements for the smooth entry of tourists at each site/ place visited during the tour,  Provide directions to visitors who would like to check out a specific area at a later date,  Monitor the behaviour of the group, especially when young children are in it, and ensure everyone remains in compliance with the rules  Maintain a positive, friendly demeanour at all times and try making jokes and providing insightful commentary at the same time  Always make sure of the safety and convenience of the tour group; and  Make sure all the members of the tour group follow the schedules and return safely either to the hotel or place of origin. Qualities of an Effective Tourist Guide Tourists travel all over the world and are at a position to compare the skills, knowledge, behaviour and professionalism of tour guides from one destination/ country to another. Tour Guides therefore have to show high standards of professionalism all the time in order to be respected by international tourists. A tour guide has a lot of competencies (skills, knowledge and way of behaving) that make up their professional profile: 1) Punctual – Punctuality shows that one respects the other person enough to respect their time. Tourists, specially international tourists are very careful about time and as a tour guide one should be the first to arrive at every meet. 2) Good communication skills – Having good verbal communication, good Tour Guide and Escorts presentation, public speaking as well as having multiple language skills constitutes good communication skills of a guide. 3) Pleasing personality - Self Confident, Friendly, Eloquent/Articulate personality will be perfect for a guide as she/ he need to hold the attention of tourists, and group members. 4) Polite and Respectful – It is important that guide is aware of cultural differences between tourist and his/her own country of origin and be respectful. Further, people with disability must be handled with respect and politeness, and also compassion but never pity or apathy. 5) 173

Enthusiastic and friendly - Guide must be enthusiastic about the tour programme and be proactive while interacting with the tourists. This will ensure that the tourists participate in the tour and have a great experience. 6) Tactful and patient – Guide needs to be patient and tactful as at times tourists can ask some questions that might go against the value system of the guide but the guide must be flexible and prepared to tackle unpleasant situations. 7) Open to questions and assertive – Guides must be accommodating and openminded enough for the tourists to ask questions. At the same time, they should be assertive enough to avoid and lead the group away from unpleasant questions and situations. 8) Honest and trustworthy - The guide must be honest and trustworthy enough for the guests to feel comfortable with him / her and accept the knowledge shared. 9) Resourcefulness with good memory – Guide must be resourceful enough to collect unusual information for the tour destinations and sites to make the trip unique. Being able to retain historical facts (fond of History) as well as cultural aspects of the destinations is very important. 10) Sense of humour – sense of humour can build many bridges and make us many friends among strangers. An Outgoing personality with a good sense of humour is very important for guides who meet strangers regularly as a part of her/ his job. 11) Good Health – Tour guiding generally means man hours of standing as well as walks on a daily basis. It is therefore important that a guide must bear good health and physical fitness to meet the demands of the job 12) Time Management - Every experienced guide knows that they have their fixed times on a tour, and that they must maintain a constant eye on the clock and readjust their mental plan on a continuing basis. This relationship and constant readjustment between time, distances, and guest experience is an integral part of guiding, and must become second nature to a guide’s thinking. Unexpected delays or opportunities often arise, and with every delay or addition of a stop or activity, the time/distance/experience matrix must be readjusted. 220 History of Tourism-II 16.4.5 Techniques for a Good Tour Guiding Experience Tour Guiding is a skill which can be learned and acquired through proper training. A few techniques are mentioned below that helps in creating a memorable experience for both the tourists and the guide. 1) Self Presentation – First impression is created on the group in the first meeting itself and its mostly non – verbal communication. Smile, Confidence, Authority, Personal Dress and Hygiene plays a major role on creating the first impression and subsequent bonding with the tourists. Greeting the tour group leader, members and driver is a must for creating the first impression and connect. 2) Physical Aspects of Guiding - Eye Contact is very important while guiding. For example while explaining about a monument remember to face the group and not the monument. Body Position of the guide should be such that he / she is audible to all the members and the Group Position is surrounding the guide. 3) Content of the presentation - 174

Make sure that you have collected information that is easily understandable to the group members. Start with a story, be personal and add anecdotes along with historical and cultural facts to make it all relevant. Try to avoid the use of statistics or too many jargons unless it is easily comprehendible. Most importantly, finsh on time and do not make it long drawn. 4) Voice Projection – The Pace and Tone of Delivery of the content is as important as the content itself. Pronunciation and voice projection helps in communicating the information properly. Roles And Reponsibilities Of A Tour Escort Tour escorts accompany groups of people / tour group on organized trips, mostly package tours. Tour escorts usually work for tour companies, which are as varied as their clientele. Some specialize in certain activities—archaeological digs or mountain climbing, for instance. Others specialize in certain markets such as students or retirees, budget tours, religious tours, and so on. Tourists who take escorted tours want the security and convenience of having transportation, accommodations, and sightseeing arranged and managed for them by the Escort. Tour Escorts are also referred to as Tour leaders, since she/he takes the initiative of meeting guests on arrival and makes sure that the needs and demands of the tour group is met. Tour Escorts are the link between the tour companies and are very important for the overall satisfaction of the tourist from the tour. Responsibilities of a Tour Escort Role and responsibilities of the tour escort are manifold. Traditionally the role of the Tour Escort is that of a tour leader and is the Public Face of the Tour Company. The responsibilities of Tour Escort are many as discussed below:- 1) Welcoming the Guests – Tour Escorts meets the group on arrival either at the Airport or Railways station and ensures that the list of tourist matches 221 Tour Guide and Escorts the guests who have arrived. No one should be left behind, including the baggage of the tourist. 2) Accommodation arrangement – The check in and check out of the guests at the hotel is to be taken care by the Tour Escort. Check in and checkout of groups is a long drawn procedure and Escorts needs to ensure the comfort of the group during this proceess. 3) Logistics of the tour - They have to deal with many suppliers along the way and they are responsible to ensure that all the suppliers fulfil their obligations as per the agreements between tour operators and the suppliers. All the promised services must be provided by the suppliers such as hotels, guides, transport, and so on. 4) Itinerary – Escorts must ensure that the tour itinerary is followed and everything mentioned in the tour brochure is arranged and delivered. There is no deviation 175

