Adventure Tourism/Activities/Guiding skills

Objectives
Discussion within groups about the types of interpersonal skills required for tour guiding. What type of skills they think necessary and why.

Activity

 * Discuss in a group the types of interpersonal skills required for tour guiding. What type of skills are necessary and why.
 * Consider the following examples:

Flexibilty
Important as on tour things do not always go to plan. Different people may have different requirements and expectations

Example A guide is leading a 2 week tour around the South Island. They arrive at Franz Joseph Glacier where all clients have a helicopter flight with a glacier landing booked. As clients are being dropped off at the helibase the helicopters cancel due to high winds. The clients are bitterly disappointed and look to the tour guide for options.

The next morning some have booked a kayaking tour on the Okarito Lagoon followed by lunch at a local restaurant before leaving Franz Joseph and travelling south.

Task - give suggestions on how the guide might show some flexibility in dealing with such a situation

Suggestions

Dealing with Emotional Stress
May also be part of a tour guides role. By good observation and listening to clients concerns a guide should be able to identify this.



Example A driver guide is taking a 4WD tour into a canyon. A client is noticeably nervous of the steep drop off beside the road and expresses a fear of heights.

Task - give suggestions on how to deal with the situation

Suggestions

Dealing with Physical Stress
It is a guide’s responsibility to ensure the comfort of their client and be observant to any sign of physical stress.

Task - give examples of the physical stress a tourist could experience on tour and what a guide can do to support them.