As you know, OurExplorer has launched a new product Sightseeing Tours last month. OurExplorer is happy to see now over 150 sightseeing tours already saved this website, provided by our tour guides all over the world. Some tours are well presented and very attractive, so we would like to share with all. It is not only about your sightseeing tours on OurExplorer, but can be generally applied online or offline.
Tip 1: Shout out your specialty clearly. Why should travelers choose your sightseeing tour rather than anyone else’s? Because the sightseeing tour with you is unique. For example-
Barcelona Sightseeing Tour, Marta’s tapas tour for a delicious local experience!
Shanghai Sightseeing Tours with Jean, see how the old buildings, factories and houses have been fueled with new vitality by creative designs.
Prague Sightseeing Tours with Martina, look up for lady holding broom and lantern!
Tip 2: Photos are inspiring. Add photos to your sightseeing tour. Let travelers have a direct visual impression of what to see during the visit. See Classic City Tour in Buenos Aires.
Tip 3: Detailed and clear introduction. Clients can’t book your sightseeing tour if they are not clear about the tour length, price, routes…, right? So a clear introduction on tour details is critical. It actually saves a tour guide’s efforts by clarifying things in advance. See Acapulco Sightseeing Tours with Rudy!
Tip 4: Show your humor and wisdom!
Sightseeing Tours Exclusions: Bad tempered, no- sense of humor, it's-just-another-tour local guides. Isn’t it nice to experience a Zagreb sightseeing tour like this, More than an ordinary sightseeing tour?
Have you any suggestions on the best sightseeing tours?
Monday, November 23, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Maximise Sightseeing Tour Length and Tour Guide Commentary
Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming. Are you as a tour guide designing a special program for the holiday period? Besides something specially related with Christmas, what else will you cover in your guiding commentary? A sightseeing spot may have dozens of stories or facts. Will you tell them all? Probably not. It is not necessary either.
A traveler once remarked on her day excursion in Shanghai (China),”The city is amazing. But for a city like this, I just feel there is too much to absorb and digest in a single day.” Not to mention shorter sightseeing tours e.g. a 3-hour walking tour. Avoid overloading with information is important.
Because of the limited time on a tour, a good tour guide will try to find the clients’ interest and thus focusing more on relevant aspects. How? Ask the client beforehand. Even with routine sightseeing tours, it could turn out differently with different travelers. Do not hesitate to add a simple question “Do you have any special interest?” Listen to them on the sightseeing tours. Listening is a kind of art. From the questions they asked and their personal backgrounds mentioned, you can detect what they might be more interested.
Sightseeing Tour length is an important element to consider when preparing commentary on a tour. If the travelers have a longer sightseeing tour with you, it is a good opportunity for you to share more knowledge and wisdom. Separate general information throughout days. Do not talk over all in one day and stay quiet in the other day. A day with certain theme requires commentary sticking to the same theme. Try different routes back to the accommodation, so that you won’t repeat similar contents.
One more point, when you are working together with another tour guide, e.g. national guide, local guide, or tour leader, cooperate in what to say in your commentary. Travelers don’t want repeated information.
Have you encountered similar problem, too less time but too much to say? Tips are welcome in comments.
A traveler once remarked on her day excursion in Shanghai (China),”The city is amazing. But for a city like this, I just feel there is too much to absorb and digest in a single day.” Not to mention shorter sightseeing tours e.g. a 3-hour walking tour. Avoid overloading with information is important.
Because of the limited time on a tour, a good tour guide will try to find the clients’ interest and thus focusing more on relevant aspects. How? Ask the client beforehand. Even with routine sightseeing tours, it could turn out differently with different travelers. Do not hesitate to add a simple question “Do you have any special interest?” Listen to them on the sightseeing tours. Listening is a kind of art. From the questions they asked and their personal backgrounds mentioned, you can detect what they might be more interested.