without any emergency. 5) Safety and security – Safety of the tourists during the trip lies with the Escort since she/ he knows the region, unlike the tourist. One way of ensuring safety is to give each guest a badge with important phone number and address, so that no one is lost. Safety of baggage of the tourist is also the responsibility of the escort. 6) Assisting tourists shop in the town – Tourists enjoying buying souvenirs and shopping in the destination is to be assisted by the escort so that the tourist is not fooled by touts and unscrupulous shop owners. 7) Accessible and approachable – Tour escorts job is to put the tourists at ease during the journey so as to give them a great experience. They are also responsible for the spiritual and material well being of all members of the group so as to ensure that you have a good time. 8) Medical Assistance – It is important for the escort to be aware of any medical condition of the tour group members so that she/ he are ready for any medical emergency that may happen. Escorts must have with them the name and phone number of doctors at each destination the tour group is visiting, to ensure that medical help if needed will be provided to the guests. 9) Complaints– In spite of all support guests may have complaints and it is best to resolve them before the tour is over so that the guests leaves town with pleasant memories and the tour company benefits from word of mouth publicity. 10) Emergencies – Escort must be ready to handle emergency situation like the loss of a passport, theft, death of a group member, medical emergency, situation wherein one group member is left behind and so on. Escorts must always have contingency plans ready with them. 11) Seeing off – Customer experience Management says that the last interaction with service providers and sites is what one retains the most after any tour. Escort needs to see the tour group off at the airport or railways station as it may be. The baggage of the guests must also be counted to ensure that the trip winds up on a good note. History of Tourism-II Qualities of a Tour Escorts Tour Escorts routinely stays with new group of guests for a long period of time. To forge a friendly relationship with new group of people every few days and to ensure that they have an enjoyable stay, takes special effort and quality since tourists want their Tour Escorts to be both a leader and friend. To be a tour escort one:  needs excellent communication skills and cheerful personality to interact with new group of visitors and put them at ease,  should have organizational ability, logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions/ conclusions/ approaches to problems.  must have a great helping attitude and adjusting nature, so as to act in relation to others’ actions.  financial acumen is also important as the expenses during the tour needs to be maintained by the tour escort,  must have the ability of active listening to understand what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as 176

appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times,  should be physically fit to ensure that she/ he is able to participate in the physical activities during the tour and also ensure the safety of the guests,  must be able to respond calmly to such crises as airline strikes and bus breakdowns; and  must be a good student of Time Management as the tour must follow a time frame and tour escort will be managing not only one’s own time but also the time of others. Escorting a Tour Tour Escorting involves careful preparation, organising, planning and management. The Tour Escort needs to make plans even before the tour starts. Let us discuss these actions in detail. 1) Preparation –  Learn about the tour - the route and destinations of the tour,  Collect information regarding the suppliers who will be used during the tour,  Find out about the origin of the guests and if they have any special needs; and  Collect the set of information that needs to be shared with the group members 2) Organising -  Get checklists related to the travel ready, to ensure that even smallest detail pertaining to travel is not forgotten or missed.  Tour itinerary along with the vouchers, if any, must be collected from Tour Guide and Escorts the tour company  Welcome speech should be planned which needs to be crisp, informative yet punctuated with humour and few travel tips . 3) Planning -  Plan tour with interesting events to make it unique. For example - Scholars / Academicians of certain specified area of study like music, art, history can be arranged as speakers for some expert opinion  Plan in a manner that cultural shock of tourists is taken care of and the events and site visits planned do not offend any of the guests. 4) Management -  Time management is the most important part of the tour management since everything is time bound  Ensure ways to handle natural calamities or disasters and be ready with a contingency plan  Manage any kind of emergency that might occur like – missing group member, missing a connecting flight or train, and so on Tour Guiding Guides are tourism professionals that lead their guests through the most interesting parts of their region. It is their task to entertain visitors to their region and to help them to interpret the sights that they are visiting. They help tourists to have a positive experience and take care of their guests as good as they can. This module teaches you on how to become such a professional 177

guide and shows you how to develop the skills and relevant information that you will need to work as a guide. Guides have a multitude of options. They might want to work in a museum, a castle or in a comparable object. Alternatively, they can also work outdoors as a nature guide, archeology guide or city guide. In all this functions guides are responsible for planning and organizing tours. Communication is their most important tool to ensure a fantastic experience for their guests. It is important to be aware of cultural differences between visitors and to know about possible sources of noise that might disturb the interaction with guests. Amuse visitors by telling interesting and funny stories and respond in a proactive way to their complaints and requests. Always make sure that you have enough information and knowledge about the subject of your tour and ensure the safety and happiness of your guests. Prepare well for a tour by taking care of appropriate clothing and gear. As a guide, you are not only responsible for your guests, but you also need to consider other stakeholders. Stakeholders are all groups of people that are affected by the company or that might affect the company. It is important for the future of your firm that you are a responsible partner who cares about the environment of the business. A sustainable future of the business without such an ethical attitude is not possible in the end. This also means that you need to take care about nature and the environment. In recent years guides have faced a new kind of competition. Internet and mobile technology enable everyone with a smartphone to guide themselves through a city or region without mission a single bit of information. People can simply download an app and start the tour. Guidebooks have been around for many years and offer information in a written form about cities and other sights as well. Guides need to be aware of this (indirect) competition and need to continuously convince guests to tour sights with them instead of doing so on their own. Guides can do this for example by acting in a hospitable and enthusiastic way. If you are skilled in this you will do a great job competing with an app! Another option guides face if whether they want to work as an employee or as an entrepreneur. While the risks as an entrepreneur are larger, you enjoy independence and flexibility. Before 178

