TOUR GUIDING & ESCORTING (Midterm Reviewer)

Commentary Materials

SELECTION OF COMMENTARY MATERIALS

The following are sources of commentary materials;

a) Primary Data – are firsthand experiences that are ideal primary source of
information. It is best to share something that has been personally experienced.
b) Secondary Information – is normally taken from reading books, the internet,
magazines and other reference materials. At this time, this information comes
from those who experienced the event firsthand.
c) Technical Data – includes expert knowledge taken from further education and
training.
d) Current Events – are great sources of information where commentaries can be
based from. These can be taken from newspapers, internet and electronic
media sources and news reports.
e) Trivias – these are interesting tidbits of almost anything. These may interest and
amuse tourists when included in the commentaries.

TYPES OF COMMENTARIES

1. Required Commentary – includes welcome remarks and introduction of self and

the driver, giving of some reminders and a brief description of the tour, the
weather and other important suggestions in preparation for the tour

a) Introduction of the Tour Guide and any Accompanying Staff

b) Overview of Tour Itinerary and Schedule
c) Important Safety Information and Emergency Procedures
d) Meeting Points
e) Expectations for Behavior During the Tour
f) Information about Entry Fees, Tickets or any additional costs
g) Language or Communication Preference
h) Any Specific Instructions or Requests for the Group
i) Contact Information for the Tour Guide

2. Informative Commentary – includes describing the city, the designated stops,

other points of interest and even giving advice to tourists as they go along the
tour.
3. Requested Commentary – must be given when tourists ask some questions.
Remember to be very tactful when answering questions.
 4. Optional Commentary – this is part of the fun when giving commentaries which
includes anecdotes, stories, legends, simple trivias and games.

COMPONENTS OF COMMENTARIES

A. Introduction – any form of gathering, managing and leading people required a

great welcoming introduction. It is the same for tour guiding. Trying to get the
attention of the guests in a calm and educated manner may be challenging
most especially if it is a big group all mixed up in a big crowd. A greeting is a
form of salutation done in a very pleasing tone and sometimes accompanied
with gestures.
B. Body of the Commentary – commentaries need to be pleasant yet concisely
descriptive. Emphasizing on the vital points such as history, geography, culture
and the rest of its fine points are important.
C. Feedback – having common sense is an essential element tour guides need to
have, this is important in evaluating feedback or reactions from tourists. Be ready
with acceptable explanations. Feedback sometimes brings in appreciation and
there is no better way to respond to it than a simple thank you.
D. Summarizing the Commentary – summaries are always short and important facts
are reiterated, but no longer described lengthily. This part is normally brief. It
involves emphasizing the important matters.
E. Reminders – tour guides show genuine concern towards their guest by giving
them reminders and warnings. Some reminders can be given at any time they
are needed.
F. Thank you and Good Bye – any professional knows how to say thank you even if
side remarks have been said. Say thank you for the opportunity to share and the
patience and understanding and most of all for the company. Good byes must
be pleasant too.

COMMENTARY BASED FROM GATHERED INFORMATION

TOUR SCRIPTS

- It is true that giving commentaries must follow a certain pattern and must be
selected from different sources. Having considered all these features, the
next step is to organize and form a tour script or tour commentary. The script
serves as a lead for the tour guide follow during the delivery of the
commentary. Hence, this script should have an organized and compelling
development. With all these features of commentaries, the truth remains that
its delivery must be truly engaging. It must be delivered in exciting ways so
that the tourists listen. When they listen, there is learning involved. Traveling is
a fun-filled learning experience. One important part of telling stories is not to
overwhelm them with facts and figures. Dates, seasons, occasions, and
 events are important but they must not be conveyed in a very academic
way. It is best that they become a part of a story. In order to make it more
interesting, it is best to formulate a story around it.

TIPS WHEN DOING COMMENTARIES

• Make sure that stories have beginnings, middle story, and endings – tour
guides should remember that the story they share is worth remembering. It
must be something they can be proud to say for example “I know the
story behind that building” or “I know the story how this island got its
name.”
• Collect Stories – great tour guides collect stories and keep them. These
are taken from newspaper clips, books, movies, internet and even from
the locals and other tour guides.
• Create a theme – great tour guides prepare beforehand. With the given
itinerary, they will know the profile of the guests. If the tourists are the
adventurous type then pattern your commentaries or stories in a
courageous or daring manner.
• Stimulate curiosity –when doing commentaries and doing it in a story-
telling manner, it is best to encourage them to think.

