Mair Professional Skills

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STGA Tourist Guide Training

• Mair Professional Skills
• 16th November 2008

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Introduction

• Any questions?

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Progress Feedback

• Breadth of core knowledge
• Continuous Improvement
• Be realistic!
• Make the most of learning opportunities
• Be positive!
• eCommunications
• Progress on Target!

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Tour Plan Preparation
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Proper PreparationPrevents Poor Performance!
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Exercise

• You have accepted a commission
• No time for recce
• Day trip
• Circular route
• Unst from Lerwick
• Kirkwall to St Margarets Hope
• Brodick to Lochranza
• Invergordon/Dornoch/Lairg/Invergordon

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Tour Plan Considerations

• What date/day
• What is the best route
• Most scenic?
• Fastest?
• What is the best FEASIBLE route
• Where are you going?
• Why might you be going there?
• Comfort of guests
• Who are the guests
• Detailed brief!

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BBG Toolkit

• Map
• Timed itinerary
• Tour Notes
• FULL tour contact information
• Place Names book
• Visual aids
• Notepad
• Standards of Performance
• Business Cards
• WFTGA Handbook - Page 10

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Tourist Guides in Action

• Coach

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Tourist Guides in Action

• Watch this film footage
• List examples of poor guiding practice
• How would you do it better?

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More Tourist Guides in Action

• It could be you!

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Take a break!

• Join us downstairs next door i.e. no 9 in 10
  minutes!

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Summary Learnings

• Group control
• Safety
• Unexpected hazards
• Good Introduction - setting the scene
• Reading your audience
• TVP/Interruption
• Pacing yourself

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LUNCH
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Standards of Performance

• Our Friend!

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SoP Grid
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SoP Grid
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SoP Grid
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Exercise

• Draw your idea of a
• tourist guide

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Take a break!
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Knowledge Management

• Must/Should/Could/TVPs

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Knowledge Management

• TVPs/Must/Should/Could

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Knowledge Management

• Tourist Guide
• A person who guides visitors in the language of
  their choice and interprets the cultural and
  natural heritage of an area which person normally
  possesses an area-specific qualification usually
  issued and/or recognised by the appropriate
  authority.

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Knowledge Management

• Good Interpretation
• Provokes
• Relates
• Reveals

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Knowledge Management

• Exercise
• Describe your item in 4 brief sentences
• Presentation to be 60 seconds max
• Jack Vettriano
• Hound Point
• Swilken Bridge
• Isle of May

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Tourist Questions?

• Why are there so many chimneys?
• Who owns the land?
• Where do the people work?
• How much does it cost to play golf?
• How do the children get to school?
• Are there wild animals in Scotland?
• How much does it cost to go to University?
• Do Scots really play the bagpipes and wear kilts?

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Tourist Questions?

• Exercise
• Short Answer - 30 seconds max

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Tourist Questions?

• Why are there so many chimneys?
• Who owns the land?
• Where do the people work?
• How much does it cost to play golf?
• How do the children get to school?
• Are there wild animals in Scotland?
• How much does it cost to go to University?
• Do Scots really play the bagpipes and wear kilts?

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Tourist Questions?

• Exercise
• Short Answer - 30 seconds max
• In what way could this be developed?

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Knowledge Management

• Talk about what guests can SEE
• Interpret
• Provoke
• Relate
• Reveal
• State the obvious
• Anticipate - use a childs eyes

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Handling Nerves

• Fear
• Fight
• Flight
• Confidence starts with Con

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Preparation

• Memorise the beginning
• Plan what youre going to say
• Learn what youre going to say
• Practice makes perfect

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Coach Safety

• Seat Belts required by law
• Remain seated at all times coach in motion
• Emergency Exit locations
• Hammers if they are in place
• First Aid kit and fire extinguisher location
• Climate control - advise your tour team!
• You are all responsible for your own safety
• Please be common sense careful
• Timekeeping essential to itinerary success
• Should commentary exhaust oxygen masks will appear

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Handling Nerves

• Preparation
• Know how you will start
• Know where you are!
• Confidence starts with Con

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Take a break!
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Communication

• Check your attitude!
• Positive
• Calm
• Confident
• EEEE not EEEEK!
• Energy
• Enthusiasm
• Excitement
• Enjoyment

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Communication

• Verbal Communication
• Vocal Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication

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Communication

• Verbal Communication 7
• Vocal Communication 38
• Non-Verbal Communication 55

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Communication

• Exercise
• Think of 4 things you can do to get you into the
  Tourist Guide mood

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Summary of Day

• Prepare!
• Be positive!
• Study Standards of Performance
• Build skills/new habits
• Enjoy getting there!
• EEEE!
• Any Questions?

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29th November

• Edinburgh
• Visits PHH, Parliament, St Giles
• Content from guides
• Skills focus Safety Positioning
• Student Preparation
• SoP
• WFTGA Handbook

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30th November

• Fife
• 9 am start?
• Assessment conditions
• Coach practice
• Walk focus on safety positioning
• St Andrews on St Andrews day!
• Student Preparation
• Consolidate Tour Notes Coach Walking

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Any Questions?
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Remember!

• Guiding is
• Fun!