Introduction to ecotourism/IET101/Introduction/The guiding triangle

A tour is commonly thought of as having three key elements:

• The site or environment where the tour takes place;
• The guide that facilitates and manages the interpretation and tour experience; and
• The people/ tourists experience the site and its interpretation.

As a guide you play a critical role in managing the visitor experience and connecting visitors to the environment. When the combination works, it can be a life changing experience for the visitor. You can make or break a tour. You must be able to deliver information in an accurate and engaging manner. You must also exhibit leadership skills, be able to organize the tour, maintain group cohesion, provide social leadership, and manage stressful or unpredictable situations. Interpretation and leadership play a critical role in delivering a quality experience for the participants.

Let's look at this in the context of the guiding triangle.

Insert Guiding Triangle image here. - with detail

Reading

The Interpretive Guide (Thorston, 2015) page 9, for some background on your role in creating a deep connection to the site for your visitors. Your leadership skills will support you in this.

http://www.interpret-europe.net/fileadmin/Documents/projects/HeriQ/the_interpretive_guide_2015_en.pdf

Think about

Think about your ecotourism guiding activity:

• What is the site?
• Who are this visitors?
• What theme could you use to tell the story?

Now reflect on your own guiding triangle and think about the site, your visitors and you as the guide.