The terminology of a tour guide its self can be defined as : a person who is hired to conduct a traveler or tourist and point out objects of interest ( general sense of term ). The other definition, state that a tour guide is a person employed , either directly by the traveler, an official or private tourist or organization or a tours and travel agency, to inform, direct and advise the tourist before and during his journey ( the tourist point of view ).
According to the definition of a tour guide, we know that duty and responsibility of a tour guide include all activities related to the tourist activities started from tourist arrival to a country, tour activities until departure activities. In this case off course according to the tour package which is ordered and reserved by a tourist. If we talk about tourist, actually it can be divided into individual tourist ( more familiar with terminology FIT or free individual tourist ) and group tourist ( more familiar with terminology GIT or group inclusive tourist ). In giving this category, we can use an instrument type of transportation is used by tourist. For example, if we use private car, we can say that it is an individual tourist. But if we use bus with many capacities ( 28 seats, 40 or 45 seats, and 54 seats ) we can say that they are group tourists. In this case, actually many consideration, to determine a certain tourist included in individual or group. For example, according to the airliner rules : a total of passenger can be said as a group if fulfill number of passengers are 15 person or more. Even the airliner policy of group category is changed, from 15 persons to 20 person. And this policy is different between one airliner and other airliner.
Total of participants of a tour, have influence for facilities and services that is offered and given to the tourist. Beside that some step in giving service also different although in general there is not different in service. It is caused all of company which related to the tourist industry focus in client satisfaction so they never differ between individual or group tourist on condition that the tourist is satisfied.
Talk about tourists, it can be divided into domestic and foreign tourist. A domestic tourist can be defined that all persons who do traveling to tourist objects either part of them or whole tourist objects that spread out in a region, city, province or country of tourists them self. A foreign tourist can be defined that all persons who do traveling to tourist objects either part of them or whole tourist objects that spread out in a region, city, province or country out of tourists them self ( or with a simple term : tourists who visit tourist object which is in other country ). Either this domestic or foreign tourist, constitute a main aspect in developing a tourism industry with all components related such as transportation, accommodation, tourist object, tours and travel agency and others.
A tour guide as a part of a travel agency also a tourist object, have great roles in developing tourism in any scale either in regional or national. A tour guide has duty to inform about tourist objects and any point of interest in certain regions which spread out in whole country. In this case, he is also as a front liner in developing tourism who is expected to give the best services to the tourists so that they are feel satisfied and have willing to come back to this tourist object in other time. It is hoped that they can come back to the tourist destination not only come alone but also invite their friends, families or colleagues as a prove that they are really satisfied and impressed with the tourist destination that they visit. This is a real duty of a tour guide and this is not an easy duty but a heavy duty.
Role of tour Guide
Tour guides are referred as tourist guides in some country. A tour guide is a person who guides the visitors in the language of their choice. He leads a group of people around the museum, town, and important venue. Guides are representative of the cities for which they are qualified and they interpret the culture and heritage of the area.
Guide helps travelers to understand the culture of the region and the way of life its inhabitants. On one hand their role is to promote the cultural and natural heritage and on other hand making the visitors aware of its importance.
Guide provides full information about the features and history of the location. As the importance of places is known by the guide, he will educate and narrates you all the local stories, history and culture as and when the location comes. The importance is placed on the guide's knowledge; he will try his best to explain you in language you know. While traveling to next location guide entertain you, and gives you relevant information about the place where you will land up next.
On visiting any historical place, a guide with complete knowledge of that place is required. So that he narrate the history of that place in detail. If you move without a guide you will not come to know anything about the place and you will not understand what you are seeing and what does it means. Guide answers all your questions and you can gain lot of knowledge from him. Many times it happens that we ignore small things, but always a small thing contains a big story, so only guide can educate us about the place.
Before going for a trip you can ask your friends and relatives about the place who have been there. But to get the whole insight information it is better to appoint a guide. A guide helps you to know about the climatic condition, culture, language, specialty of the place and also helps us to buy the famous thing available there.