Sightseeing Tour length is an important element to consider when preparing commentary on a tour. If the travelers have a longer sightseeing tour with you, it is a good opportunity for you to share more knowledge and wisdom. Separate general information throughout days. Do not talk over all in one day and stay quiet in the other day. A day with certain theme requires commentary sticking to the same theme. Try different routes back to the accommodation, so that you won’t repeat similar contents.
One more point, when you are working together with another tour guide, e.g. national guide, local guide, or tour leader, cooperate in what to say in your commentary. Travelers don’t want repeated information.
Have you encountered similar problem, too less time but too much to say? Tips are welcome in comments.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Tour Guide Survey with Adolfo in Mexico
Tour Guide Adolfo Soberanis-Rios, Acapulco Sightseeing Tours
1. What is the best thing you like about being a tour guide?
Being able to “brag” about my Country and show our visitors the true colors of it, sharing our valuable History, customs, traditions and most important of all, helping them feel the warmth and heart-felt care of my people by taking them by the hand into their environment.
2. What is your most memorable moment in guiding so far?
When I took care of a famous blind golfer by the name of Charles Boswell (author of the book “Now I can see”) in the company of Late Mr. John P. Kern and I took them out for dinner at this fantastic Restaurant “El Campanario” (1988) which was located on the very summit of a high hill, overlooking a breathtaking view of Acapulco bay, & as we sat in our table, his expression turned very thoughtful as he turned to me and expressed: “Adolfo, this is the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my entire life” Needless to say, my jaw fell to the floor among the other diners !
3. What is most challenging for you in this career? Have you coped with it?
When I received an email requesting assistance for booking a private villa for a Jewish family visiting Acapulco for the first time. After exchanging many emails back and forth with several different options for this client to choose from, and just as I thought he finally agreed upon one, he disappeared, only to return about a week later to let me know he had found another villa for a lower price. Since I was aware of the lousy conditions of such villa, I sent him an email (after talking to the owner of the villa he had chosen previously and getting him the same rate as the other cheap one). Upon their arrival to Acapulco I pick them up at the airport and took them to the villa they have booked. Right then I offered my ground transportation service to his full party of 7 adults and 4 children and again had to agree on a much lower rate for him to accept such service.
One thing led to another and from then on, it was like pulling teeth to cop with him, so I finally decided to send him a colleague of mine, to drive them around on the same deal …but he wouldn’t hear of it and he demanded I was the one to do his driving. So I did and it was the longest week of my entire life !!!
At the end and as I saw them off at the departure gate at the airport, he came towards me, embraced me and thank me for everything I did for him and his family …and even gave me a tip.
4. What is your favorite place/thing that you want to show your travel clients?
Definitely the Culture, wonderful History, my charming/friendly fellow citizens, the close family bonds among our people, the colors, the delicious cuisine, the wonderful beaches, the archaeological sites nearby, Taxco (Silver capitol of the world) …and breathtaking sights. I could carry and rant on & on, but I’d basically love to at least show that much.
5. What if you were not a tour guide? What do you imagine yourself to be?
I was born into the Tourist Industry by having a father that became the first Federal Government Tourist Inspector in Acapulco, in the late 1950s-early 1960s. When he died in 1970, I inherited his job and was sent to Mexico City for 5 months to take Certification Course to become a Federal Tourist Inspector myself, which I did. Eventually I had the opportunity to move to San Francisco where I lived and studied to become a Certified Auto-mechanic, which I worked as one for about 12 years in my own auto repair shop.
In 1983 I decided I wanted to do a different job for about a year (sort of giving me a little room to breath) & went to work for a local travel agency. At the end of two seasons I just knew this was it for me and I applied for my Government-licensed as a Certified Tour Guide and became one in October 1985. Since then (only after the birth of my 3 children), this has been the most important and happiest thing to happen in my life.
What would I be if I were not a Tour guide …I just can not picture my life in any other way !!!