SKILLS REQUIRED FOR COMMENTARY MAKING

A. LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Tour guides are not only managers, they are also leaders. They manage
the conduct of the tour from start to finish, take the initiative to an interactive
way of guiding. As leaders, the primary goal to be able to communicate
efficiently and be understood well by the guests is always priority. Leadership
process takes place as the leader-tour guide not only talk, but communicate
and sends the message to the audience-tourists the way it has to be delivered
and understood.

B. COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Skill is something which we do over and over again until we become

experts. Communication is a skill which needs practice. It is a hard work and
requires concentration and focus. It is a skill that can be developed and
become an investment.
 LANGUAGE PROFIECIENCY

• Avoid using highfaluting words, use simple, easy to understand

words;
• Try to get rid of regional accent;
• Use synonyms to explain, to describe something;
• Use non-verbal communication in a difficult thing or situation

CREATING A PERSONAL PLATFORM IMAGE

1) VOICE – RATE OF SPEECH

a. Volume is critical. If people cannot hear you easily, they will
not listen to you anymore and just see the views, sceneries
around
b. Speak audibly
c. Be sure you are speaking to be heard by all, not just a few
d. Keep your pacing or rate of speech quick than slow, as
people tend to process information mentally at a higher rate
of speed
e. Pitch and tones are as important as the above-mentioned
guidelines for effective speech.
f. Vocal ticks as “um” and “ahh” are distractions and become
mannerisms that you have to avoid.
2) EYE CONTACT If you want to look and sound sincere, maintain eye
contact with the person you are speaking. Looking a person in the
eye means you are listening to what he is saying and it’s a message
of recognition.
3) BODY LANGUAGE Be conscious of your body language, not overly
so, but just enough to become more mindful of its effect. Watch for
cues from others, focus on how they move and react to your
speech, and also how you react to their body language and
gestures.
4) YOUR AUDIENCE As a tour guide, you draw your energy also from
your audience/ guests. Many times, you get more excited and
energized because your guests are excited from the star. It takes a
happy listener for the speaker to gather all the enthusiasms and
positive feelings and be an entertaining tour guide along the way.

C. LISTENING SKILLS
Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen
effectively messages are easily misunderstood – communication breaks down,
and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated. If there
is one communication skill you should aim to master then, listening is it.
 SOME TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE LISTENING
1. Use attentive body language
2. Learn how to use your “thinking time” effectively by paying
attention and focusing on what you see and hear.
3. Become an observer
4. Listen with an open mind
5. Do not jump into conclusions
6. Let the speaker recognize that you are listening

D. RESEARCH SKILLS
Tour commentaries are planned, structured, and studied information
carefully gathered through research and used as a tool to be able to effectively
inform the guests, let them understand and appreciate the facts related to the
actual sights seen along the way on a running tour or a walk about tour.

E. DELIVERY SKILLS
In tour guiding, delivery of information gathered and researched is the
most challenging part of the “show.” It is here that the talking skills of a tour guide
are being put to the test. It is not the idea of being so fluent in English or any
other foreign language, but the way you deliver the commentary to the listening
tourists is the “name of the game” here.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MAKING COMMENTARY

TIPS FOR AN EFFECTIVE COMMENTARY

• Begin with a smile, greeting, and introduction

• Deliver information in a manner that would interest the guests
• Add sense of humor in your commentary
• Remember that people join a tour to be entertained with facts and stories about
the place, and appreciate the things they see • Face the group, not a few
• Speak clearly and slowly
• Voice should be audible
• Practice eye contact
• Prepare yourself for questions to be asked
• Take control of your breathing and try to emphasize important word
• Use synonyms in explaining
• When mentioning a name, repeat it or spell it
• Maintain silence, if the need arises
• Listen carefully to questions and other concerns
• Never argue with the guests
• Always end your tour by thanking the guests for joining the tour, and visiting the
country
ARRANGING GATHERED INFORMATION

