Tourist Guide
Tourist Guides are the one and probably the only professionals to welcome tourists on their first day of arrival and the last to bid them farewell. The guide’s role is to enhance visitors’ experience and be a walking ambassador for Ethiopia as a tourist destination.
Definition
Tourist Guides act as an ambassador of the country, 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.
Various international organizations such as the World Federation of Tourist Guides Associations (WFTGA) define a tourist guide as the person who guides visitors in the language of their choice and interprets the cultural and natural heritage of an area, which person may possess an area specific qualification. Such specifications are usually issued and/or recognized by the appropriate authority. A tourist guide is someone who points out the way and leads others on a trip or tour. Generally, a tourist guide will work at a specific location, city or province. In some cases, guides qualify to guide throughout an entire country.
Importance of Tourist Guides
The role and function of a guide is to organize, inform and entertain clients. Tourist guiding is a very crucial professional component of the tourism development chain and we Tourist Guides, play an essential role in making sure tourist visits to Ethiopia is repeated through creating and carrying positive image of our country. Thus, Tourist Guides are said to be the walking knowledge for tourists.
In Ethiopia, tourist guiding is a regulated profession governed by the Federal and regional legislation and policies. Any one, who, would like to become a tourist guide should join any institutions, colleges and/or universities and undergo tourism training as part of a formal qualification registered by federal or regional tourism governing bodies,
Key Skills for tourist guides
Potential tour guides should be fit and healthy with lots of energy and confidence, be able to work effectively without supervision, possess a calm ‘customer focused’ manner, and have excellent interpersonal skills.