1. What is the best thing you like about being a tour guide?
Being able to “brag” about my Country and show our visitors the true colors of it, sharing our valuable History, customs, traditions and most important of all, helping them feel the warmth and heart-felt care of my people by taking them by the hand into their environment.
2. What is your most memorable moment in guiding so far?
When I took care of a famous blind golfer by the name of Charles Boswell (author of the book “Now I can see”) in the company of Late Mr. John P. Kern and I took them out for dinner at this fantastic Restaurant “El Campanario” (1988) which was located on the very summit of a high hill, overlooking a breathtaking view of Acapulco bay, & as we sat in our table, his expression turned very thoughtful as he turned to me and expressed: “Adolfo, this is the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my entire life” Needless to say, my jaw fell to the floor among the other diners !
3. What is most challenging for you in this career? Have you coped with it?
When I received an email requesting assistance for booking a private villa for a Jewish family visiting Acapulco for the first time. After exchanging many emails back and forth with several different options for this client to choose from, and just as I thought he finally agreed upon one, he disappeared, only to return about a week later to let me know he had found another villa for a lower price. Since I was aware of the lousy conditions of such villa, I sent him an email (after talking to the owner of the villa he had chosen previously and getting him the same rate as the other cheap one). Upon their arrival to Acapulco I pick them up at the airport and took them to the villa they have booked. Right then I offered my ground transportation service to his full party of 7 adults and 4 children and again had to agree on a much lower rate for him to accept such service.
One thing led to another and from then on, it was like pulling teeth to cop with him, so I finally decided to send him a colleague of mine, to drive them around on the same deal …but he wouldn’t hear of it and he demanded I was the one to do his driving. So I did and it was the longest week of my entire life !!!
At the end and as I saw them off at the departure gate at the airport, he came towards me, embraced me and thank me for everything I did for him and his family …and even gave me a tip.
4. What is your favorite place/thing that you want to show your travel clients?
Definitely the Culture, wonderful History, my charming/friendly fellow citizens, the close family bonds among our people, the colors, the delicious cuisine, the wonderful beaches, the archaeological sites nearby, Taxco (Silver capitol of the world) …and breathtaking sights. I could carry and rant on & on, but I’d basically love to at least show that much.
5. What if you were not a tour guide? What do you imagine yourself to be?
I was born into the Tourist Industry by having a father that became the first Federal Government Tourist Inspector in Acapulco, in the late 1950s-early 1960s. When he died in 1970, I inherited his job and was sent to Mexico City for 5 months to take Certification Course to become a Federal Tourist Inspector myself, which I did. Eventually I had the opportunity to move to San Francisco where I lived and studied to become a Certified Auto-mechanic, which I worked as one for about 12 years in my own auto repair shop.
In 1983 I decided I wanted to do a different job for about a year (sort of giving me a little room to breath) & went to work for a local travel agency. At the end of two seasons I just knew this was it for me and I applied for my Government-licensed as a Certified Tour Guide and became one in October 1985. Since then (only after the birth of my 3 children), this has been the most important and happiest thing to happen in my life.
What would I be if I were not a Tour guide …I just can not picture my life in any other way !!!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
New Sightseeing Tours Product - Launched on OurExplorer
OurExplorer launched a new product range for tour guides in October 2009 - Sightseeing Tours with specific prices and photos. Click here to see a sample sightseeing tour
OurExplorer tour guides can now upload and save their top 4 sightseeing tours onto their OurExplorer webpage profile.
Why Upload Your Sightseeing Tours? - Benefits
- Increase your product range for clients to book
- Easy for clients to make direct booking on specific sightseeing tours
- More photos displayed to your clients
How to Add a Sightseeing Tour to your OurExplorer webpage?
1. Login to your profile
2. Click tab “Sightseeing Tours”
3. Click blue button “Add Sightseeing Tours”
4. Add tour details left of the page
5. Click button “Save”
6. Add sightseeing photos right of the page
7. Click tab “Back to sightseeing list” to add more tours.
Contact OurExplorer for more help with Sightseeing Tours Uploading
Add Your Best Sightseeing Tours Today
OurExplorer tour guides can now upload and save their top 4 sightseeing tours onto their OurExplorer webpage profile.
