Republic of the Philippines

NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.: ECOTOUR24-2S-2021-2022

College: Forestry, Environment and Resources Management

Campus: Bayombong

DEGREE PROGRAM BSECO COURSE NO. ECOTOUR 24

SPECIALIZATION COURSE TITLE Tour Guiding and Escorting

YEAR LEVEL 3 TIME FRAME 3 hrs WK NO. 1 IM NO. 1

I. UNIT TITLE/CHAPTER TITLE

Unit 1. Introduction to Tour Guiding

II. LESSON TITLE

Introduction to Tour Guiding

III. LESSON OVERVIEW

Unit 1 introduces the learners to tour guiding as a profession. It provides a discussion on the core
concepts in tour guiding services, including the definition of tour and tour guiding. The unit likewise
describes the types of tour guides in the past and at present, as well as the career opportunities in tour
guiding.

IV. DESIRED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to explain the basic concepts in tour guiding
services, identify the roles of a tour guide, discuss the history of tour guiding in the world and in the
Philippines. Explore opportunities for tour guiding services as a career and discuss the relevance of the
course.

V. LESSON CONTENT

Lesson 1. Introduction to Core Concepts in Tour Guiding Services

Core Concepts in Tour Guiding

What is a tour?

Coined from the Latin word tornare and Greek tornos, meaning to circle around, the word “tour”
means to come back to the point of origin after going to a destination elsewhere (Theobald 1998). In
tourism, the word “tour” refers to the activities of people when they go through a place in order to see
and learn it in person.

Who is a tour guide?

A tour guide is a person who guides people as they go through a foreign place to help them gain
better appreciation of the place and the interesting things to see there. The tour guide likewise helps
these people make efficient use of their time during their tour.

NVSU-FR-ICD-05-00 (081220) Page 1 of 3

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material may be reproduced for educational purposes only
and not for commercial distribution”
 Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.: ECOTOUR24-2S-2021-2022

The Philippine Department of Tourism (1995) defines a tour guide as “an individual who guides
tourists, both foreign and domestic, for a fee, commission, or any other form of lawful remuneration”.
The Philippine Department of Tourism recognizes tour guides who undergo proper training.

What is tour guiding?

Tour guiding therefore refers to the provision of professional service to interpret the cultural and
natural heritage of an area (World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations n.d.) in this sense,
interpretation does not only refer to translation of information from one language to another, but also
the description of cultural and natural attractions that help people gain better understanding anf
appreciation of such.

Roles of a Tour Guide

A tour guide plays important roles in tourism. According to the Australian Government’s Job
Guide (n.d.), these roles include:
 Meeting and greeting the tour participants upon arrival and facilitating introductions;
 Coordinating pre-arranged accommodation and transport and making sure that tour participants
are comfortable;
 Coordinating pre-arranged tours including visits to local attractions, shops, restaurants, etc.
 Leading tour groups and pointing out places of interest;
 Preparing and presenting tour guide spiels called tour commentaries;
 Researching and sharing general information about the city and/or country;
 Attending to operational problem, such as booking errors and changes, lost bags, or sickness
and providing first aid if needed; and
 Preparing and submitting written reports of how the day’s tour turned out, including financial
report and other administrative work.

Elements of Tour Guiding

The previously mentioned definitions suggest that the elements of tour guiding include:

1. Professionalism. Tour guiding is a profession, which means that before becoming a tour guide, a
Person must first undergo a training program. In many countries, one must acquire a license to
practice legally.
2. Service. Tour Guiding is a form of service. Service is intangible, perishable, and unique. Guiding
services are created at the same time of consumption, making each tourism experience
different.
3. Interpretation. Tour guiding is a form of interpretation. This means that one of the tour guide’s roles
is to educate the tourists about the meanings and significance of cultural and natural attractions.
4. Physical Elements. Tour guides combine service with the physical elements to create the total
tourism
experience for clients. The physical elements include the facilities of hotels, modes of
transportation, and the things that tourists find in tourist attractions such as parks and museums.
5. Characteristics of a Tour Guide. Tour guides must be genuinely interested in the destination where
they practice. They must be mature, responsible, patient, tactful, and sensitive to different
cultures. They must also be articulate, quick-witted, organized, and healthy to cope with the
physical demands of the job.

Tour guides must understand that their main reason for existence is the tourist. A tourist is a
tour
guide’s client. In this regard and in consideration of the abovementioned elements of tour guiding, all
tour
guides must possess an understanding of the tourists, the tourism industry, communication, tour
NVSU-FR-ICD-05-00 (081220) Page 2 of 3
“In accordance with Section 185. Fair Use of a Copyrighted Work of Republic Act 8293, the copyrighted works included in this
material may be reproduced for educational purposes only
and not for commercial distribution”
 Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.: ECOTOUR24-2S-2021-2022

programming, and tour management. Let us learn about these in the succeeding lessons.

II. EVALUATION (Note: Not to be included in the student’s copy of the IM)

III. LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Answer the following questions accordingly in your own words.

1.What is the most important role of a tour guide? Cite an example

Note: Please upload, submit, or turn in your work to our Google classroom.

IV. ASSIGNMENT

None

V. REFERENCE/S

Angeles, Marie V. (2021). Global Culture and Tourism Geography. Sta. Cruz Manila

NVSU-FR-ICD-05-00 (081220) Page 3 of 3

“In accordance with Section 185. Fair Use of a Copyrighted Work of Republic Act 8293, the copyrighted works included in this
material may be reproduced for educational purposes only
and not for commercial distribution”