Tour Guides Research Articles

Analisis Penggunaan Teknologi Digital dalam Berkomunikasi Driver Tour Guide untuk Meningkatkan Pengalaman Wisatawan

This study aims to analyze the use of digital technology in communication between driver tour guides and tourists in Bali, as well as its impact on the tourist experience. This research employs a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative approach was conducted through a survey of tourists using driver tour guide services in Bali, while the qualitative approach was conducted through in-depth interviews with driver tour guides. Quantitative data were analyzed using correlation analysis and the F-test, while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis techniques.The results indicate that the use of digital technologies, such as mobile applications and chatbots, significantly improves the quality of communication and tourist satisfaction. Correlation analysis shows a very strong relationship between the use of digital technology by drivers and tourist satisfaction (correlation coefficient R = 0.911). The F-test indicates that the effect of digital technology use on tourist satisfaction is significant (F-value = 61.814; p < 0.05). Qualitative findings also reveal that digital technology facilitates more accurate and faster information, thereby enhancing the overall tourist experience.This research provides significant contributions to the development of theory and practice in the tourism field and offers practical recommendations for enhancing tourism services through digital technology.

Sharing the ocean: fostering blue synergies for sustainable whale-watching

Whale-based tourism activities offer unique opportunities for humans to observe cetaceans in their natural habitats. Well-planned experiences can provide educational value and promote respectful enjoyment of marine wildlife. Conversely, poorly managed activities can negatively impact cetaceans by injuring or killing them (through collisions with boats) or altering their behavior, such as resting time, nursing or diving. This study presents an example of designing and implementing a whale-based tourism activity in the Canary Islands (Spain), with the participation of researchers, whale-watching operators and tour guides, public policy-makers, and civil society, with a strong focus on educational values. The coastal communities are crucial in promoting sustainable whale-watching practices through educational initiatives, community engagement, and stakeholder collaboration. The paper employs a process-monitoring approach to evaluate the whole procedure of whale-watching activity implementation. We assume that the success of any tourism activity depends on the process that leads to its creation. The analysis emphasizes the need for careful planning and execution to design and implement marine tourism experiences. Concerns for tourism satisfaction and safety and the need for environmental sustainability challenge the management of whale-watching operations. In this regard, engaging local communities, addressing safety and conservation concerns, and promoting responsible tourism practices are essential for mitigating these challenges and ensuring the long-term viability of whale watching as a sustainable and educational activity.

Implementasi Geointerpretasi berbasis Kearifan Lokal di Destinasi Wisata Minat Khusus Gua Cerme, Bantul, Yogyakarta

One of the Gunung Sewu Geopark's three main pillars, geointerpretation of landscape duality, is implemented by special interest tour guides who possess the knowledge and abilities necessary for the job site and who must be proficient in cave exploration methods and cave science. With the primary tourist attraction being a cave with a tunnel length of 1200 meters and an underground river, this study was conducted at the Cerme Cave Tourist Destination, specifically in Srunggo Village, Imogiri District, Bantul Regency, to observe how the Pokdarwis Cerme tour guide implements interpretation in tourism spaces. The research was conducted utilizing a logical approach and qualitative approaches. Data gathering methods included cave and surface area mapping, cave photography, participant observation, and semi-structured interviews. The research findings show that there are two tourism spatial zonings that are related to the content of geointerpretation, and the second finding is interpretation activities of geological objects that are mixed with local wisdom through the story of the spread of Islam by the Wali Songo in Cerme, which is believed to have occurred in the past by the local community. This tale has been passed down through generations and is part of the material given to guests by Cerme Cave tour guides. These beliefs impact the destination's toponymy, ornaments and places within the cave, as well as geointerpretation activities carried out in the Cerme Cave Tourist Destination's dual landscape.

Relevance and legal background of tourist guiding in Hungary

The profession of tourist guide has recently been subject to a significant loss of prestige in Hungary. There have been many career leavers who have been prevented from working due to an unregulated legal framework or a lack of government support during and in the post-COVID-19 period. The first problem - an ineffective and poorly regulated regulatory environment - has led to a significant increase in unauthorised tourism-related activities, undermining the reputation of the profession. As a result of the unregulated legal environment, the country - and Budapest in particular - is losing significant revenue and the situation is damaging the city’s image. Today, personal knowledge and experience are likely to be rendered worthless by the development of new technologies, tools and fast-paced lifestyles. Many people do not even know who exactly a tourist guide is, what their duties are and what regulations apply to their activities, despite the fact that tourist guides spend a lot of quality time with tourists visiting our country, providing them with information and acquainting them with our traditions. The transfer of value, which is the essence of their activity, is an important factor in shaping the image of the country and the perception of Hungary by visitors. Most people may not be aware of the remarkable difference between a qualified and licensed guide and an unqualified and unlicensed guide. The former presents a place authentically. This study aims to present the legal and professional background of this activity and the importance of this work in the light of current regulations, highlighting the important role of guides in the transmission of values today. It also focuses on the main changes and reactions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the uncertainties and concerns created by the legislative background. In order to illustrate the unique situation in Hungary, regulatory procedures and tourist management practices are also covered.