starting your own business it is recommended to write a business plan. This forces you to think about the future of your company and to think about the choices you will face regarding business aspects such as marketing or finance. Writing a business plan also assesses the commercial viability of your ideas. Innovation is an important aspect for every entrepreneur. Guides are no exception to that. It is important to be aware of other innovative ideas that are used in the tourism industry. The use of innovation management techniques such as brainstorming will enhance the innovativeness of your organization. Marketing and promotion are also very important to attract customers. For instance, you might want to use social media, brochures and advertisements in this regard. In the end, this module enables you to create an unforgettable travel experience for your guests. The module consists of six sections, which are in turn divided into units. The first section describes general guiding techniques that are relevant for all guides. After this the reader can choose. Section two is about city and village guides. Section three elaborates upon museum, castle and defense line guiding, while section four describes archeology guiding. Section five is about nature guiding. The last section is again of general nature and helps you write your own business plan, so that you can apply your skills as an entrepreneur. 10.3 SUMMARY  In recent years guides have faced a new kind of competition. Internet and mobile technology enable everyone with a smartphone to guide themselves through a city or region without mission a single bit of information  Tour Escorting involves careful preparation, organising, planning and management. The Tour Escort needs to make plans even before the tour starts.  Tour escort, at times also referred to as tour leader is a professional who specializes in meet & greet clients and escort them in the destination, assisting guests, regulate and manage the timing of the group  A package tour itinerary may be divided into five types with the primary objective of reminding the duties and responsibilities of different stakeholders involved in organising a package. 179

 The major difference between a Tourist Guide and Tour Escort is that a Tourist Guide is a licensed Professional while Tour Escort may or may not be licensed. In India we find three licensing authority for Tourist guides and we can classify guides based on the licensing authority. 10.4 KEYWORDS  Packages- An easy and popular way to travel is by buying packages. These often include accommodation, travel and some meals.  indirect air carrier: generally synonymous with charter tour operator. A tour operator, travel agent, or other promoter who (under federal regulations) contracts for charter space from a carrier for resale to the public. In theory, indirect air carriers act as independent, risk-taking entrepreneurs, promoting their own product  info-mediaries: Organisations which provide websites/electronic guides as an information resource, sharing other resources such as web links to organisations that sell tourism/travel. The infomediary may be an organisation or company in its own right, or may form part of an individual company's or organisation's customer service  Information systems: Systems that use information technology to capture, transmit, store, retrieve, manipulate, or display information.  Infrastructure: Construction needed to support economic development. 10.5 LEARNING ACTIVITY 1. Define a tour escort ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 2. Define a city guide ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 180

10.6 UNIT END QUESTIONS A. Descriptive Questions Short Questions 1.What are the functions of tour escorts? 2. What are roles of a tour manager ? 3. What is the difference between tour guide and tour escort ? 4. What is the difference between a Guide and an Escort? 5. What are the types of guide based on licensing authority? Long Questions 1. Explain why people take up tour guiding as a profession ? 2. How can tour guides enhance tourist experience? 3. What expectations do tourists have from tour guides ? 4. Describe how good tour guides can boost tourism development in a region ? 5. What does a cityguide do ? B. Multiple Choice Questions 1.The first tourism policy was implemented in India a) 1980 b) 1981 c) 1982 d) 1983 2. Which travellor are more Economy oriented a) Budget b) Vacationers 181

c) Moderates d) None of these. 3. Which travelers give less priority to comfort and safety a) Budget b) Adventures c) Moderates d) Hand bodies 4. Which type of travellor are not interested in travel information. a) Moderates b) Adventures c) Home bodies d) None of these. 5. A person is considered to be a resident in a country if the person has lined for ---- in the country. a) 6 months b) One year c) 8 months Answers 1-c, 2-a, 3-b, 4-c, 5-b 10.7 REFERENCES References book 182

Munhurrun, P. R & Naidoo, P. (2011). Residents' attitude toward perceived tourism benefits. International Journal of Management and Marketing Research, 4(3), 45-56. Plog, S. (2001). Why destination areas rise and fall in popularity. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 42(3), 13-24. Rickly-Boyd, J. M. (2012). Authenticity & aura: a Benjaminian approach to tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 39(1), 269-289. Romeril, M. (1985). Tourism and the Environment - Towards a Symbolic Relationship. International Journal of Environmental Studies , 25 (4), 215-218. Sabo, H. M. (2012). Ecotourism in Rodna Mountains National Park. Research Journal of Agricultural Science, 44(2), 226-232. Simmons, D. (1994). Community participation in tourism planning. Tourism management, 15(2), 98-108. doi: 10.1016/0261-5177(94)90003-5 Websites  https://www.swisscontact.org/_Resources/Persistent/2/1/c/f/21cfcb269586d51c4003a 3cde9feded23f309cc6/Participant_Guide_Mod_1_Print_Version.pdf 183

