How can you become a travel guide?

Being a travel or tour guide these days has become a very promising career because the tourism industry is growing rapidly in some areas.

Travel guides do not need to be bilingual or know everything about the world. They do not need to always be knowledgeable about geography, history, and local culture. Though it counts to have all the facts about the location and having language abilities, guiding tours is more about managing and directing the people on the tours.

In short, anybody can start to become a travel guide if they want to, because anything can be learned from training and further experience in the field. However, if you decide to have a career in directing tours, you must be prepared to be working away from home for you are always on the road making money. Travel guiding is a way of life for some people.

The job of tour guides or tour directors is to manage the tour group. They make sure clients get what’s offered by the agencies and more. They also make sure that everyone shows up and manage everyone’s needs. They take care of the transportation and other tourist demands along the way.

Some programs may include a bit of education and background information but in fact, it is often scripted either by the agency or if you are savvy enough, you will be able to make your own speeches and presentations.

Travel guides coordinate the activities involved in the trip. It is rather essential to have an outgoing personality so you can make tours fun for the clients. Happy clients usually give tips and other incentives.

Travel guides should at least have these qualifications to become effective in their work:

-Good communication skills; Speaking in different tongues is a plus but not necessary

-A sense of adventure and an outgoing personality

-Strong appreciation for the place where you will be giving tours

-Enthusiasm and leadership

-Quick thinking and being able to deal with unpredictable situations like emergencies and mix-ups

Applying for travel guide positions is rather easy. All you have to do is find travel and tour agencies. The Internet is good way to start hunting. Research and inquire for the qualifications that are needed. Some may require training and other certifications; attend classes and get certification to boost your qualifications.

Travel directing and guiding can be categorized into different branches. Each has its own specialty and types of activities. Here are some of the common types of travel guide jobs:

Adventure Guide:

Basically, this includes outdoor excursions. These kinds of trips usually last longer and are more intense in terms of activity but offer more fun for the typical outdoors person. Hiking, rafting, climbing and other somewhat extreme activities are involved. For this type of job, a love of the outdoors is the most basic qualification.

Bus Tour Leader:

When you think of tour guides, this is usually what comes to mind. These guides specialize in showing scenery and landscape. They are usually well-versed in the history of a region. Guides of this type know lots of exciting and interesting facts to fill long driving spaces.

City Tour Leader:

These tour guides specialize in big and populated cities. They must know historic, architectural, and popular culture information about the town in which they hope to lead tours. These tours typically only last one day at the most.

Question by Oacar W: Travel-guide?
Does any one know how can I hire a one-day travel guide person in Seoul? I don’t really need a professional one, student from university will be fine.

Best answer:

Answer by Adam
Itaewon is an area in Seoul where lots of foriegners live. Lots of English speakers there. If you go there, there are some travel agents who can help get you a guide. Or just ask around. You’ll find something.

What do you think? Answer below!

Travel guides can help you plan the best vacation or holiday possible. However, if you don’t know how to use them for optimal effect, their benefits can be much less extraordinary. Knowing how to use a travel guide to get the most out of the information that it provides is definitely key. Below, we highlight a handful of very useful tips about using travel guides in the most beneficial way possible, making trip planning that much easier.

Start With An Overview Of The Area

Rather than honing in immediately on specific attractions in a region, try to take a broader approach right off the bat. Use travel guides to get a general feel for the area that you will be visiting; take your time and read a few travelogues about the region. If possible, look for well written, engaging pieces about the place you’ll be traveling too. Usually, travel guides do offer general overviews that describe the basic features of an area, including its climate, currency, culture and general statistics. Use this information to form a picture in your mind about what the place will probably be like; that way, you’ll have a better idea about what you’d like to focus on while there.

Narrow Your Focus

After getting a basic idea about your destination, start honing in on a couple of key places or attractions. Use a couple of different travel guides in order to get a feel for which attractions are considered the most significant or “must see” in the area, then read more detailed information about each. If you already have a certain kind of place you prefer – i.e., a beach or somewhere to go hiking – look for information about such attractions in the travel guide that you’re using.

Keep An Open Mind

Part of the joy of traveling is seeing and being exposed to different cultures and things that you otherwise never would be. Therefore, you should be willing to keep an open mind and seek out places that you might not normally be interested in. When reading travel guides, don’t skip over entire sections just because you think you’d certainly never be interested in the topic; instead, look at it as an opportunity to find out about something different. You might be surprised and come across an idea or suggestion that sounds really appealing, after all.