Exploring the Selection and Training of Tour Leaders: An Evaluation Model Based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process

Since the outbreak of the global pandemic in 2020, the tourism industry in various countries has nearly come to a standstill, resulting in many individuals who previously worked as tour leaders shifting to other professions due to financial issues. As the pandemic gradually eases and border controls are progressively relaxed, the outbound travel market is seeing a glimmer of recovery. This signifies that the demand for tour leaders will increase for travel agencies. Tour leaders are not only promoters of business sales but also frontline service personnel who interact directly with customers. Their performance directly affects customer satisfaction with travel itineraries. Therefore, travel agencies must pay special attention to selection criteria when re-selecting tour leaders. This study aims to explore the selection criteria for tour leaders to assist travel agencies in objectively and effectively evaluating suitable candidates. Although tour leaders may not play as central a role in travel activities as tour guides, they remain crucial factors influencing the success or failure of travel activities. This paper collects expert opinions through the Delphi method and employs the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to categorize the selection criteria for tour leaders into five main dimensions and sixteen indicators, covering aspects such as personal conditions, professional knowledge, professional skills, service attitude, and execution capability. The ultimate goal of this study is to provide travel agencies with a more objective and effective basis for selecting tour leaders.

The Jurassic Park and Ata Modo in Eastern Indonesia

Famous for its distinctive Komodo dragons (Varanus Komodoensis) and features home to underwater ecosystems, the Komodo National Park (KNP) has become a prominent and favorite destination of visitors locally and globally in recent years. Situated in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia, KNP has three prime islands: Rinca, Komodo, and Padar. The infrastructure development in KNP formulated in 2020 by the central government of Indonesia, including establishing offices, photograph areas, clinics, warehouses, public spaces, and tour guides' offices, raises controversy about this decision. While the government of Indonesia persuaded citizens that this erection was a conservation effort for protection, preservation, and utilization, UNESCO refused this plan by enacting a refusal document and assessing whether the development could affect the property's Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) before the review of the relevant environmental impact analysis by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Additionally, the local people argue this plan will threaten the giant lizard's habitat regarding the entry of heavy equipment and disadvantage local tourism actors. Using a systematic literature review method, this piece collects and discovers a different concept in the issue of infrastructure development in KNP instead of another scholar's perspective. Walpole and Goodwin (2000) find that economics and facilities are the prominent aspects of tourism, while UNESCO considers the environment in development. In contrast to popular belief, this paper indicates a significant role of local people, known as Ata Modo, in the KNP establishment. This paper's findings propose that Ata Modo, as local people/tribes in KNP, should not be relocated from their area and instead be involved in the decision-making process. The bottom-up approach can be executed as a practice in a democratic process. From the fiscal approach, this development will positively impact local people's economy through collaboration and stakeholder participation.

The effect of service robot use on tourism staff career identity: an experimental study

ABSTRACT Based on cognitive-affective system theory and using tour guides, hotel and attraction staff as subjects, three experimental studies investigated the effect of using service robots on career identity. The results were that: (1) the use of service robots significantly affected career identity; (2) emotional exhaustion mediated the relationship between service robot use and career identity; and (3) years of work experience and staff age positively moderated the main effect. The findings provide meaningful implications for managers to more effectively deploy service robots and enhance staff career identity.