UNIT – 11 ITINERARY PLANNING STRUCTURE 11.0 Learning objectives 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Itinerary Planning of a tour package as a tour guide/ an escort (GIT & FIT) 11.3 Summary 11.4 Keywords 11.5 Learning Activity 11.6 Unit End Questions 11.7 References 11.0 LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this unit, you will be able to:  Explain about itinerary planning  Identify the key components for itinerary  Understand the processfor itinerary preparation 11.1 INTRODUCTION An itinerary is a key and significant component of a tour package. It may be an initial itinerary or a final itinerary. Basically it is designed to identify the origin, destination and all the enroute stopping points along with the transportation, accommodation and other services on a travelers trip an itinerary has various portions and these portions are known as segments. Practically, these segments are dependent on the type of journey undertaken by the tourist. Moreover, 184

itinerary shows the sequence of the various tour ingredients and provides essential information such as assembling point, departure point, days of departure, duration of a tour, legal requirements, features of a destinations, optional activities, and meal and perhaps can be called as a central point for the success of a tour company. To be more effective tour company needs to develop separate and distinctive itineraries for the tourists, tour managers, tour escorts, vendors and tourist itineraries. The key features of tour itinerary include:  Grass roots travel using all forms of local public transport where possible.  Using small scale locally owned accommodation and homestays were available and using local Restaurants and markets for dining.  Employing western leaders who facilitate the company’s values to travellers and local communities, educating them in sustainable tourism practices. Intrepid also employ local guides to aid travellers understanding of local culture and etiquette. 185

11.2 ITINERARY PLANNING OF A TOUR PACKAGE AS A TOUR GUIDE/ AN ESCORT (GIT & FIT) Types of Itinerary A package tour itinerary may be divided into five types with the primary objective of reminding the duties and responsibilities of different stakeholders involved in organising a package to such as tour managers, vendors, coach drivers, interpreter, escorts and guides. Thus, the five types of itinerary can be tourist’s itinerary, tour manager’s itinerary, escort or guide’s itinerary, vendor’s itinerary and coach driver’s itinerary. Another classification of itinerary may also be done keeping in mind the needs of tourists and convenience of tour operators such as GIT itinerary, FIT itinerary, Tailor-made itinerary and special interest itinerary. Let us now learn the nature of these types in detail. Classification to remind individual responsibilities: z Tourists’ itinerary Tourists’ itinerary is given to a particular tourist for his reference as part of the package tour. A tourist expects the tour to be organised as per the itinerary mentioned in the package tour he/she has purchased. For planners MODULE – 6A 27 Itinerary Planning and Tour Packaging TOURISM Travel and Tour Operation Bussiness Notes it is important to check its feasibility. Generally planners organise FAM trips in advance to have the feel of the itinerary and identify the limitations and they are rectified before they are incorporated into a package tour and made available for the reference of the tourists. Hence tour planners should take into consideration various aspects such as purpose of tour, budget, accommodation, transportation, choice of destinations and attractions, activities at destinations, legal issues, host and guest behaviour and so on. They may also keep certain things as optional. Basically, a tourist itinerary is a reference for the tourist to follow during his journey like points of halt, hotel, time taken between two points, meal plans, activities, attractions to visit etc. apart from arrival and departure points/time and check-in check-out time. Tour operators are expected to strictly follow the itinerary. If they intend to change or modify it that should be only in the interest of safety and security of the guests. And they should take their client into confidence before doing that. Tour manager’s itinerary The role of tour manager is crucial to any package tour as he/she has to perform different duties from planning to actual operation of the tour continously on the spot. Professional expertise, knowledge of different travel issues, crisis management and his/her own personal experiences matter a lot in organising a tour. Tour manager’s itinerary includes the complete details of the whole tour from day one to the last day. Apart from the 186

general details as listed in a tourist’s itinerary a tour managers itinerary also carries information about alternative arrangements, contact details, quick references, differential rates and tariff details, details of coach drivers and escorts and guides. This helps him/her to have complete control over the smooth conduct of the tour as well as to execute contingency plans if required at times. Escort or guide’s itinerary An escort or guide should know in detail where the group is being taken to, what activities and events are to be organised, time management of the tour and other group details. Vast experience, knowledge of practical ground difficulties, presence of mind and readiness to handle crisis of an escort or guide adds to the successful conduct of a tour. The escorts being physically with the group/tourist all through the journey, they are more than expected to deliver and keep the image of the company in high esteem. Vendor’s itinerary Vendors play a major role in delivering what is mentioned in the clients itinerary. Hence it is unavoidable but to be aware of the specific parts of the itinerary so as to make the necessary arrangements in advance and delivery to the fullest satisfaction of the guests when they arrive at their TOURISM MODULE – 6A Itinerary Planning and Tour Packaging 28 Travel and Tour Operation Bussiness Notes place. For instance, a hotel may organise a surprise welcome event when the group arrives as per the nature of the group and time of arrival, may offer special services and enhance the service satisfaction and value addition. It is possible only if the vendors know at least the specific part of clients itinerary which is expected from them. z Coach driver’s itinerary A typical coach driver’s itinerary includes group arrival point and time, pickup points and time, turn around points, restricted areas of driving, sightseeing activities, other entertainment activities, parking spaces, entry points, drop-in points all with specific time. For instance, it may be seen that at places a driver is asked to drive slow which is mentioned in his itinerary so that tourist may have a better view of a monument and take photographs. A copy of the client’s itinerary resembles a coach driver’s itinerary with the above mentioned additional informations. This helps the driver in coordinating with the escort and managing the group. Step 1 – Research other tours in the market place Careful planning is required when developing an itinerary for your tour. A helpful exercise is to take a tour which will be similar to the tour you wish to develop and obtain copies of other tour brochures for comparison. This will help you develop ideas for your tour, give you an idea of what is already in the market, give you 187