Seek A Second Opinion

Like many things, it’s never wise to base the things you’ll see during your trip on a single travel guide’s opinion. Try to use at least two or three different travel guides to get a better idea about what to see on your trip. Where one guide may downplay the fun of a particular attraction, another might give it rave reviews. The best way to get a well-rounded idea about what to see on your vacation is by consulting more than one travel guide.

Compile The Best Tips And Advice

While you certainly don’t want to print out every single article you read in a travel guide, it is smart to print out and save – or jot down – exceptionally good tidbits and pieces of advice. For instance, some guides might warn you to wear certain clothing when visiting an attraction; be sure to note this advice so you can refer to it down the road. Another travel guide might warn you against taking a certain route; make a note so that you don’t forget while you are on your trip. Keep all of this information in a small binder or another well organized place so it can easily be referred to when needed.

Watch Out For Outdated Information

The only major caveat to bear in mind when using a travel guide is that – even in today’s digital age – information can become outdated. Guides that feature pricing and specific times, for example, might not be accurate anymore. If you’re visiting a foreign country, its currency – or even its ruling government – could be completely different compared with what you read in a travel guide. Use travel guides as basic outlines for your trip, but never rely completely on them; remember that situations can change in the blink of an eye.

2011 Virginia travel guide released
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – The 2011 Virginia is for Lovers travel guide is now available.
Read more on The Victoria Advocate

Read more on AFP via Yahoo! News

Strategic Hotels & Resorts names new board chair
Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc. said Tuesday that its board named Rip Gellein Jr. as its chair effective immediately.

Read more on AP via Yahoo! News

In addition to providing excellent accommodation facilities, discount hotels in Canada offer ideal ambience and high standard of hospitality. Discount hotels in Canada provide advance reservations for room bookings and many of them are opened for online booking. Discount hotels in Canada are known for their higher standard of hospitality and perfect ambience. Canada discount hotels offer special rooms for physically challenged people so that there are no problems for such people.

Weather condition in Canada is conducive for travel and tourism. Ice skating is a popular sport during winters in Canada. Discount hotels in Canada possess facilities such as microwave, stove, dishwasher, large refrigerator with icemaker, waste-disposal and a wide variety of utensils amongst others. Additionally, Canada’s high-quality scientific and technological development is renowned throughout the world.

Canada Discount hotels not only provide attractive and accommodative stay, the stay is pleasing and economic. Room facilities are available round the clock in Canada. Discount hotels in Canada offer excellent range of accommodation services to travelers who flock in large numbers to various cities. Additionally, Discount hotels in Canada have well-furnished rooms. In addition to well-furnished rooms, Discount hotels in Canada have big screen TV’s, Video’s and Stereo CD’s – a full enjoyment package.

The high standard services offered by various discount hotels in Canada ensure that travelers have an unforgettable holiday experience in Canada. Tourists traveling to Canada can opt from plenty of options in terms of accommodation facilities in the country. Accommodation facilities in Canada are considered one of the best in North America; whereas discount hotels in Canada arecomfortable, these hotels are affordable at the same time.

Being an advanced industrial nation, research plays a key role for economic development of Canada. Fresh-water glaciers in the Canadian Rockies and the Coast Mountains make it one the loveliest place to live in. Water sports are quite popular among travelers who travel to Canada. Known for offering extensive range of standard accommodation facilities, discount hotels in Canada are ranked for hygiene and hospitality.

Tourist destinations in Canada including of Huntsville, Kitchener, London, Mississauga, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Owen Sound, Sarnia, Barrie, Collingwood, Hamilton, Toronto, Windsor, etc. have a number of Discount hotels. The country is considered a leading producer of dairy products. Because of its vast size, Canada has more lakes than any other country, containing much of the world’s fresh water. As Canada has an extensive coastline on its north, east, and west, there are some beautiful beaches. Beaches in Canada are not only attractive but exotic also.

Read more on PRWeb via Yahoo! News

Hotels Resilient During Oil Spill
July 1,2010 – We’ve all seen lots of stories about gulf coast hotels besieged by oily gunk on their doorstep, their rooms emptied as wary vacationers stay away. But the data shows a different picture. Gulf coast hotels are doing pretty well on average, at least for now.