Developing a STEM Curriculum Through the Community History of Ban Prohm Thin Tai to Enhance the Ability to be a Tour Guide and the Local Consciousness of Elementary School Students

The objective of this research is 1) To study in-depth knowledge about the historical context of the Ban Prohm Thin Tai community, 2) To design an educational management approach a STEM Curriculum through the community history of Ban Prohm Thin Tai to enhance the ability to be a tour guide and the local consciousness of Elementary School students, and 3) To study the outcomes of using the community-based historical education approach through the STEM Curriculum through the community history of Ban Prohm Thin Tai to enhance the ability to be a tour guide and the local consciousness of Elementary School students. This research is Action Research. The sample in the study consists of (1) a group of informants regarding the community history of Ban Phrom Thin Tai, comprising 12 people, (2) A group of experts evaluating the curriculum management of learning includes 5 individuals including science teachers, educators, and curriculum experts, and (3) The experimental group using the learning management approach comprises 23 elementary school students selected through purposive sampling, totaling 40 participants. 1) A deep study of the historical knowledge related to the community of Ban Prohm Thin Tai revealed that this area has archaeological sites that have been inhabited since prehistoric times. Over time, it developed into an urban community during historical times, characterized by the construction of moats and earthen embankments influenced by Indian culture. Furthermore, archaeological excavations have unearthed prehistoric human skeletons and various artifacts such as pottery fragments, rings, beads, and axes. These discoveries indicate that the area around Ban Prohm Thin Tai has a long history of civilization, making it worthy of preservation as a heritage for future generations. 2) Designing guidelines for a STEM Curriculum through the community history of Ban Prohm Thin Tai to enhance the ability to be a tour guide and the local consciousness of Elementary School students found that, the researchers have developed a comprehensive approach to a STEM Curriculum through the community history of Ban Prohm Thin Tai to enhance the ability to be a tour guide and the local consciousness of Elementary School students. This approach is termed the STEM+H model, which includes (1) Science, integrated history (2) Technology, integrated history (3) Engineering, integrated history (4) mathematics, and integrated history. The overall suitability of the model was found to be highly effective based on the evaluation results. 3) A study of the results of using the STEM Curriculum through the community history of Ban Prohm Thin Tai to enhance the ability to be a tour guide and the local consciousness of Elementary School students found that the approach of the TEM Curriculum through the community history of Ban Prohm Thin Tai can enhance the ability to be a tour guide and the local consciousness of Elementary School students.

Preservation of arts and culture through edutourism village of Mentaraman in Malang East Java

There are many kinds of community efforts in preserving their local culture, one of which is to carry out routine activities that are integrated with the village celebration agenda so that they become a medium for demonstrating the performance of their local cultural arts potential. This Community Service (PkM) activity aims to package cultural preservation efforts through the formation of an educational tourism village (eduwisata). The location is in the village of Mentaraman, Pagelaran Village, Malang Regency, East Java. The stages used were identification of potential and problems, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), program preparation, socialisation, and trial visits. Analysis of the results used the 6P simultaneous stage. The results of the community service programme are in the form of a tourism package document supported by an increase in skills and a variety of performing arts as well as the involvement of local communities in management. Recommendations include the need to increase the capacity of local tour guides, the participation of artists, and the use of information technology to support digital-based promotions.

Pengembangan Potensi Wisata Taman Pujaan Bangsa Margarana Melalui Pelatihan Digital Marketing dan Pelatihan Pemandu Wisata

The Taman Pujaan Bangsa Margarana National Monument (TPB Margarana) is a memorial monument built to commemorate the Puputan Margarana tragedy. Currently, the number of tourists visiting is still very small, this affects the income obtained is not enough to cover the maintenance and operational costs of TPB Margarana. Digital Marketing Training and Tour Guide Training as an effort to develop the potential of TPB Margarana to increase the number of tourists visiting so that it is expected to have an impact on the sustainability of the TPB Margarana Struggle History Museum. Training and mentoring methods are used in this activity. The training method is designed to convey the important role of digital marketing and tour guide competence to increase the number of visits to TPB Margarana. Digital marketing training and Tour Guide Training were attended by 20 TPB Margarana employees. The output of this activity is in the form of publication of activities through electronic mass media, draft teaching materials and draft community service articles. This activity also provides benefits for TPB Margarana, namely increasing competence in the field of digital marketing and tour guides for TPB Margarana employees and for the Bali State Polytechnic campus as the implementer of activities to share their knowledge with the wider community.

Tour guides as facilitators of learning under field trips

ABSTRACT Students embark on museum field trips with the goal of having enjoyable and educational experiences outside of the traditional classroom setting. This study investigated how museum tour guides helped primary school children in Zimbabwe learn school curriculum content while on field excursions. The study employed qualitative research approaches where a sample of conveniently chosen 320 school children, 12 teachers, and 40 museum tour guides was used. It is revealed that there are three different categories of tour guides that are found in Zimbabwean museums and these are: evangelists, dictators, and benevolent demonstrators. It was discovered that students go on field trips in order to engage with and learn about the curriculum. According to the investigation, nine (9) tour guides were classified as benevolent demonstrators, ten (10) as dictators, and twenty-one (21) as evangelists. It was shown that evangelist and dictator tour guides hindered effective learning because they treated students like epistemic slaves. During field visits, benevolent demonstrators used active techniques of content delivery to encourage effective learning. According to the study’s findings, most tour guides fall short when it comes to promoting effective learning, and they should receive pedagogy and customer service training.

