Module one

Understanding
Tourism

This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of SNV/ ILO
and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. For more information on EuropeAid, please visithttp://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/
 Module introduction 2

Topic 1: Tourism System

Topic 2: Who are Tourists?
Topic 3: Why Tourists visit Vietnam?
Topic 4: What is tour guiding ?
Topic One
The tourism
system
 Definition of Tourism 4
Activities connected with:
• Trips taken by people outside their habitual residences;
• aimed at satisfying their needs for sightseeing, study,
leisure or recreation;
• in a certain period of time.

Vietnam Tourism Law, 2005

 Why provide best services to tourists? 5

1. Happier tourists
2. Repeat business
3. Word of mouth
4. Increased income
I am having great
time in Vietnam…
5. Secured job Specially when I
have such great help
6. Good reputation for village from the guide…

7. More successful tourism industry in Vietnam.

Activity 1. Posters: Impacts of tourism 6

Divide into 4 groups.

1. Use A0/A1 paper, markers, crayons to prepare
posters on the following topics:

• Groups 1 & 2: benefits of tourism

• Groups 3 & 4: negative impacts of tourism

2. Make a “poster show”: groups to explain their

posters.
3. Comments from other groups
4. Vote for the best poster
 Benefits of tourism? 7

1. Income
2. Employment
3. Government services
4. Living standards
5. Cultural exchange.
Negative impacts of tourism 8
Negative impacts of tourism 9
 Tourism industry 10

Provides services and facilities for consumption by tourists

 Elements of tourism and the tourism industry 11

Attractions
• Natural attractions
• Cultural attractions

Public services
• Public transportation
• Electric & water supplies
• Health care services
• Safety and security

Industry services
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Guides and travel organisers
• Tourist transport services
• Souvenir shops, workshops
• Other services: wellness, photograph...
Activity 2. Tourism elements: 12

Divide into 3 groups.

1. Each group will receive at least 6 cards. On each card is an

element of tourism industry
2. Discuss in 5 minutes and identify which category of
elements their tourism element belong to.
3. Each member of each group must place their card in the
correct category on the flip chart
 The Tourism Cycle 13

• The particular sequence in which tourism business services are

used by tourists
• Each business in the Cycle fills a particular need or several needs
of the tourist. However, they together provide a tourist experience.

Hotel
Restaurant
Tour (guide)
Bus
Flight
Train (station)
Activity 3. Actors in the tourism cycle 14

Take a flashcard with images of a key actor in the

tourism cycle.

• Place flash cards in the right sequence in the

guest’s travelling route from their home country to
the destination (village).
• Discuss if all the cards are in the right sequence
 Key actors in a tourism cycle 15

1. Transport

2. Attractions

3. Accommodation

Homestay
4. Food & Beverage Boat Operator
Meal
Travel agent
5. Other key actors???
? ? ? ? Tour operator
Attraction
operator
Topic two
Who are
tourists
 Who are tourists? 17

Tourist means a person who travels for either tourism or for other
purposes combined with tourism, except for those who go to study,
work or practice their professions to get paid at the places of
destination.

(Vietnam Tourism Law, 2005)

Activity 4: Identify Tourists 18

Think about your own family, friends, associates and

colleagues.
• Do any of these people travel, and if so, where do
they go and why do they go there?

• Do you think of them as tourists, and if so, why?

Write these down and identify if they are tourists or
not.
Why do people travel? 19

• Holiday
• VFR

• General
• MICE
 Where do tourists come from? 20

1. Vietnam: domestic tourists

2. Other Countries: international tourists from:

Europe
Asia

Viet Nam

Others?
Activity 5: Tourists needs 21

Brainstorming:

What do
!
Tourists need
when they travel?
What do tourists need? 22
 Tourist also need … 23

• Access to facilities: bank, electricity, …

• Communication: Internet, post to send postcards, …

• Safety and security: to feel that they are not in any

danger …
Topic three
Why tourists
visit Vietnam?
Activity 6: Learning about Vietnam 25

Divide into 3 groups. In your groups:

1. Discuss how tourists learn about Vietnam tourism.
2. List channels that provide information about Vietnam for
tourists
3. Discuss what each channel is . What channel is effective
most and why?
4. Present outcomes to the whole group
Vietnam

?
What do tourists need? 26
How do tourists get to Vietnam & to our village ? 27
 Why do tourists come to Vietnam? 28
1. Authentic, exciting, natural and cultural experiences.
2. Explore and discover beautiful landscape
3. Practice outdoor and adventure sports
4. Admire and experience Vietnam’s diverse culture
5. Interact with the country’s people and learn about different lifestyles.
6. Experience flora and fauna in its national parks
7. Pilgrimage.
Activity 7: Different tourist destinations in Vietnam 29

Divide into 3 groups; each group must pick a tourism area

or destination.