Read more on WMFE Orlando

Read more on PRWeb

Hotels under surveillance in S China’s Guangzhou ahead of Asian Games
Guests checking into hotels in the capital of southern China’s Guangdong Province are now required to present their identity cards, as the local police have launched a crackdown on illegalities at entertainment venues ahead of the Asian Games in November. More than 1,200 people in charge of security at Guangzhou’s nightclubs, bars, sauna parlors and hotels have signed documents, pledging to run …

Read more on People’s Daily

Frequent fast trains from East Croydon to London Victoria as well as Gatwick Airport, coupled with Hotel quiet location in Croydon make it an ideal stopover point. Close to the whitgift school where the cricket club matches are to be held at the end of may. Free private parking directly space is available in front of the Hotel, visitors to the Hayesthorpe Hotel will be able to enjoy the fantastic shopping facilities and tastefull Bed and Breakfast in Croydon , Hayesthorpe Hotel is one of the best in Croydon Hotels.

Read more on NBC San Diego

Aloft Hotels Makes Debut in Winchester, Virginia
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), today announces the opening of Aloft Winchester. Owned and managed by Hotel Squared, this brand new destination sensation brings style at a steal to Winchester, Virginia with 99 spacious, loft-like rooms, intuitive and accessible technology and a vibrant, social atmosphere.

Read more on Hospitality Net

Welcome to Canterbury Hotels in Kent

Canterbury Hotels are situated near the beautiful places, Shopping Malls, Cinema Theaters in the Canterbury Kent uk, We are having very large and expensive Hotels in Canterbury Kent, Our hotels are very large and comfortable and also having the good Hotels Accommodation in Canterbury, Take the vacation of your life with cheap Hotels in Canterbury, offers you the hotel ratings vary from one to five stars, whilst weekends are a good choice for bargain breaks. when it comes to hotels inCanterbury Kent, treat you to a whole new experience – unmatched and unforgettable. All Conferences Can be Catered with for with a Range of Facilities and Equipment.

For a weekend and you can order an exquisite bouquet of fresh flowers beautifully arranged by a local florist, Book your wedding functions in Canterbury hotels, Resorts and Restaurants in Canterbury, We are having Guest houses in Canterbury for more enjoyable by the exceptional standards of luxury, The easiest and fastest way for you to book a room is online reservations in Canterbury, Our hotels provide good cattering facilities with Family hotels in Canterbury with the menu is varied, and the specialties different from one day to the other, Here, you can taste almost anything from homemade applesauce parfaits, grilled pineapple with fresh ham to baked blueberry French toast or fresh vegetable and tomato quiche.

All these are served with the best coffee you have ever tasted or if you prefer, a cup of tea or a glass of fresh juice, Holiday breaks in Canterbury, Our hotels provide with large and huge Family Rooms in Canterbury that you can stay very safe and secure, We can also provide Special Offers in Canterbury Hotels offers you a variety of lodging options, One of them would be a large Cottages in Canterbury Hotels, for four people, perfect for families or groups of friends, Enjoy your stay for the vacations and Christmas Celebrations in Canterbury Kent.

For More Information log on to : www.comfort-hotels.net/england/kent/canterbury-hotels.aspx ,

Find online Price Comparison : www.kent-hotels.co.uk/canterbury-hotels.aspx

Welcome to St Albans Hotels in Hertfordshire

St Albans Hotels are situated near the beautiful places, Shopping Malls, Cinema Theaters in the St Albans Hertfordshire uk, We are having very large and expensive Hotels in St Albans Hertfordshire, Our hotels are very large and comfortable and also having the good Hotels Accommodation in St Albans, Take the vacation of your life with cheap Hotels in St Albans, offers you the hotel ratings vary from one to five stars, whilst weekends are a good choice for bargain breaks. when it comes to hotels inSt Albans Hertfordshire, treat you to a whole new experience – unmatched and unforgettable. All Conferences Can be Catered with for with a Range of Facilities and Equipment.

For a weekend and you can order an exquisite bouquet of fresh flowers beautifully arranged by a local florist, Book your wedding functions in St Albans hotels, Resorts and Restaurants in St Albans, We are having Guest houses in St Albans for more enjoyable by the exceptional standards of luxury, The easiest and fastest way for you to book a room is online reservations in St Albans, Our hotels provide good cattering facilities with Family hotels in St Albans with the menu is varied, and the specialties different from one day to the other, Here, you can taste almost anything from homemade applesauce parfaits, grilled pineapple with fresh ham to baked blueberry French toast or fresh vegetable and tomato quiche.

