The development team

QUADRANT-I 
2.0 Introduction 
Tour guiding is an interactive activity in which a tour guide meets a tourist or a group of 
tourists, and takes them to a place called a tourism destination or a tourist attraction. He 
engages them in commentary about the place. He connects his clients with the past of this 
place (like history of Agra), presents USP and specialties about region. He also recreates 
a story as per the demand of the situation.
2.1 Meaning of a Tour Guide
This chapter, Tourists vis a vis tour guide is based on the real life experiences of the 
authors. The chapter cites the meaning, role and significance of a Tour Guide. We talk 
about accommodation, transport, destinations, etc, but we forget to talk about the tour 
guide. A tour guide is an important active link in any field tour. He is important 
especially when you are going to have technical exposure like people working in 
architecture engineering going to see a fort, temples, monument etc.
Expectations from a guide 
Good attire 
Good mood 
Good smile 
Equipped with required gadgets
Ready to serve 
Environment friendly 
Empathetic 
A tour guide is an important person in the chain of the tourism and travel industry. When 
the tourist starts from his place of living, he meets the first person who will accompany 
him for the whole journey; this person may or may not be a tour escort who may also 
attend to him on the way. After the tourist reaches his destination, he needs someone to 
help him on the tour. The person should have good knowledge about the place (for e.g. 
Agra, New Delhi, Sirpur etc.), languages (i.e. French, German, Spanish etc.), and should 
preferably be a native of that region. This person (tour guide) is a liaison with the Tour 
escort and expedites the tour in the area. After the completion, the tourist proceeds to 

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another place and a second person takes up the job. The person, who is native to that 
place and who manages the tour at that place is a tour guide.
Many people ask a simple question, who is a tour guide? They might want to know how 
one could become a tour guide. An individual known to me completed his masters in 
tourism and wanted to stay in the same town. He started going to travel agents with the 
hope of finding work and became a tour guide.
One man who is from a peak travel destination travelled to Delhi with the intention of 
working for a reputed travel agency, but the only reason he got a job is that the company 
had no other choice than to accept him as a tour escort. 
One gentleman left his studies due to a personal problem. One of his friends was a tour 
guide; he discovered that it was a good work to get money. Later, he picked up a foreign 
language and commentary. This was someone who was not able to speak fluently in his 
first assignment and the travel agent was annoyed.
Case 
Mr. Mishra is a Tourism graduate from a University and started working as a manger in a 
company. He was interested in working in his town and was looking for something that 
interested him and allowed him to return home after a day of long work. He found tour 
guiding as a suitable work. He applied for a license with the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. 
Of India and became a licensed guide. He often remarks that every tourist has a different 
nature, temper and questions. He feels happy after getting appreciation from tourists 
various times.
2.2 Job profile.
For a Tour Guide you must have the following:- 
Knowledge about the history, art, culture, cuisine, and architecture
First aid skills 
Ability to speak multiple languages
Knowledge of food, cuisines 
Ability to read a map 
Pleasant personality, patience, and interest 

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A guide is regarded as an expert of his own area. He must know the place where he 
guides very well. Many people work as only as tour managers but many work as both 
guide and manager.
2.3 Working Environment
Many people work as freelancers and others are engaged with a company. You must be 
adaptable to the group. Training programmes are conducted by the Ministry of Tourism, 
Govt. of India and various state governments from time to time. These programmes are 
very useful as tour guides and tour managers/ tour escorts learn many new skills as well 
as the dos and don’ts. A good guide has the following characteristics: 
a. Liking for people visiting your place 
b. Ability to Research 
c. An organised way 
d. Proactive 
e. Good dressing sense 
f. Young and dynamic and good health 
g. Strength and stamina 
h. Clear voice, good command over language 
i. Well behaved

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A guide is a link between people and place 
Photo: Saurabh Dixit 
2.4 What is the role of a Tour guide? 
I frequently visit Himachal Pradesh. I find people accompanying tourists for 
mountaineering, trekking and they also help them in pitching tents, they assist them in 
activities, and they know local flora and fauna and have knowledge of land slide areas. 
You must have seen Bear Gryl’s programmes on TV. A guide is a million dollar person 
who saves a trekker during trouble. Many times, he is also washed away in floods and 
other natural calamities there (Kedarnath incident). 
Our guide in Malaysia offered us good quality key rings and mementos while we were 
going from the hotel to the airport. Most probably, he was authorised to do so by the 
travel agent. However, let us not get into the 
legislative