Why Upload Your Sightseeing Tours? - Benefits
- Increase your product range for clients to book
- Easy for clients to make direct booking on specific sightseeing tours
- More photos displayed to your clients
How to Add a Sightseeing Tour to your OurExplorer webpage?
1. Login to your profile
2. Click tab “Sightseeing Tours”
3. Click blue button “Add Sightseeing Tours”
4. Add tour details left of the page
5. Click button “Save”
6. Add sightseeing photos right of the page
7. Click tab “Back to sightseeing list” to add more tours.
Contact OurExplorer for more help with Sightseeing Tours Uploading
Add Your Best Sightseeing Tours Today
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tour Guide Survey with Rudy in Mexico
Tour Guide Rudy Fregoso - Acapulco Sightseeing Tours
1. What is the best thing you like being a tour guide?
I think there is nothing better than being able to show your own country to foreigner and getting them acquainted of what it really take place in the nation, helping them, guiding them, making them realizing about the reality of my home!
2. What is your most memorable moment in guiding so far?
I still remember the face of a Latin American lady who when being a little child used to see Mexican movies and started dreaming coming to Acapulco, Mexico. I rembember the impression, the impact that the bay of Acapulco caused to the woman, her face is something that made thinking willing to pay "mucho dinero", making me think my KINGDOM for a camera at that time.
3. What is most challenging for you in this career? Have you coped with it?
Everyday is a fun challenge but to me is a pleasure!
4. What is your favorite place/thing that you want to show your travel clients?
I always like better what people, my customers like the most, and the positive feedback I get from my tourist make like even better that given place....!
5. What if you were not a tour guide? What do you imagine yourself to be?
I think of myself as a chemically pure Tour Guide, And IF I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A TOUR GUIDE.... I WOULD IMAGINE MYSELF WILLING TO BE ONE.
GRACIAS.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Getting your sightseeing tours to be client perfect
When it comes to private sightseeing tours, the tour guide can be challenged to provide an interesting initial program. How can you design great sightseeing tours program that is desirable to your specific clients everytime?
Ask and listen
You may have guided the classic/common sightseeing tours in your city hundreds of times but remember, every person has their own travel needs. Especially with clients who require a private sightseeing tour. So take the effort to confirm: Is it your first time to the city? Do you have any special interests e.g. art, history, nature, local market? Are you ok with long-hour walking or alert to any foods ……
Q. Do listen to your clients’ needs, otherwise you won’t be successful with the sightseeing tours proposal.
Design the sightseeing tours program
Now that you know your clients interests and requirements, you can start to design a tailor-made program. Here are some tips when putting together the “things to do”. Try to put all information on one page. It is like resume, simple and clear is the best. Make a short note besides the scenic spot name e.g. (Shanghai, China) Yuyuan Garden, traditional Chinese garden established 400 years ago. A tour guide is familiar with all sites. Yet your client may not.
Do not put very similar sites or activities in the same day tour unless your client required so E.g. visiting the history museum in the morning and art museum in the afternoon may be too much museum activity in the same day. Balance walking with driving time. Long hour walking will fatigue travelers as well as the tour guide. Too much time on transportation will make people boring. Do the distant sites first and nearby sites later. It is not clever to visit far away sites while your clients are catching a flight/train on the same day - stress in not fun for any person.
Leave the evening free. You may suggest activities, but do not make a program detailed into 24 hours. Leave some free time for the travelers to enjoy themselves. Tour guides also need a break and prepare for the next day - refreshed and full of energy.
Alternatives and Cancellation
Offer alternatives. People like to have choices. E.g. select their preferred local performance among several options. Tour guides also need to consider activities limited by weather or other conditions. E.g. the outdoor activity not fit for raining days. Notify your clients of cancellation rules if any. It is better to inform in advance, avoiding conflicts or displeasure.
