6 Common Mistakes from Tour Guides

Here are six common mistakes that tour guides can make:

1. failing to provide what was promised
   You promise one thing and deliver another; different stops, a different guide, and unannounced alterations are the leading causes of tour participant dissatisfaction. Ensure you are aware of the promises made and fulfill them.
2. Being stiff and unsociable
   The purpose of guided excursions is to be anything but formal and unfriendly. Eliminate tension by being well-prepared and communicating on an emotional level with your guests to demonstrate gratitude and provide them with the time of their lives.
3. causing visitors to wait
   The worst thing you could do to tourists is to keep them waiting during a tour; waiting for other visitors to arrive, waiting for the tour guide, waiting in traffic, waiting to enter an attraction… Eliminate all delays from your tour, as it is a sign of carelessness and poor planning.
4. a lack of adaptability
   You observe that visitors are not enjoying the tour as intended, yet you maintain your defiance. The best tour guides are adept at “reading the audience” and customizing the experience to the interests and needs of the visitors.
5. The voice is not audible
   This may sound elementary, but it is a prevalent guest complaint. This novice error could be caused by a large group, turning your head while speaking, not articulating your words, speaking indoors versus outdoors, or faulty equipment. Adjust your voice based on the current environment and confirm that the audience can hear you clearly.
6. absence of formal training
   You may be gifted and natural at guiding tours. However, due to technological advancements and distractions, visitors are more knowledgeable than ever and have shorter attention spans. Always seek out novel methods to capture and maintain guests’ interest.