Morality expression drives favorable consumer outcomes for P2P tour guide: The role of elevation, trust, and enjoyment

The emerging peer-to-peer platforms enable individual tour guides to market themselves via online profiles. Given the growing societal interest in responsible tourism, tour guides can utilize online profiles to communicate responsible tourism endeavors that showcase positive moral character. However, how consumers respond to such expressions of responsible conduct is unknown. Through four experiments, we find that a moral self-description (vs. social or control) elicited higher elevation, further enhancing trust and enjoyment, leading to more favorable consumer responses (i.e., booking intention, willingness to pay, and likelihood to recommend). Thus, the underlying mechanisms are explained by elevation, trust, and enjoyment. Moreover, consumers' self-esteem and tour guides' motives are two boundary conditions. Specifically, positive reactions to the tour guide's morality expression are more pronounced among high self-esteem individuals and when the guide is intrinsically motivated. This research contributes to the literature on P2P tourism services and offers practical implications for tourism providers.

Best practices of tour guides in Eco-Park Panguil Laguna: A basis for the development of comprehensive training plan for tour guiding services

Best practices of tour guides in Eco-Park Panguil Laguna: A basis for the development of comprehensive training plan for tour guiding services

A Community Response to Tourism Focusing on the Home Stay Program in Goriganga Valley Munsyari , Pithoragarh Uttarakhand , India

In most mountainous regions of the world, people have limited possibilities for generating income. Agriculture forestry, animal husbandry Home stay back bone of local economics, The Himalayan Mountain in all its length adnbreath has been a famous destination as well as international tourist. Its snowy peaks, glaciers, passes, alpine grasslands, its wilderness, might river and many there unsurpassed natural constructs have been inspiring the adventure and explorers. The tourism industry in India has grown enormously and is becoming a major source of economic growth in India. Is paper focuses on studying the possibilities of home- stay programs and the willingness of the residents in Uttarakhand on such programs. Considering the tourism perspective of India, home-stay programs are rather unusual. Only Ladakh Autonomous Region in Jammu and Kashmir are the two examples. is research is a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches through household survey, an average treatment, community economic development analysis, observations, interpretative analysis, and ethnographic understanding of Johar valley, Munsyari Pithoragarh District, Uttarakhand. E results show that the tourism industry has not brought economic benefits for the households involved in the industry; however, this could be owing to the community not being involved in tourism development. In addition, most of the villagers considered that the home-stay program could create opportunities for jobs and improve the income of the local community. In the mountain tourism industry, tourist guides, dhabawals are the main successful tourism operations. In the study area, we found private entrepreneurship, but the home-stay program has not yet been developed. is research paper expects to assist making decisions to initiate an extensive home-stay program under the “Endogenous Tourism” program with some re-evaluations of not only the previously mentioned village of Uttarakhand, but also other remote locations in India, considering the colorful and cultural-rituals of rural living in India.

A Study on the Tourist Guide Book, “Joseon Treasure Mirror(朝鮮寶鑑)” during the Imperial Japan’s Colonial Period

A Study on the Tourist Guide Book, “Joseon Treasure Mirror(朝鮮寶鑑)” during the Imperial Japan’s Colonial Period

Intelligent System for Tourist Guidance in Tumbes-Perú

An Intelligent System (IS) for Tourist Guidance was developed for the city of Tumbes, Peru. Considering the preferences of the tourist, the IS obtains the optimal route for the visit and provides a visit plan with schedules and times of stay in each place. It is an innovative hybrid system since it is complemented by two artificial intelligence techniques, a rule-based expert system and a genetic algorithm. The methodology for the implementation of the IS consisted of the collection of tourist, geographic, georeferenced information and photographs of 28 tourist places, grouped into Beaches, Nature, Adventure, Culture and Medicinal Sites, then the logical rules, the distance matrix and time of stay in each place were developed, and finally with the vehicle routing technique the genetic algorithm is implemented that allows obtaining the optimal route. The results indicate that the GA provides optimal solutions with an execution time of 5.6 seconds and zero errors. This contribution is very important for future work on tourist profiles and new tourist routes, since the intelligent system can be adapted for use in other cities.

