Tour Guiding - Short Course

Sneak Peek

Tour Guides Certificate of Completion | Online Short Course 

It is essential that tour guides are professional in all aspects of the role to lead tours successfully and safely. 

Why Tour Guides need knowledge and training:
- Knowing the job leads to confidence
- Care and attention to people leads to visitor enjoyment
- Organising tours for diverse needs is a big responsibility
- Conducting a tour in fun way creates customer satisfaction
- Having warm and friendly people skills can make the experience memorable
- Knowledge of risk and risk management will mean your tours are safe and risk free

This short course will teach you fundamentals of tour guiding. 

It's a professional development course or an introduction to guiding for anyone entering the industry. This course is ideal for:
- Volunteers
- Overnight tours
- Short tours
- Educational tours
- Historical tours
- Walking tours
- Geographical tours
- Open farms and gardens
- Self employed and employed tour guides


Get Started Today!

COURSE CONTENTS 

LESSON 1 ROLE OF THE TOUR GUIDE 
What is a tour guide? 
Types of tour guide 
Historical 
City tour guides 
Museum 
Park 
Nature 
Adventure 
The role of the tour guide 
What are the tour guide’s responsibilities? 
Sharing knowledge 
Carrying out research 
Tour guide skills 
Leadership 
Communication
Organisation
Lesson 1 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning 

LESSON 2 PRACTICAL SKILLS USED IN TOURS 
Initial introductions and establishing rapport 
Selling your passion – introducing yourself and why you love being a guide 
Customer research – establish your group’s interests at the start 
Personalising a tour - adapting your tour to fit your group’s interests 
Learning names – hints and tips 
Identifying access and equity issues (wheelchairs/buggies/ additional sensory needs) 
Voice projection and presentation skills 
What kind of stories to tell? 
Tell, tell, tell (tell them what you will talk about, talk about it, summarise key points) 
Building affect and emotional connection with your audience 
Keep things short and simple 
Maintaining the group’s interest and involvement 
Introducing age/interest appropriate games or activities 
Time management 
Preparing for the group’s arrival 
Choosing a meeting spot 
Managing parking or transport issues 
Comfort breaks 
Keeping the tour together (and moving at a group-appropriate pace)
Running a trial tour 
Lesson 2 additional reading
Review what you have been learning

LESSON 3 ORGANISING TOUR ACTIVITIES 
Knowing who is in the group 
Ability 
Age 
Carrying out research effectively 
Scheduling 
Punctuality 
Calculating time required for different activities 
Selecting complementary activities 
Adapting 
Creativity 
Lesson 3 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning 

LESSON 4 WORKING WITH OTHER SUPPLIERS AND ORGANISATIONS
Accommodation 
Check-In 
Adventure accommodation issues 
Catering 
Managing multiple dietary requirements when camping 
Managing multiple dietary requirements from accommodations/hotels 
Transport 
Choosing transport services 
Equipment 
Linking with Other Organisations 
Lesson 4 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning

LESSON 5 CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR TOUR GUIDES
How to get jobs as a Tour Guide 
Setting up YOUR own business 
Developing a USP 
Marketing a tour business 
Lesson 5 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning 

LESSON 6 TOUR RISK MANAGEMENT 
PESTLE analysis – why it’s relevant 
Assessing risk 
How to plan for and manage risks 
A risk assessment is a document which is created Risk Assessments 
What do we mean by a risk on a tour? 
Requirements for licenses or permits 
Insurance 
Tour risk management 
Potential Hazards 
Risk Assessment Matrix 
Safety method statement
Review what you have been learning
Final Assessment