1. Use the brochures, guidebooks and maps provided in

class and research the area

2. Draw a poster or picture if you have time

3. Present a persuasive sales pitch on why a tourist

should visit that area.

4. The best presentation, as voted by the whole class, will

win a prize.
What do tourists like to do in Vietnam? 30
Sightseeing 31
 What do tourists like to do in Vietnam? 32

1. Buying Local Handicrafts

2. Cycling
3. Taking photos
4. Visiting Temples

1
4

2
3
 What do tourists like to do in Vietnam? 33
1. Attending festivals
2. Visit caves & waterfalls
3. Learning about local agriculture
4. Seeing birds & wildlife

2
4 3
Visit attractions 34
Heritage sites & natural attractions 35
Going to events 36
Cultures 37
Food 38
Topic four
What is tour
guiding?
Activity 8: Tour escort vs. local guide 40

Divide into 4 groups

1. Watch the role plays conducted by your trainer

2. Discuss what are the different between the first and the
second scene?
 Tour Escort vs. Local Guide
• Bring tourists to the village
• Interpret language (if
necessary)
• Give general information
• Manage the itinerary
• Make sure that guests are
satisfied
• Take care of expenses
• Take care of
injuries/illnesses
• Coordinate activities
• Markets tours
41
• Receive tourists in the village
• Translate local languages
• Share local knowledge about
villages, culture and nature
• Show major sites to tourists
• Help tour escort manage guests
• Help tour escort with
injuries/illnesses
• Help the provincial guide with
activities in the village or
forest.
 Types of Guides 42

1. On-site Guide / Step-on Guide

2. Local Guide
3. Regional Guide
4. National Guide
5. Specialised Guide (culture/ history/ nature)
6. Tour Escort / Tour Manager / Tour Operator.
Activity 9: Roles of tour guides 43

Divide into five groups. Each group will present the roles
and responsibilities of one actor in the tour operating
sector:
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3
On-site Guide Local Guide National Guide

Group 4: Group 5: Tour

Present your findings to Specialized Guide Escort / Tour
the rest of the class. Manager / Tour
Operator
 General roles of tour guides 44

1. Manage and supervise the itinerary

2. Conduct the tour according to itinerary
3. Impart local information while on the tour
4. Provide practical information.
Activity 10: Main responsibilities of local tour guide 45

Divide into three groups; each group get 6-8 cards

1. Discuss and decide what the main responsibilities of a local

guide should be.

2. Write one responsibility on each card.

3. Exchange cards between every two teams.

4. The team who receives cards selects the responsibilities

that they agree with and stick these cards on
wall/board/flip chard.

5. Compare results with those in the Slide 46 and 47 that will

be presented by trainer.
 Main responsibilities of local tour guide 46

1. Lead a group and show the way

2. Introduce tourists & tour escort (if any) to your village & family
3. Help tourists & escort guides to understand your culture
4. Help tourists & tour escorts to see wildlife in your local area
5. Show local plants and medicinal
plants that you use and anything
other things in the forest
6. Show tourists your fields and
show them how you plant rice
and other crops
 Main responsibilities of local tour guide 47

7. Help carry heavy equipment that tourists cannot carry.

8. Help prepare your favorite local food for tourists

9. Help tourists and make the tour safe

10. Protect culture – show tourists how to behave in your village

11. Protect wildlife & environment.

 The HITT Programme and its Contributors
Thanks This series of materials has been produced in
for collaboration between the High Impact Tourism
Training for Jobs and Income Programme (HITT)
your funded by the European Union and the International
Labour Organisation (ILO) in Vietnam. These
attention! programmes and organisations contributed to the
development and printing of this material and will be
using these training materials to deliver High Impact
Tourism Training to their respective target
beneficiaries.

The programme supports informal workers and

potential workers from the tourism sector of Vietnam
to enhance their productivity and professionalism,
and to increase their employability and income
opportunities. The HITT programme is implemented
by the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV)
through the financial assistance of the European
Commission (EC) Investing in People programme.

This publication has been produced with the financial

assistance of the European Union. The contents of the
publication are the sole responsibility of the HITT
Programme and can in no way be taken to reflect the
views of the European Union. For more information on
Europe Aid, please visit
http://ec.europa.er/europeaid/