Confirm signtseeing tours in advance
When you are responsible for a sightseeing tour with everything included, do confirm all the details in advance. Confirm with travel clients the program details in full. Book the car and driver earlier when required. Check with restaurant availability and order the table if it is a popular place.
No. 1 = Clarify the needs of clients.
No. 2 = Then build the tour towards meeting these needs.
Then you will come out with a great and workable sightseeing tours program.
Ask and listen
You may have guided the classic/common sightseeing tours in your city hundreds of times but remember, every person has their own travel needs. Especially with clients who require a private sightseeing tour. So take the effort to confirm: Is it your first time to the city? Do you have any special interests e.g. art, history, nature, local market? Are you ok with long-hour walking or alert to any foods ……
Q. Do listen to your clients’ needs, otherwise you won’t be successful with the sightseeing tours proposal.
Design the sightseeing tours program
Now that you know your clients interests and requirements, you can start to design a tailor-made program. Here are some tips when putting together the “things to do”. Try to put all information on one page. It is like resume, simple and clear is the best. Make a short note besides the scenic spot name e.g. (Shanghai, China) Yuyuan Garden, traditional Chinese garden established 400 years ago. A tour guide is familiar with all sites. Yet your client may not.
Do not put very similar sites or activities in the same day tour unless your client required so E.g. visiting the history museum in the morning and art museum in the afternoon may be too much museum activity in the same day. Balance walking with driving time. Long hour walking will fatigue travelers as well as the tour guide. Too much time on transportation will make people boring. Do the distant sites first and nearby sites later. It is not clever to visit far away sites while your clients are catching a flight/train on the same day - stress in not fun for any person.
Leave the evening free. You may suggest activities, but do not make a program detailed into 24 hours. Leave some free time for the travelers to enjoy themselves. Tour guides also need a break and prepare for the next day - refreshed and full of energy.
Alternatives and Cancellation
Offer alternatives. People like to have choices. E.g. select their preferred local performance among several options. Tour guides also need to consider activities limited by weather or other conditions. E.g. the outdoor activity not fit for raining days. Notify your clients of cancellation rules if any. It is better to inform in advance, avoiding conflicts or displeasure.
Confirm signtseeing tours in advance
When you are responsible for a sightseeing tour with everything included, do confirm all the details in advance. Confirm with travel clients the program details in full. Book the car and driver earlier when required. Check with restaurant availability and order the table if it is a popular place.
No. 1 = Clarify the needs of clients.
No. 2 = Then build the tour towards meeting these needs.
Then you will come out with a great and workable sightseeing tours program.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Client Feedback - How to ensure a superb sightseeing tour
Happy clients recommend great tour guides and sightseeing tours to friends. How can you ensure you have a happy client willing to recommend your services after the sightseeing tours are complete?
ACTUAL FEEDBACK FROM A REAL CLIENT
Before the sightseeing tour
As previously mentioned, the tour guide did contact me within a few hours of me sending a question and booking the tour. This seemed very professional to me.
I also mentioned that she contacted me via Instant Messaging soon after the booking. You may want to recommend this to other tour guides as it did help made build trust in her as a tour guide and the fact that she was going to turn up on the day … definitely help me feel that I was not going to get "stood up" on the day of the tour.
Another good point is that she promised to call my hotel the day before the sightseeing tours to confirm the meeting place and time, which she did.
At the start of the sightseeing tours
The tour guide was punctual, which is very important.As soon as we met, the guide was instantly very friendly.
The tour guide had the good sense to first sit with me, before we went out, to confirm what I wanted to do and we discussed a rough itinerary. Again, good another tip to suggest for tour guides, because if she did not know my expectations, then I might not be satisfied at the end.
The tour guide also confirmed that my clothing was suitable, since we were visiting temples etc. Another possible hint tip is to get guides to recommend appropriate clothing etc before the day of meeting.