detailed information on terms and conditions and provide possible ideas for brochure design and its content. Step 2 – Name your tour: ........................................................ Step 3 – Map out the duration, frequency and departure point of your tour When will your tour depart? ................ am/pm When will your tour return? ................ am/pm How often will your tour operate? ................ per/ wk Where will the central departure point be? ................ Will you offer accommodation pick up? Yes No Step 4 – List the major locations and highlights of your tour Where will your tour travel to? MODULE – 6A 29 Itinerary Planning and Tour Packaging TOURISM Travel and Tour Operation Bussiness Notes What are the main highlights that visitors are going to experience? z .................................................................................................................... z .................................................................................................................... z ................................................................................................................... z .................................................................................................................... z .................................................................................................................... z .................................................................................................................... Step 5 – Research your tour content and commentary List the main topics you wish to include in your commentary, such as flora, fauna, history, culture, as well as the main points to consider with each of these topics and the resources you will use to find the information. Topic Main points to consider Resource Step 6 – List any third party activities, attractions, entrance fees and inclusions List any activities offered by other companies or entrance fees and determine if they will be included in your tour price or offered as extras. For example cruises, bike rides, entry into national parks, caves etc... Description Supplier Details Cost per Included in price of activity Person YES/NO 188

TOURISM MODULE – 6A Itinerary Planning and Tour Packaging 30 Travel and Tour Operation Bussiness Notes Step 7 – Obtain permission to access private and public properties Whether you are passing through, stopping for meals or visiting attractions, it is imperative that you obtain permission in writing from the property owner prior to accessing any private property. If travelling through property managed by the Department of Environment and Conservation, you will need to apply for a Commercial Operator’s License. If your itinerary includes entering Aboriginal Land, restricted area you will be required to apply for Entry Permits for which you will need to gain access approval. Step 8 - Perfecting your tour timing It is crucially important to map out your tour itinerary accurately to ensure that you arrive on time for activity and meal stops and return to your original destination at a reasonable time. Stops Time Location Type of stop – scenic, meal, activity Start Stop one Stop two Stop three End Step 9 – Test driving your tour itinerary It is very important to do several ‘try runs’ of your tour itinerary to ensure you get the timing right. It is also a good idea to invite people who have some knowledge of the industry and are prepared to give you constructive comments, to do a tour. Itinerary For Git And Fit Tours GIT A Group Inclusive Tour itinerary religiously follows the fixed itinerary and adheres to schedule. Any GIT package tour has no other option but follow it. The reason behind it that there is no scope for alterations as it is attached to several other pre-arrangements. Any change in the existing itinerary will cause complete disturbance in the total tour and affect the entire distribution channel. Services of a package tour along the itinerary like hotel room, cars, guide, flight, event entry etc. are fixed much in advance and any modification results in chaos and the entire schedule spoils. Then it becomes very difficult for operator as well as supplier to rectify or rearrange schedule. Immediate alternative changes may not be possible and it incurs loss for all the participants in the process. Groups with specific travel limits or individuals being part of such groups may tend to prefer such itinerary based tours since this also works on cost benefits to them. FIT Foreign Independent Tour itinerary leaves enough room for modifications. In a sense it is flexible and may help clients meet their personal requirements. 189

Clients may ask the operator to make certain changes as per their interest and preferred activities. Operators may do the needful against the availability of flights, trains, vacant rooms and other services. Such an itinerary lends good space for tourists to do activities of their personal choice and interest. An immediate change in the schedule and alternate arrangement is possible here unlike GIT. Thus independent travellers prefer FIT tours as there is a lot of scope for additions and deletions to the itinerary. But such a flexibility always comes with an additional price. Types of tour itinerary An itinerary is a day to day plan of a journey. It includes all the activities and destinations that the tourist will engage in or visit during his or her journey. An itinerary is generally based on a client profile. A client profile gives the travel agent an idea of the person or persons they are drawing up a tour plan for. A tourist route that includes visits to various historical sites, places of cultural interest, or natural attractions—an itinerary undertaken for cultural, educational, health, or sports purposes. Tour itineraries may be worked out by tourist agencies and organizations or by the tourist’s they. In terms of their directional orientation, the various types of itineraries include linear, circular, and radial ones. Itineraries are also distinguished in terms of mode of travel—for example, walking, cycling, automotive means, or water transport; in terms of time of tour operation—year-round, seasonal, or one-time itineraries; and in terms of the different arrangements that may be involved for group and individual itineraries. Tourists may follow organized, or pre-planned, tour routes (on the basis of tourist 4 organization travel vouchers), or they may work out their own independent itineraries. Organized tour routes are specially designed and equipped to offer tourists such services as excursions, tourist centers, and camp sites. There are essentially two types of itineraries: 1. A General Itinerary that is aimed at and marketed to a wide variety of clients. It is an open itinerary taking in to consideration a wide range of Interest. 2. A Personalized Itinerary that is specially drawn up for a specific client according to that clients needs and interests. The following information should be kept in mind when planning an itinerary:  Always have an interesting and attractive heading for your itinerary  Show the date and time clearly  You must draw special attention to your highlights  Always break your itinerary up into paragraphs with new dates  Provide as much information about the attractions and activities included in your tour plan, as possible  Always us the 24 hour clock,  Allow sufficient time for each highlight  Place each highlight in logical order. 190

