Question 3. Mixed forms of guiding and services on offer today in urban sightseeing

Pre-work. Write down these words, translate them into Russian

tour guiding, urban guiding, urban tourism, tourist services, guiding methodology

Plan:

Question 1. Urban tourism

Question 2. Conventional and novel forms of conducting city tours

Question 3. Mixed forms of guiding and services on offer today in urban sightseeing

3.1. DRIVING GUIDE (DG)

3.2. GUIDE & SHOPPING ADVISER (GSA)

3.3. GUIDE-LECTURER (GL)

Question 4. Urban quest and (proper) dramatized tours

Question 1. Urban tourism

Recent years have witnessed rapid changes in the ways people spend their free time away from home, including activities described by the term “urban tourism”, which is one of the most popular types of cultural tourism [Mikos v. Rohrscheidt 2010]. First of all, this period is characterized by a significant change in the profile of the urban tourist, as well as their preferences related to sights, places and events and the manner of exploring or participating in tours, and finally the subject matter and the form of communications expected from guides if their services are used [Mikos v. Rohrscheidt 2012, p. 63-68]. In response to these changes, contrary to the previously common understanding of the guide’s role as an “educator”, “master” or at least “teacher”, at present literature related to this issue tends to describe the guide as an interpreter of the space and heritage, animator of education and entertainment, or even an organizer (manager) of not only the tour itself but also of the tourist’s free time [Mikos v. Rohrscheidt 2012, p. 69-77]. There has also been an increase in the diversity of city tours on offer and visitors have already become accustomed to a wide range of new options. Due to this, tour guides in particular those who obtained their professional qualifications many years ago, face the necessity to upgrade their services on offer and to adjust them to the new requirements.

Question 2. Conventional and novel forms of conducting city tours, and their previous analyses

The following diagram (Fig. 1.) shows a wide range of guiding services currently on offer in cities. The classification is based on a few criteria applied in sequence. The first one is related to how long a given service has been available in urban tourism – therefore the distinction into “conventional” (well-known and commonly used for decades) and “novel” forms. The novel forms were subsequently accessed in terms of their popularity: this is expressed by the distinction into groups representing “mainstream” options – on offer for visitors to large, historically significant European cities – and the remaining types. The latter, because of their internal structure (contents of the essential elements of the service) have been defined here as an “alternative” to mainstream services; additionally, some of these have been defined as mixed forms, taking into account the fact they are combined with services previously not associated with classical guiding services.

To provide a complete picture of options available to urban guides it is necessary to more broadly present and discuss critically three novel forms combining elements of guiding and other types of services. Since there are no analyses focusing on both the use of questing in urban context, and the part played by the guide in this specific form of sightseeing, and because the common understanding of dramatized tours is limited to stylized clothing and the guide’s language (hence, due to a lack of a storyline, this indeed is a different type of guiding), these two forms of sightseeing have also been taken into account in the present study.

Question 3. Mixed forms of guiding and services on offer today in urban sightseeing

The following sections describe three mixed forms which, for years, have been on offer from urban guides in numerous large cities of North America and Europe, and which have emerged at least in embryonic form in Europe. In the latter case, their different nature most frequently is not recognized and no specific term is used for them; in fact typical guiding services are simply combined with other options to cater for specific needs on a case-by-case basis. Obviously, these three types of services do not constitute a complete list of mixed forms, yet they should be recognized as those most frequently encountered. Their common feature is the fact that they all require redefined self-awareness and attitudes as well as a new approach to the guide’s responsibilities. Firstly, because this is expressed in one’s own understanding of one’s relation to the customer from sense of mission to “educate” or even “contribute to the upbringing” of customers, towards recognizing one’s function to be that of a “service provider”. Secondly, in order to adequately deliver such services the guide must be significantly more flexible with respect to the program on offer and in terms of his or her capability to spontaneously restructure the program in response to customers’ needs or sudden changes in their decisions. Finally, of increasing importance are the guide’s additional knowledge and skills related to areas, which previously were not recognized as necessary or even useful for the work of urban guide. Indeed, these differences are the main reason for the attempt to comprehensively describe these services which will make it possible for guides to get acquainted with their essence and the requirements faced by those providing such services.