Development of Recreation in Improving the Health of the Population

This article investigates the potential of developing recreational and military-recreational zones, particularly focusing on the Chimgan-Charvak resort area in Uzbekistan. Despite the rapid global growth of recreational tourism, military recreation remains underexplored, presenting a knowledge gap, especially in Uzbekistan. The study employs SWOT analysis and expert surveys to assess the region's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, alongside mapping techniques to analyze the population's health challenges. Findings reveal significant untapped potential in ecotourism and the necessity of balancing recreational development with environmental conservation. The study underscores the importance of innovative approaches to tourism management and calls for better investment in tourism infrastructure and specialized training for tour guides. These insights have broad implications for enhancing Uzbekistan’s economic growth through sustainable tourism development.

The Threat of Cultural Degradation Due to Tourism Activities (Case Study on Tourist Guides from Baduy Dalam Tribe at Banten, Indonesia)

With the inclusion of Baduy in the list of Rural Tourism, it also brings tourists with the habits they bring. Tourism needs and tourist behavior such as bringing mobile phones, taking pictures are feared to affect and are considered to threaten the purity of teachings and beliefs in Baduy. The novelty of this research is to fill the gap of existing problems or a void of knowledge, lack of literature that focuses on the Threat of Cultural Degradation because of the existence of Baduy Dalam Tribe Residents who have activities as tour guides, and they are suspected of having cell phones and Instagram social media which are considered contrary to the customary rules of the Baduy Tribe. The research method used is qualitative with a case study approach. Data collection through interviews, observation and documentation. The data obtained will be analyzed using the Miles & Huberman interactive model. Baduy customary rules strictly prohibit the use of technology, but local guides from the Baduy Dalam tribe are found using mobile phones and Instagram social media to attract tourists to use their services. There is a social change in local guides as they adjust to the needs of tourists. They use this technology secretly because they realize that they have violated customary rules. The customary leader explained that what happened to the local guide had indirectly violated customary rules. The conclusion of this research is that there is a threat of cultural degradation due to tourism activities, especially for tour guides from the Baduy Dalam Tribe. Mobile phone ownership and the use of Instagram social media to attract tourists to use guiding services are considered contrary to customary rules.

Competency Model: Professional Development of Leisure Scuba Diving Instructors in China

Scuba diving specialization is a multidimensional index consisting of behavioral, cognitive, and affective domains. Based on the literature, the recreational scuba divers’ specialization was an interesting research topic to understand further the competency of leisure scuba diving instructors and prepare for their professional development. Leisure diving instructors need to carry out important duties such as teaching, underwater tour guides, safety protection, and equipment installation. The limitations of recreational scuba divers in China impact their specialization and competency as instructors. The study examined the qualities of an excellent leisure scuba diving instructor and the necessary professional enhancement they needed to become excellent leisure scuba diving instructors. Through qualitative methods, it revealed that leisure scuba diving instructors in China were 31 years old and older and possessed positive competencies in terms of their diving professional knowledge, skills, and attitude. However, they were average or unexceptional in their career opportunities, training, and mentorship and scored low in underwater photography, post-conference with students, and self-evaluations which were integrated into the professional development program as the output of the study.

A sustainable integration of mining activity in a tourist mountain territory: The case of GermanascaValley

Every mining activity shows a footprint on the territory. The signs left by mining operations are physical, such as tunnels, extractive waste facilities, dressing plants, but also economic and social, due to job placement, income and knowledge connected to mining activity sensu lato. In the extraordinary context of the Germanasca Valley, mining has coexisted for hundreds of years with the mountain environment of the Alps and with the local population, and has become a fundamental part of local development, intimately connected with the territory and the local economic and social fabrics.The progressive migration of mining crops at lower altitudes has left behind old mining structures that here, more than elsewhere, guaranteed new forms of industrial and geo-tourism. Similarly, the technological advance and the evolution of mining production, towards a higher quality product, with a consequent reduction in the quantities exploited, led over time to a progressive reduction in the number of employed miners. The resilience of the local population, however, balanced the contraction of work in the mine, transforming former miners in tourist guides and increasing the induced activities, passing from the previous “in house” model to an “outsourcing” model, characterized by external management of mine-related activities. The transformation of old mines into museums has certainly contributed to the development of the area, particularly considering a slow tourism that shows scarce attitude to a “fast and junk” tourism. The challenge is to understand if and how geotourism influence, in specific mining areas (such as Germanasca Valley), the attractiveness of a place.