2020-04-07
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If you are tour guiding a walking tour there are some additional factors to remember:
1. Make sure that the walking pace is appropriate to the group and to the tour itself. This isn‘t a race. The tour guide must always be in the front to lead the tour and ensure that the group ia close behind. Keep an eye for slow walkers to adjust the pace to suit everyone.
2. It isn‘t necessary to talk while walking because you‘ll be facing away from the group and they won‘t be able to hear you.
3. Limit your formal commentary to moments when you stop walking. Ideally find a slightly higher area where you can gather the group closely around you in a semicircle and deliver the commentary.
4. A step or a rock will be OK to stay on. Some guides carry portable steps for this specific purpose.
5. When delivering commentaries outside you will have to focus on your voice projection, so everyone can hear you.
6. When a question is asked you should repeat the question so the whole group can hear it then answer loud and clear. This will also prevent the same question being asked multiple times.
7. Carry you guide‘s notes with you but don‘t read from them during the tour. They are only for assisting purpose to ensure your speech is delivered thoroughly and in order. You can revise your notes whilst walking or in private.
8. The facts and history of the tour are the key parts of the commentary that all tour guides must memorize. How you deliver them is up to you. You may change it from tour to tour.
9. A walking tour should have a conversational quality about it with the tour guide painting word pictures to describe the attraction and its history.
Tips and Tactics for Presentation ( Canarini Tour Guide Lesson 6 ) Tips for a good presentation
During the presentation:
· You should make your commentary interesting, relevant, simple and deliberate in a logical sequence.
· Be sensitive to the interests of the group or tailor the tour that would suit them best.
· Seek feedback throughout the tour to improve and develop more contents to
deliver if needed for your guests.
· Focus on what you and your visitors can see and on what you know be specific.
· Share the facts and paint a word picture about the site or attraction.
· Be flexible and accommodating towards members of your tour group.
· Make sure everybody can hear you.
· Take time to engage with the people at the back. Make eye contacts with them and allow the group to question.
· Comment and actively take part equally during the tour. Allow enough time at each stop so the visitors can fully enjoy the tour, digest the information you are sharing and take photographs, etc.
· Anticipate questions from your group and be ready to share the answers with the whole group as a question from one person might reflect what others in the group are thinking or wondering whilst you may take this tour often and know the commentary well.
· Remember your guests might be first visiting, so keep you content and delivery style up to date.
· Ensure you don‘t recycle the same old speech over and over adding new or revised information including recent anecdotes or stories and work towards continuous improvement in your delivery. One of the ways in which good tour guides keep their commentary fresh is to look at the site or attraction through the eyes of a new visitor, what would a new visitor like to know about it which are the most interesting aspects of it and how could you tell its story to maintain their engagement throughout the tour.