DRIVING GUIDE (DG)

Service description: This is a personalized option designed for individual travellers, and combining services of an urban (countryside) guide, chauffer hired with a car, tour leader, and in the case of foreign visitors, most frequently an interpreter and advisor, with regard to e.g. local dining options. This service is used by affluent tourists visiting a city (and frequently nearby sites) individually or in small family groups. It may also be included (in some organizations as a standard) into the program of visits organized for VIPs such as politicians, executive managers, celebrities, famous artists hosted by municipal or regional institutions, or organizations, or those participating in various events or arriving in the city as guests of affluent individuals or of companies. Increasingly often this service is also included as a part of family gifts (e.g. constituting an element of honeymoon packages or family jubilee packages).

Guide’s duties: Driver guide is frequently assigned with a role which could be described as “leisure manager”. It involves keeping company during sightseeing and overall organization of the visit including meals, walks, etc., as well as occasionally also participation in a scheduled meeting (in such a case the guide acts as an interpreter). The main assumption of such service is the fully open itinerary of the visit, defined only in terms of timeframes, place where the service starts and finishes, as well as a few major sites or landmarks to be visited, and in other respects the guest is free to decide about the program.

Skills and abilities required from the guide: In addition to such obligatory prerequisites as knowledge of the subject matter, driving license, his or her own vehicle and awareness of current traffic conditions in the city and the surrounding area, in order to provide these specific services, the guide must have a number of other skills and abilities. First of all it is necessary to be able to effectively assess the customer’s needs and preferences (during an initial conversation), to immediately respond by designing an itinerary, and to be flexible in making quick adjustments while the plan is being carried out. It is also important to know dining options on offer in the city and to be able to instantly get in touch with the staff of a specific place to book a table. In particular cases it may be important to have good relations and reliable means of contact with administration and staff of facilities, which may be interesting for the customer, yet normally are not open for visitors during specific hours (e.g. archives, special collections). When dealing with foreign visitors (constituting vast majority among those using such a service in Polish cities) it is important to be efficient in interpreting which requires fluent knowledge of the customer’s language.

Related findingsshow that the greatest demand for this service comes from representatives of medium and large business enterprises, as well as in connection with organizing visits (or their part) for VIP guests, including honorary guests of regional authorities and important institutions (e.g. universities), as well as individuals of Jewish origins searching for their roots, scholars specializing in humanities (under subsidized program) as well as affluent enthusiasts of history or other disciplines, travelling individually “on research”. In 2012 the service was for the first time used also by couples and families.

Potential locations for providing this service:permanently:all large cities holding regional administrative authorities, as well as temporarily: towns which at a given time are particularly attractive because of specific events or because they are designated to hold e.g. European capitals of culture or which become popular for a period of time in connection with a film or a publication of a literary best-seller.

3.2. GUIDE & SHOPPING ADVISER(GSA)

Service description: This service is tailored for the needs of individual customers as well as small private enterprises and has been available for many years in major urban centres e.g. in Italy, USA, and France. In addition to visiting historical parts of cities and museums, those choosing this option are accompanied for shopping, most frequently in places with unique merchandise (local foods, alcoholic beverages, jewellery, souvenirs), as well as for workshops conducted by artists and craftsmen (artistic products) and to prestigious shopping galleries with brand or local merchandise (shopping for fashion items), souvenirs. In many cases the service involves organization of all activities to be performed during a specified part of the day (e.g. from breakfast until lunch), and what is important, the way of spending free time is defined more precisely (shopping) at the time the customer orders such a service, which makes it easier for the guide to prepare the itinerary.

Guide’s duties:Besides the conventional forms of historical or thematic walk, the guide provides advisory and translation services at the time of shopping. Most frequently, the guide also act as the “leisure manager”, even though related responsibilities are usually limited to the pre-defined timeframes and to selecting a place for a meal and ensuring it.