FIELD OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES

The travel industry involves many players. A tour in itself needs coordination of
people who create and assemble it. Once it has been planned and given a go signal, it
still has to undertake certain processes before it happens. Certain paper works have to
be in place before it becomes a field operation. A field operation is the actual delivery
of services – the tour, the pickup and drop-off, the meals, etc. It should be planned,
monitored, and may be considerably changed. However, before the actual tour
happens and before it even gets to the field, everything must be well-coordinated. The
field operations supervisor is the overall coordinator of all activities. He or she takes care
of accomplishing the logbook. Sometimes, if there is no company field operations, or in
his or her absence, the tour coordinator undertakes the responsibility.

Other times, this has to be accomplished by the tour guide as they perform several
roles in some travel companies. In view of this, it is best that tour guides know how to
accomplish this important document. Generally, a well-planned tour results to successful
field operations. The key players which include airport representatives, tour coordinators,
tour drivers and tour guides contribute to the overall success of the tour.

Field operations’ services include both transfers and tours. Transfer service includes
transfer-in and transfer-out. Transfer-in refers to the arrival transfers, where guests are
picked up from the arrival point like airport, bus or train station and they are brought to
their respective hotels. Transfer-out refers to the departure transfers, where guests are
brought from their respective hotels to their departure point. It is important that the
vehicle used is comfortable and safe. Tours, on the other hand, refer to the actual visit to
different sights and destinations. A great tour is delivered when the tourists do not have
to wait in line for entrance tickets. These should have been acquired beforehand by the
coordinators. It is also important that the other inclusions in the tour like meals and snacks,
and other free items must be given.

PREPARATION OF LOGBOOK

A logbook is important in field operations. This is where details of the trip are
recorded. This is an essential working reference of tour operations. It contains records of
various activities and other relevant information about the tour. It contains details such
as date, reference number or a code, name of passenger/s (pax), or name of group,
number of passengers, individual passengers’ names, scheduled trip, service or activity,
hotel or name of accommodation, pickup time, flight number, estimated time of arrival,
and departure, name of the guide accompanying tourists, name of coordinator, and
the kind of vehicle to be utilized. All these are important information needed to be listed
in the logbook. It is important to know the given information so that confirmation with
other supplier or establishments involved can be done.

Below is a sample of a logbook based on the book Travel and Tours Operations in
the Philippines:

PARTS OF THE LOGBOOK

1) REFERENCE – refers to the transaction code of the tour for filing normally given
with a three letter city code. (ex: MANILA-MNL, LAOAG-LAO)
2) NAMES OF PERSONS OR GROUP NAME – refers to the name/s of the organization
or company. Some groups of more than four passengers with no specific
organization can be referred to as party.
3) NUMBER OF PERSONS – refers to the number of paying participants plus the
number of passengers in a free of charge status (FOC)
4) SERVICE OR ACTIVITY – refers to specific transfer, tour, or trip indicating origin and
destination.
5) ACCOMMODATION – refers to the name of lodging; hotel, inn, motel pension
house, resort and the like.
6) PICKUP TIME – refers to the scheduled time for guests to be picked up from their
location.
7) DROP-OFF TIME – refers to the estimated and latest time where guests should
have been dropped-off to their destination.
8) FLIGHT – refers to the flight details that include airline code and flight number.
9) ETA – refers to the estimated time of arrival of guests at the terminal, bay, or
station.
10) ETD – refers to the estimated time of departure of guests from the terminal bay or
station.
11) NAME OF TOUR GUIDE – refers to tour guide assigned for the tour.
 12) NAME OF TOUR COORDINATOR – refers to tour coordinator, tour escort, or airport
representative.
13) VEHICLE – refers to the type of vehicle with plate number, body type, and
description.
14) PERSON WHO PREPARED THE REPORT – can be the field operations supervisor, tour
coordinator, or staff guide.

The logbook is a very important tool for tour guides during field operations as this
is a directive for them about specific assignments and schedule. Knowing how to prepare
and interpret it makes their job easier to handle.