All these are served with the best coffee you have ever tasted or if you prefer, a cup of tea or a glass of fresh juice, Holiday breaks in St Albans, Our hotels provide with large and huge Family Rooms in St Albans that you can stay very safe and secure, We can also provide Special Offers in St Albans Hotels offers you a variety of lodging options, One of them would be a large Cottages in St Albans Hotels, for four people, perfect for families or groups of friends, Enjoy your stay for the vacations and Christmas Celebrations in St Albans Hertfordshire.

For More Information log on to : www.comfort-hotels.net/england/hertfordshire/st-albans-hotels.aspx

Welcome to Tenterden Hotels in Kent

Tenterden Hotels are situated near the beautiful places, Shopping Malls, Cinema Theaters in the Tenterden Kent uk, We are having very large and expensive Hotels in Tenterden Kent, Our hotels are very large and comfortable and also having the good Hotels Accommodation in Tenterden, Take the vacation of your life with cheap Hotels in Tenterden, offers you the hotel ratings vary from one to five stars, whilst weekends are a good choice for bargain breaks. when it comes to hotels inTenterden Kent, treat you to a whole new experience – unmatched and unforgettable. All Conferences Can be Catered with for with a Range of Facilities and Equipment.

For a weekend and you can order an exquisite bouquet of fresh flowers beautifully arranged by a local florist, Book your wedding functions in Tenterden hotels, Resorts and Restaurants in Tenterden, We are having Guest houses in Tenterden for more enjoyable by the exceptional standards of luxury, The easiest and fastest way for you to book a room is online reservations in Tenterden, Our hotels provide good cattering facilities with Family hotels in Tenterden with the menu is varied, and the specialties different from one day to the other, Here, you can taste almost anything from homemade applesauce parfaits, grilled pineapple with fresh ham to baked blueberry French toast or fresh vegetable and tomato quiche.

All these are served with the best coffee you have ever tasted or if you prefer, a cup of tea or a glass of fresh juice, Holiday breaks in Tenterden, Our hotels provide with large and huge Family Rooms in Tenterden that you can stay very safe and secure, We can also provide Special Offers in Tenterden Hotels offers you a variety of lodging options, One of them would be a large Cottages in Tenterden Hotels, for four people, perfect for families or groups of friends, Enjoy your stay for the vacations and Christmas Celebrations in Tenterden Kent.

For More Information log on to : www.kent-hotels.co.uk/tenterden-hotels.aspx

Find online Price Comparison : www.comfort-hotels.net/england/kent/tenterden-hotels.aspx

Read more on Boston Globe

NH hotels and restaurants oppose local tax option
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Members of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association say they don’t like a proposal that would let communities impose local taxes on hotels and restaurant meals.

Read more on Greenwich Time

A reform of the hotel classification has been on the news since more than a year: Indeed until now there were no five stars hotels in France, but since the beginning of 2009 the change is on: Hotels that volunteer will be rated from one to five stars for a minimum of three years and a maximum of five years. The evaluation will be done, at the expense of the volunteers. Moreover the ratings will have to be approved by the French government

The point of this new classification system is simply to mix different point of views related to norms and understand and respond better to the clients’ needs by responding better to the comfort criteria that are a “must have” and other criteria that can please the clients.

The move was of course orchestrated by the French government whose goal is to place tourism “at the heart of the economical growth “ by defining a new political plan concerning tourism: “destination France 2020 “the matter was discussed this summer at the “Assises nationale du tourisme” that took place this summer.

The challenge is to support tourism which is the first industry of France: With the globalisation and the client’s changing needs France has to be competitive with other destinations concerning the clients’ behaviours and needs. (Not having a five star rating is a serious handicap considering that the client doesn’t always know the fact that France’s highest class of hotel is “four star luxe”).

Objectively what is going to be different about this new classification?
Firstly it is interesting to know that it is the first time in twenty two years that the classification grid is being changed: And indeed clients needs have changed a lot in twenty two years!.