Remember you need to save your client traveling time and cost  Try to finish each day with a special highlight, if possible  Distance must be realistic, try to use the 100km per hour rule  Never make promises in your description that you may not be able to keep, (e.g. Don't say, “you will enjoy a glorious sunny day at the beach”, it could pour with rain on that day). To avoid this , provide the Client with alternative that they could pursue if the plans have to change. Contents  Write clearly and to the point.  The client must want to travel immediately to their preferred destination when they read your itinerary.  It must however leave the client wanting to travel in order to discover the destination for them.  Give them just enough information to wet their appetite.  Never use the word etc in an itinerary  If your itinerary is for five days or more, you can include one day at leisure but be sure to suggest a variety of things to do on that day, that would match the clients profile  You must be clear about accommodation, transport, attractions, and activities that the tourist is paying for. 5 The itineraries may be ready-made or made on request. The ready-made itineraries are made in advance without knowing when and who will buy. It is similar to produce clothes, shoes and display in a shop. It is prepared to suit maximum number of potential travelers. It must be salable and should be focused on the potential market segmentation. While preparing ready- made itinerary, a travel agent should consider its capacity, market, marketing strategy, competitor's policy, future company policy, pricing policy etc. They are used for packaging tours, so these are also known as package tours. Special or tailor-made itineraries are made on request to suit the individuals. They are made on request or on demand of the particular customer. While preparing these types of itineraries, two way communications is possible so that we can ask and prepare as per the requirement. In this type of itinerary, duration, places of visit, date, hotel plan, type of service required is known. We know who and when will buy the tour. Tour itinerary may be prepared on the basis of the following points. * Single or multiple destinations: To include only one destination or to include more than one destination in one itinerary. * Special interest package: For example adventure package, cultural package, holiday package, etc. * Tour package: An itinerary prepared for pleasure, relax. * Travel package: An itinerary specially for travel. * Outbound package: An itinerary prepared for domestic tourists to visit foreign countries. * Inbound package: An itinerary prepared for foreigners to visit our country. * Domestic tours: An itinerary prepared for local people to visit own country. The above package types show that itineraries can be of different types. It can be prepared for different purposes also. An itinerary prepared for manager includes itinerary of different clients. Manager wants to know over all happenings at a time. Transport itinerary includes only 191

transport element to book transport or to inform driver. Tour guide itinerary includes all details points to visit. Guest itinerary includes detail description of the destination, interesting points, some do's and don'ts. Its objective is to motivate tourists to involve in tour. Tinerary Prepration And Tour Packaging Bttm 302 Tour Itinerary Arrangements -Accommodation: All accommodation used by Trendsetters Travel is screened for quality. The following criteria are of utmost importance for our hotel selection: cleanness, safety, comfort & location. We will be able to secure excellent accommodation group rates on your behalf no matter what destination you select. -Flights: Since the most expensive component in traveling is usually the flights, we take care to get as many quotations as possible for each tour. We have good relationships with all major airlines and are able to secure the best available group fares. - Transportation: We only use good quality, modern air-conditioned executive coaches. We include all necessary empty runs, driver’s accommodation & meals. -Meals: Our programs will include all breakfasts as standard. However we can also include other meals (lunches and dinners) as per your requirements. -Excursions: One of the most important aspects on each tour is to allow the learners to see and experience as much as possible in the foreign country! Each itinerary will include various excursions as per your requirements. Your Trendsetters consultant will be more than happy to assess your needs and make recommendations for suitable excursions. -School visits / University visits: We usually include one or two school visits or University visits to our academic tour itineraries. From experience we have learned that this is often one of the highlights on a tour, especially if the learners have the opportunity to interact with the foreign students. These visits do not only broaden their horizons in terms of cultural exposure but it is often very enjoyable to all tour participants. -Matches: An important element of a successful sports tour requires fixtures against teams with similar skills and of equal strength. Through our relationships with local schools and clubs we will source evenly matched competition. Our clients range from professional senior sides to social teams, universities, clubs and schools. A typical international sports tour lasts 2 weeks and includes 3 to 6 fixtures (depending of the sporting discipline). - Training sessions & coaching sessions: At Trendsetters Travel we realize that the purpose of a sports tour is not only to compete in fixtures and have a great time, but naturally to improve the team as a whole and to learn new tactics, movements and skills. That is the reason why all our sport itineraries will include training sessions at top facilities. In addition to this we have fantastic contacts with many 192

