7 reasons why hiring a licensed tour guide makes really a difference
There are plenty of alternatives today to people travelling around the world to support their trips. From digital applications to "Free" tours, there are many options that can be original and somehow offer the promise of providing good experiences.
However, the reality still proofs that Quality and Peace of mind are elements that are not easy to obtain. It is required human interaction with the right skills to provide the services to help us enjoy our most beloved moments in live: your holidays.
Advantages for your holidays
Hiring a licensed tour guide to visit a city for tourism might not be needed for everyone. It depends on the city, the language, the cultural differences, and many other elements that can determine how relevant is the gap between
In any case , here you can find a list of 7 reasons why a Tourist Guide can make a difference in your trip:
1. Knowledge and expertise: A licensed tour guide will have a deep understanding of the city's history, culture, and landmarks. They will be able to provide context and insight into the sights you're visiting, giving you a more meaningful and enriching experience than any book or digital guide. A good guide will be able to answer almost any question that you may have because he or she has been prepared for it.
2. Personalized experience: A licensed tour guide can tailor the tour to your interests and needs, whether you're interested in art, architecture, history, or food. They can also offer different alternatives depending on your schedule, interest, and time availability. Thematic experiences are a clear differentiator that cannot be done through other "free" alternatives.
3. Language skills: If you're visiting a city where you're not fluent in the local language, a licensed tour guide can help you navigate communication barriers and ensure that you don't miss out on any important information. Not only talking your language (English most of the time) but ensuring that, if you want to interact with local retailers, he or she can provide the right translation services.
4. Insider access: A licensed tour guide can take you to places that may not be easily accessible to the general public, such as behind-the-scenes tours or private collections. Most of the time, tour guides have already very good relationship with organizers of venues and attractions. If there is a temporary exhibition that is worth visiting or a special spot for panoramic views, he or she will be providing that insight to improve the customer experience.
5. Safety: It is always very important to be familiar with the city and its traffic laws, and will be able to ensure that you stay safe and avoid any potential hazards. In every city there are dangerous areas or places where safety is not what it should be. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is something that a tour guide will always consider and warn the customers. And in case something happens, the guide knows the best process to follow to minimize the effect.
6. Time-saving: A licensed tour guide can help you make the most of your time, by providing you with an efficient and well-planned itinerary. Skipping long lines at popular attractions and avoiding crowded places is crucial when travelling to crowded places like La Sagrada Família or Park Güell. It is also very relevant to know how to move around the city with public transport or with private drivers or taxi.
7. Local expertise: A licensed tour guide can also recommend the best local restaurants, shops, and other places to visit, giving you an authentic taste of the city and its culture. At the same time it can prevent to go to the wrong places to avoid bad quality customer service or expensive experiences not worth their price.
Qualifications needed
To become a licensed tour guide, it is needed to pass a number of tests that are not simple to achieve. It is required to have very high knowledge of the history, culture, geography, and other relevant information about the area like habits or gastronomy. Being just a local is enough to have the deep understanding that is required to answer all questions that any customer might expect of a professional tour guide.
As a licensed guide, it's important to have excellent communication skills, including fluency in the language(s) you will be using on tours. This test may assess your speaking skills, your ability to answer questions, and your ability to engage with tour participants.
An official tour guide also needs to pass Customer Service skills Test. The tour guide is a professional that has to work with a wide variety of people on tours and it's important to have adapted service skills to deal with unexpected requests. It has to be assessed their ability to handle challenging situations, provide helpful information, and ensure a positive experience for all tour participants.
Last but not least, Safety and First Aid are extremely relevant elements. A tour guide also needs to demonstrate knowledge of basic first aid procedures and safety protocols, such as emergency evacuation procedures, in case of an accident or other incidents that can impact the customers.
Overall, hiring a private licensed tour guide can be an excellent way to learn about a city's history and culture. Normally, people do not travel 2 times to the same city. Do not waste your opportunity to make the most of your holiday.