Skills and abilities required from the guide:in addition to the regular qualifications and competences related to tour guiding, it is necessary to be well aware of fashions and trends as well as places with related merchandise on offer in the city, to have good knowledge of art and be familiar with places where works of art and craft are created and sold, to be acquainted with artists and regional handicrafts. The guide must be fluent in interpreting (using specialist terms and phrases related to these areas), and must be well acquainted with and have a list of contacts for varied dining options on offer.

Related findingsthe service is most frequently commissioned by entities organizing time for VIPs (in fact, it is usually a part of efforts to organize attractions for wives of such guests). Those using the service also include affluent Russian and German speaking visitors as individual travellers.

Potential locations for providing this service:At present: all metropolitan cities with well-developed luxury shopping sector. It can be assumed that in the future the service may be available in other large cities with valuable cultural landmarks and international airports, provided that packages of services for individuals are designed and developed.

3.3. GUIDE-LECTURER(GL)

Service description: The service is designed for groups, and is provided at special request. The guide conducting a conventional tour (focusing on history or a specific theme, tailored to the preferences of the group) starts or finishes such a tour with a (multimedia) talk, lecture, or presentation. The lecture most commonly focuses on the history of the city or its specific aspect (e.g. its military history) or on an isolated incident (event of national or larger importance); other topics may include biographies of renowned residents, specific aspects of material or intangible cultural heritage of the city or region, the origins of a specific work of art or literature as well as historical or critical presentation of a collection or exposition. The service is most often requested as a supplement to educational program (e.g. during study visits by groups of students specializing in a given area) or by those participating in a study tour whose program for the given city includes this particular issue.

Potentially the service may also be requested by entities organizing tours for mass media representatives and designed to promote the city and its tourist attractions in the market; in the latter case the factors of critical importance, when it comes to commissioning such a service, include the guide’s personal experience in related area, his or her reputation and the organizing entity’s trust in his/her competences.

Guide’s duties:In addition to conventional sightseeing (in this case including sites and more comprehensive information related to the theme specified by the ordering party), the guide prepares and presents a talk or a lecture, answers questions and possibly takes part in a discussion. The guide may also be responsible for selecting an adequate place to host the lecture (conveniently located in the proximity of the first or final landmark along the itinerary, and possibly connected with the topic of the lecture, e.g. due to its history or nature of its holdings) and for making all relevant arrangements, which depending on the customer’s expectation, may also require cooperation with the staff of such location, involving e.g. provision of snacks or catering services on site.

Skills and abilities required from the guide:In addition to regular qualifications, in this case a guide should have academic background (as a rule in the specific field of knowledge), experience in giving lectures (ideally, a few years of related practical experience), and should be proficient in using modern presentation techniques, as well as have contacts with educational or cultural institutions which make it possible to deliver such services. For this particular purpose some clients look for a guide with actual accomplishments related to research in or promotion of a given field of knowledge (e.g. co-organization of exhibitions, contribution to a joint publication) or at least a person passionate about a given subject, with confirmed achievements (e.g. a popular publication).

Related findings: The service has most commonly been requested by groups doing seminar courses at foreign universities (mainly from Germany), groups of academics participating in conferences (e.g. historians) and groups following thematic itineraries during study tours. Occasionally, the service has been requested by schools, for older students participating in international exchange, or in some cases for their own students (i.e. residents of the city) as a part e.g. of special religious instruction program.

Potential locations for providing this service:All cities and towns with a significant concentration of cultural assets (landmarks, collections, substantial accumulation of intangible heritage) and/or rich history including events whose impact transcends the borders of the region or even the entire country, and numerous or well-known unique thematic motifs, including biographies. In order to create the demand for the service in smaller and less popular towns it is necessary to promote their heritage at a greater scale, and that may be facilitated by linking a given town with an effectively functioning thematic route, or by creating such an option in cooperation with other locations.