Zimbabwe tour guide training challenges: perspectives from tour guides in Victoria Falls

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study sought to explore the training challenges being faced in Zimbabwe’s tour guiding sector as perceived by the tour guides. A qualitative research methodology was followed whereby an interview guide was administered to 46 tour and field guides in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were applied to identify respondents. Data was thematically analysed using the NVivo software. Challenges noted include a disjointed tour guide training curriculum, a limited tour guide training curriculum, lack of a foreign language, limited tour guide training facilities, poor trainers, exorbitant training fees and lack of training programme evaluations and refresher courses and training programmes that are too theoretical. The study recommends an evaluation of the current tour guide training syllabi and the training durations, incorporation of experiential-based training approaches, train the trainers programmes, review of training fees and the unification of the current tour guide training institutions in Zimbabwe.