professional coaches in foreign countries and we would be pleased to organize professional coaching sessions for your group. - Host families / Billeting: Upon request, we can add a few nights of billeting (staying with host families) in the foreign destination. The billeting does not only add value to the group’s learning experience but would also expose the group to the local customs and cultures and give them the opportunity to socialize with their opponents and peers on a personal level. - Special interest groups: We often encounter a group that has a special interest or unique requirements. We find it challenging and rewarding to plan customized itineraries around your needs…even if your request is really something out of the ordinary! We will arrange that art lesson for you in an artist’s studio in the middle of the lavender fields of France, organize that cooking lesson for you in the eautiful countryside of Tuscany or arrange anything to satisfy your equirements, regardless of how outrageous and eccentric they are. - Guides: Trendsetters Travel includes a tour guide on all our tours to ensure that the highest level of quality is maintained throughout the trip. - Comprehensive group travel Insurance: It is compulsory to take out travel insurance on all our tours. Trendsetters Travel strongly suggests that you consider groups insurance instead of individual insurance to minimize administration. We offer comprehensive group travel insurance through AIG Insurance as standard on all our youth tours. However, the choice of suppliers remains with the client. Please note that the AIG gold package that we offer covers medical emergencies, baggage, third party liability and lost travel documents. For more information please. - Tour Fundraising: We know that very few teachers or coaches have time to devote to fundraising. Therefore we have partnered with an events company that will be happy to assist you with any fundraising projects. The responsibility of organizing an event or fundraising project will remain with this company and they will take the burden from your shoulders while you can simply reap the benefits. - Passports & visa requirements: Our tour quotation will clearly reflect if a visa is necessary for the specific destination, and if so, what the costs of the visa will be. In addition to this, we will give you the exact requirements for the visa application as well as advice on the procedures, duration and the application forms. However, with the majority of countries it is now compulsory to apply for a visa in person and therefore we cannot take responsibility to obtain the visa on your behalf. Likewise we can advice you on the most effective way to apply for a passport, but unfortunately we cannot apply for a passport on your behalf. -Safety & security: At Trendsetters Travel, we take the welfare of each and every participant on our tours very seriously. Just as we work tirelessly to provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences to teachers, coaches and learners, we are equally committed to 193

ensuring that all of our travelers return home safely. Our safety and support infrastructure has been a cornerstone of our business and it is of utmost importance to us. -Tour presentation: Trendsetters Travel would be thrilled to do a comprehensive presentation at your premises. From experience we have learned that a presentation is very effective to get buy-in from the parents and create excitement amongst the players as we include multi-media and pictures 10 from each destination and excursion. Since we offer this presentation free of charge and with no obligation, it is a simple way to ‘test the waters’ even if you are just considering an international tour. -Tour Costs: It is extremely important to us to quote within your budget constraints whatever that may be. Our quotes will clearly display all the inclusions and exclusions to avoid hidden costs and unpleasant surprises later on. We offer value for money and give you the best price without sacrificing quality. - Service to our clients: Our company policy is to focus on the quality instead of the quantity of tours. Each and every client is important to us and you can be assured of service excellence throughout the process. - Tour marketing: The likelihood of an international tour very often depends on the amount of enthusiasm that the teacher or coach can create (and maintain) within the group. For this reason, Trendsetters Travel would be happy to assist you as much as possible in ways to advertise the tour, keep the group in high spirits and motivated about the tour. Whether it is tour posters, pictures, the multi-media presentation, tour competitions, tour riddles or whatever it takes to maintain enthusiasm until you board your flight! - Contract with school / club: The organizing teacher or coach will sign a contract on behalf of the school / club. This ensures that all parties involved are aware of the terms and conditions necessary to ensure that safety and accountability are maintained throughout the trip. As soon as the contract is executed and deposits are paid, we immediately begin organising the tour to ensure that learners get the best tour possible. We purchase airline tickets, make hotel deposits, and arrange all other elements of the trip so that the tour is not coordinated in haste. Significance of Tour Itinerary Tourism is concerned with pleasure, holidays, travel and going or arriving somewhere. The activity of tourism is intimately dependent upon travel motivations. In fact, to make travel possible, it is the tour Programme, which plays most important role in travel motivation. Itinerary as a detailed tour program that enables the destination to be reached. Many writers like Boorstin and Baudrillard have said that tourism through guided groups yields better results in terms of a destination success and customer delight. As a consequence all the persons involved in guides tours or packaged tours viz. tourist entrepreneurs, professionals and the local people have more responsibility towards tourists, destination and the host 194

environment. The role played by itineraries can be explained by the following diagram. According to Leiper, (1990) itineraries provide not only the information to the travelers to reach the destination, but also the intermediate places which may be visited enroute. Today’s travelers are accustomed to flexibility. With do-ityourself travel tools readily available and very much the norm for booking leisure travel, its understandable employees have come to expect the same when planning business travel. They rely on the ability to do the research, know the options and make informed travel decisions all on their own. And, they appreciate the ability to change plans when the need arises. Itinerary brings added flexibility, convenience and assurance to your employees throughout the travel planning process: Flexibility: Because travelers can calculate the costs of itinerary changes with Online Ticket Exchange, they’re empowered to make informed decisions while experiencing the flexibility to change travel plans as they see fit – all without picking up the telephone. Convenience: With Hold Trips, travelers experience the convenience of shopping and reserving airline seats, hotel rooms and rental cars even before trip details are finalized. Assurance: Pre Trip Approval is added assurance for travelers that their making the right moves on behalf of the company – all facilitated online and automatically. Simplicity: Travelers can research costs and exchange tickets online with a few simple clicks, hold itineraries without driving fees and receive prompt pre-trip approval. This also brings simplicity to travel managers' day-to-day responsibilities by automating features that typically required travel agency intervention. Employee Satisfaction: Travelers are empowered to make or change travel plans as needed Role of Itineraries Traveller Departing Tourist Tourist Generating Transit route regions Destination Regions Returning tourist Region Cost Savings : More cost savings as more transactions are moved online Compliance: Because travelers are working within an online system backed by powerful rules engines, multiple checks and balances are automatically in place to ensure policy compliance. Control: Travel managers experience more control over program process with the ability to set and enforce policies online when it comes to exchanging, holding and approving travel itineraries. 195

