Table Of ContentTour Guiding Research
ASPECTS OF TOURISM
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ASPECTS OF TOURISM: 62
Tour Guiding Research
Insights, Issues and Implications
Betty Weiler and Rosemary Black
CHANNEL VIEW PUBLICATIONS
Bristol • Buffalo • Toronto
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
Weiler, B. (Betty)
Tour Guiding Research: Insights, Issues and Implications/Betty Weiler and Rosemary
Black.
Aspects of Tourism: 62
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Tours guides (Persons)—Research. 2. Tourism—Research. I. Black, Rosemary, 1955-II.
Title.
G154.7.W45 2015
910–dc23 2014018930
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN-13: 978-1-84541-468-9 (hbk)
ISBN-13: 978-1-84541-467-2 (pbk)
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Contents
Tables and Figures xi
Acknowledgements xiii
1 The Historical and Political Context and Scope of Tour
Guiding Research 1
Introduction to and Aim of the Book 1
Overview of Tour Guiding Research and Scholarship 4
Methods for researching, delimiting and writing
about tour guides and guiding 4
In what outlets is research being published? 5
Who is undertaking tour guiding research? 7
Tourism genre 8
Study location 9
Study method 10
The Context of Tour Guiding 10
History and evolution of guided tours 11
The social, cultural and political context
and nature of tour g uiding 13
Language and Terminology Used in This Book 17
Overview of the Book 19
2 The Multiple and Complex Roles of the Tour Guide 21
Frameworks that Capture the Multiple Roles
of a Guide 22
Roles Played by Tour Guides in Developing Countries 28
Roles Played by Tour Guides in Developed Countries 29
Other Specialist Roles Played by Guides in Both
Developing and Developed Countries 30
v
vi Contents
The Mediating Role of the Guide 32
Domain 1: Mediating/brokering physical access 35
Domain 2: Mediating/brokering encounters 36
Domain 3: Mediating/brokering understanding 36
Domain 4: Mediating/brokering empathy 38
The Sociopolitical and Cultural Roles of a Guide 38
Implications for Research 40
Implications for Tour Guiding Practice 41
Chapter Summary 42
Key references 43
3 Tour Guides as Interpreters, Storytellers
and Intercultural Communicators 45
Defining and Measuring the Communication
Competence of Tour Guides 45
Defining Interpretation and Interpretive Guiding 48
A Chronological Perspective on Interpretive
Tour Guiding 51
The Application of Principles of Interpretation to
Tour Guiding 55
The application of interpretation principles to
guiding Chinese diaspora visitors 60
Guiding Tours Through Drama, Storytelling and Narrative 61
Defining and Measuring the Intercultural
Communication Competence of Tour Guides 64
Implications for Research 66
Implications for Tour Guiding Practice 67
Chapter Summary 68
Key references 69
4 The Contributions of Tour Guiding to Sustainability 71
Defining Sustainability in the Context of Tourism
and Tour Guiding 71
The Dimensions of Tour Guiding’s Contribution
to Sustainability 75
Evidence of Sustainability Outcomes from Tour Guiding 76
Contents vii
Dimension 1: Enhancing understanding and valuing 77
Dimension 2: Influencing and monitoring behaviour 80
Dimension 3: Fostering post-visit attitudes and behaviours 83
Inputs or Antecedents: How Tour Guiding Contributes
to Sustainability 85
Implications for Research 87
Implications for Tour Guiding Practice 88
Chapter Summary 89
Key references 90
5 Visitor Expectations of and Satisfaction with Tour Guides
and Guiding Services 92
Service Quality, Service Performance and Satisfaction
and Their Application to Tourism 93
An Overview of Research on Tour Guide Performance
and Visitor Satisfaction 95
Visitor Satisfaction with Guided Versus
Non-guided Experiences 96
The Influence of Tour Guide Performance on Visitor
Satisfaction: Early Studies 98
The Influence of Tour Guide Performance on Visitor
Satisfaction: Recent Studies 100
The Influence of Tour Guide Performance on Specific
Visitor Behaviours 105
Tour Guide Performance and Visitor Satisfaction in
Nature-based Tourism 107
Implications for Research 109
Implications for Tour Guiding Practice 112
Chapter Summary 113
Key references 115
6 Improving Tour Guide Performance Through Training
and Education 116
Lack of, and Barriers to, Training and the Consequences
of Inadequate Training 117
The Desire for Training and the Advantages and
Disadvantages of Training and Education as a
Quality Assurance Mechanism 119
viii Contents
Tour Guide Training Models and Approaches 120
Tour guide training approaches in developed countries 121
Tour guide training approaches in developing countries 124
Sustainability and Guide Training 127
The Identification of Content and the Development of
Materials for Tour Guide Training Programmes 128
Evaluation of Tour Guide Training 130
Implications for Research 132
Implications for Tour Guiding Practice 133
Chapter Summary 134
Key references 136
7 Conceptualising and Fostering Quality in Tour Guiding 137
Tour Guide Professionalism and Professionalisation 137
Tour Guide Quality Assurance Mechanisms 140
Mechanisms that have the Capacity to Improve Tour
Guide Performance and Standards 141
Professional associations 142
Professional certification 144
Licensing 148
Codes of conduct 150
Individual awards of excellence 152
Implications for Research 154
Implications for Tour Guiding Practice 156
Chapter Summary 156
Key references 157
8 Implications and Future Directions for Tour Guiding
Research and Practice 159
Research to Date: Highlights and Implications for Tour
Guiding Practice 159
Trends Affecting the Future of Guiding 166
Research Needs, Gaps and New Directions 169
A global perspective on gaps in tour guiding research 169
Contents ix
A thematic look at tour guiding research gaps 172
Emerging themes in tour guiding research 174
Conclusion 177
Appendix: Highlights from a Selection of Tour
Guide Associations 179
References 185
Index 200