The tour guide also allowed me to decide if I wanted them to pay for things along the way (and I pay at the end) or if I simply wanted to pay as we go. It was nice that they offered this option.
[Advise Summary: Be punctual. Attentive to details. Mind the cultural background of your clients.]
During the sightseeing tours
The tour guide did seem to know her city and was quite confident in showing me around. She was constantly talking and telling me information and was answering most of my questions.
In fact, I think she was so enthusiastic to tell me what she knew, that she often quickly dismissed or brushed over what I really wanted to know. Tip: tell your tour guides to "listen" to the customer as it will be the customer that that will ultimately evaluate them on the website and with their tip.
A tip might be how to handle the situation when the sightseeing tours finishes early (not getting the full value) or if the guest wants to spend more time … I guess an hourly rate could be suitable in this case.
[Advise Summary: Be knowledgeable but not overwhelming with everything. Listen to your clients and focus on their interest.]
At the end of the sightseeing tours
The next day (after the tour), the tour guide called my hotel room at approximately 8:30am to follow up and see if they could help in any other way. Some people may have found this very professional, but since I had a very big night in Bangkok the night before and arrived to the hotel late, I was a little annoyed that they rang me so early on my holiday when I was actually relaxing and sleeping in.
[Advise Summary: Follow up in the right time. Provide your full contacts to your clients, so they can find you when they need. Offer further help at end of the tour when you are with the clients. An email follow up with thank and feedback request is a good option.]
ACTUAL FEEDBACK FROM A REAL CLIENT
Before the sightseeing tour
As previously mentioned, the tour guide did contact me within a few hours of me sending a question and booking the tour. This seemed very professional to me.
I also mentioned that she contacted me via Instant Messaging soon after the booking. You may want to recommend this to other tour guides as it did help made build trust in her as a tour guide and the fact that she was going to turn up on the day … definitely help me feel that I was not going to get "stood up" on the day of the tour.
Another good point is that she promised to call my hotel the day before the sightseeing tours to confirm the meeting place and time, which she did.
At the start of the sightseeing tours
The tour guide was punctual, which is very important.As soon as we met, the guide was instantly very friendly.
The tour guide had the good sense to first sit with me, before we went out, to confirm what I wanted to do and we discussed a rough itinerary. Again, good another tip to suggest for tour guides, because if she did not know my expectations, then I might not be satisfied at the end.
The tour guide also confirmed that my clothing was suitable, since we were visiting temples etc. Another possible hint tip is to get guides to recommend appropriate clothing etc before the day of meeting.
The tour guide also allowed me to decide if I wanted them to pay for things along the way (and I pay at the end) or if I simply wanted to pay as we go. It was nice that they offered this option.
[Advise Summary: Be punctual. Attentive to details. Mind the cultural background of your clients.]
During the sightseeing tours
The tour guide did seem to know her city and was quite confident in showing me around. She was constantly talking and telling me information and was answering most of my questions.
In fact, I think she was so enthusiastic to tell me what she knew, that she often quickly dismissed or brushed over what I really wanted to know. Tip: tell your tour guides to "listen" to the customer as it will be the customer that that will ultimately evaluate them on the website and with their tip.
A tip might be how to handle the situation when the sightseeing tours finishes early (not getting the full value) or if the guest wants to spend more time … I guess an hourly rate could be suitable in this case.
[Advise Summary: Be knowledgeable but not overwhelming with everything. Listen to your clients and focus on their interest.]
At the end of the sightseeing tours
The next day (after the tour), the tour guide called my hotel room at approximately 8:30am to follow up and see if they could help in any other way. Some people may have found this very professional, but since I had a very big night in Bangkok the night before and arrived to the hotel late, I was a little annoyed that they rang me so early on my holiday when I was actually relaxing and sleeping in.
[Advise Summary: Follow up in the right time. Provide your full contacts to your clients, so they can find you when they need. Offer further help at end of the tour when you are with the clients. An email follow up with thank and feedback request is a good option.]
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