11.3 SUMMARY  We have familiarised you with certain details regarding the Itinerary and Travel Plan: definition, differentiation, scope and Significance management and day-to-day functions in a tour operator company. It is essential for a tour operator to first gain knowledge about the market conditions and then acquires product knowledge. The Unit also dealt with certain aspects like defining itinerary, types of itineraries scope and briefings, etc. which at the surface may appear to you as something trivial but you must remember that these are all vital issues as far ,as customer satisfaction is concerned and cannot be taken lightly in a tour operation industry. These are equally important for managers, supervisory staff as well as employees. This is basic unit and in subsequent units You should again more knowledge related with tour package , different types of package related- special interest tour packages and so fourth. 11.4 KEYWORDS  Fam Tour itinerary - Familiarization tour for travel agents or journalists planned and executed by a destination or region, usually in cooperation with an international airline.  Group Tour itinerary - A prearranged, prepaid travel program for a group usually including transportation, accommodation.  DMO Destination Marketing Organization – an organization dedicated to developing and marketing tourism, typically defined by a geographic or political area such as a town, city or region.  Consolidator : Someone who puts all the ground components of a package together. For example, bus, activities, accommodation, programming  Off-site management: Provision of pre-visit (or otherwise off-site) educational and interpretive materials to raise awareness of management issues and encourage minimal impact behaviour. 196

11.5 LEARNING ACTIVITY 1. What do you understand by itinerary ? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 2. What is a general itinerary? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 11.6 UNIT END QUESTIONS A. Descriptive Questions Short Questions 1. Describe the tour itinerary concept. Discuss various types of itineraries 2. Define tour itinerary. Explain the scope of tour itinerary. 3. What do you mean by a tour itinerary? Discuss the significance of tour itinerary. 4. “Over the years the concept and definition of itinerary has been changed many fold” illustrate. 5. Explain the two main types of itineraries. Long Questions 1.Write a note on evolution of itierary. 2. Write a note on pre‐designed tour itinerary. 3. Write a note on special interest tourism. 4. Write a note on FIT and GIT. 5. Write a note on tour costing.. 197

11.7 REFERENCES References book Doxey, G, V, (1975). A causation theory of visitor-resident irritants; Methodology and research inferences. Evans, N., Campbell., B & Stonehouse, G. (2003). Strategic Management for Travel and Tourism. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Freeman, R. E. (1983). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Advances in Strategic Management, 1, 31-60. Websites  https://www.swisscontact.org/_Resources/Persistent/2/1/c/f/21cfcb269586d51c4003a 3cde9feded23f309cc6/Participant_Guide_Mod_1_Print_Version.pdf 198

UNIT – 12 MANAGING TOUR GUIDING STRUCTURE 12.0 Learning Objectives 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Preparation for Tour, Conducting Domestic, Inbound & Outbound tour, Strategies for managing group behavior, multi-cultural groups, Managing and dealing difficult circumstances, complaints &questions, Managing documentation and feedback 12.3 Summary 12.4 Keywords 12.5 Learning Activity 12.6 Unit End Questions 12.7 References 12.0 LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this unit, you will be able to: 12.1 INTRODUCTION According to the UN World Trade Organization, there are three kinds of tours - domestic, inbound, and outbound - and thus three kinds of tour operators who hire tour directors. Many companies offer both domestic and outbound tours. Domestic tours involve residents of the given country traveling only within their own country. Tours offered in this country could be national parks tours, Mississippi river boat cruises, autumn colors tours in the Rockies or the northeast, southwestern U.S. tours, Hawaii tours, Alaska tours, Pacific northwest tours, southern hospitality tours, train tours, the options are endless and the income potential for tour directors is substantial. The US is the second most 199

popular destination in terms of people visits, and the most lucrative market in terms of income. TDs who work for domestic tour operators have the potential of wending their way around the country on a variety of tours, or, if repeating the same tour, of watching the different seasons come to a particular area or park with each visit. Outbound Tour Operators take residents from one country to travel in another country. These tours take travelers all over the world and to every continent. Where do the tours go? The most popular place is Europe, but that's just a start on opportunities. Add to that the South Pacific, China, Australia, Patagonia, Antarctica, worldwide cruising, the Middle East. Where would you like to go? Inbound Tours involve non-residents traveling in another country. Companies that provide local assistance for tours arriving in their country or town are called Inbound or Receptive Tour Operators. They are commonly used on international trips, particularly where language issues are part of the mix. These companies make the local arrangements for airport pickup and delivery, arrange for activities, hire local guides, attend to all the details of the stay, and help in emergencies. A Receptive Tour Operator could be a ground transportation company, or a Destination Management Company (DMC). If you are working for a Receptive Tour Operator, you likely are a local who is working WITH the inbound tour, not FOR its tour company. If your tour is the Inbound Tour, for example traveling to Argentina, then you work with the local Receptive Tour Operator, who is handling the travel details for you, and can be counted on to speak really good Spanish if you can't. 12.2 PREPARATION FOR TOUR, CONDUCTING DOMESTIC, INBOUND & OUTBOUND TOUR, STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING GROUP BEHAVIOR, MULTI-CULTURAL GROUPS The operations of tours are the backbone of this trade. These operations primarily take place in both the fields of inbound tours and outbound tours. As managers in the trade you have to ensure that the work force efficiently handles the tasks. Inbound Tour Operations For some weeks, or even months, you and your office staff has worked to obtain the business from, and conduct administration for, a group of clients. When these tourists are about to arrive, you must ensure to deliver all that you have promised while negotiating for the group handling. This is the moment to fulfil expectations and to prove that 200