The new classification is bringing major changes to satisfy the clients: - no star hotels will disappear: The hotels that volunteer will all be classified one star consequently a fifth star has been added to replace the “four star luxe” appellation. This is useful to hotel owners; it will allow French hotels to be competitive compared to hotel in competing countries. - The new classification system promises to be more exigent : let’s do a little comparison with the old classification

Old classification New classification For a first star rating 30 criteria were needed First star rating:61 criteria needed For a two star rating 30 criteria were needed two star rating:68 criteria needed For a three star rating 30 criteria were needed three star rating:75 criteria needed For a four star rating 33 criteria were needed Four star rating:94 criteria needed For a four star luxe rating 33 criteria were needed Five star rating:124 criteria needed

The classification will also comprise of optional points: Every hotels that volunteer to get reclassified will have the chance to have optional points, these optional criteria will give establishments the chance to differentiate themselves from their competitors and to show the client the diversity of French hostelry (These optional criteria will not be imposed, hotel managers will choose them). Let’s take a moment to summarise and understand this new classification: To be rated hotels will have to respond to the following exigencies: - they will have to be compliant to a number of obligatory criteria (See above page) - they will have to be compliant to a number of optional criteria

These criteria will give hotels points, and it will be the points that will be taken into account for the ratings:

To be rated “one star”, 141 obligatory points will be needed with an addition of 24 personal, optional points to the hotel. To be rated “two star”, 161 obligatory points will be needed with an addition of 24 personal, optional points to the hotel. To be rated “three star”, 177 obligatory points will be needed with an addition of 24 personal, optional points to the hotel. To be rated “four star”, 226 obligatory points will be needed with an addition of 24 personal, optional points to the hotel. To be rated “five star”,298 obligatory points will be needed with an addition of 24 personal, optional points to the hotel.

Note: hotels will be given a 5% flexibility margin: if they can not comply to all the points needed to be rated in one category they can make up for these criteria by adding optional points ,but optional points and obligatory points do not have the same value: One obligatory point is equal to three optional points. The heart of this new classification is the client: While the previous classification paid particular attention to surfaces and equipments the new classification pays particular attention to services proposed to the client (in addition to paying attention to the equipment and surfaces.) In addition to that the client will be informed about the new classification and can be solicited to make suggestions about it. Note: hotels will be given a 5% flexibility margin: if they can not comply to all the points needed to be rated in one category they can make up for these criteria by adding optional points ,but optional points and obligatory points do not have the same value: One obligatory point is equal to three optional points. The heart of this new classification is the client: While the previous classification paid particular attention to surfaces and equipments the new classification pays particular attention to services proposed to the client (in addition to paying attention to the equipment and surfaces.) In addition to that the client will be informed about the new classification and can be solicited to make suggestions about it. monhotel.fr

In terms of competitive positioning a change was inevitable: The hotels of the world’s first tourism destination could no longer afford to avoid comparisons with their international competitors! Indeed the creation or more appropriately the adoption of the fifth star will change this fact.

What exactly does the fifth star represent? It will represent the best of French hostelry, the fifth star will be the distinction of excellence and it will of course offer a better readability to international clients. What exactly does the fifth star represent? It will represent the best of French hostelry, the fifth star will be the distinction of excellence and it will of course offer a better readability to international clients.

monhotel.fr

A new classification procedure: If the new classification is supposed to make French hotels compliant to international standards the attributions of stars would also be made according to the techniques used by our international competitors. The evaluation will be done by specialised audit firms which will visit hotels regularly and will be more or less exigent (depending on the rating of the hotel), moreover surprise visit will be made to hotels rated four stars and above

Every five years the classification will be subjected to changes (according to the progress or regression of the establishments).
The “Agence de developpement touristique” or Tourism development agency in English will have to support the procedure and animate it. Transition phase:
Given the time that hotels will need to adopt the classification the new and the old classification will co exist during three years strating from the publication of the “Loi Tourisme” or tourism law (which I will present later in this article). After three years the old classification will cease to exist.

A point on investments: As I said earlier the point of this classification is mostly to modernize French Hotels and it will ssdetermine new economical parameters on which establishments will build their new economical system, and to build a new economical system one needs funds. Two organisms will help hotels to find funds:
-OSEO
-caisse des depots
The Loi Tourisme
This law will modernize the regulations for professionals working in the travel business to allow them to be more competitive in the international sector. This law’s aim is to make easy the sales of tickets for travel agencies: -this law will suppress the four steps that one had to pass to have authorisation to sell trips – Every operator wanting to sale trip formulas will have to declare his activity to a national register managed by the future “Agence de developpement Touristique”. The law will be according to reports constituted of thirteen articles.

an article by “Mon Hotel”
Don’t forget to visit our website: monhotel.fr