2. Extra Reading Notes for the Training to Macho ya Tanzania Guides.

As it was not possible to cover all chapters because of the short time allocated, these notes are published to provide extra reading for the Guides. This Professional Tour Guiding and Leadership Course comprises of Six Modules:

1. The Tourism Industry - skipped in this training.
2. Professionalism.
3. General Knowledge.
4. Presentation.
5. Procedures.
6. Problem Solving.

I have found it most appropriate to provide the entire extra reading notes, so that you read them and be well prepared for the next training.
You will find out that some of the items were discussed and some where not.
Standards are not included as they were given on Flip Charts and those not covered will be covered on the next training.

A: Professionalism. Tour Guiding as a Profession.
We agreed on the start of the training that Tour Guiding is a Profession just like Lawyers, Doctors and Teachers.
People from all walks of life and from many different cultures take tours.
All of them expect courteous, professional service.
They count on you, the local tour guide, to be attentive to detail, anticipate their needs and be able to run a tour smoothly.
Being professional means taking pride in the service you provide and meeting the challenge of working with a variety of people.
It simply means meeting the Standards.

GOOD TO KNOW.

• This is about your personal appearance, behaviour, knowledge and ability to work well with others are all measures of your professionalism. 
• The way you present yourself and do your job reflect not only on the tour operator you work for, but also on the people and services your group comes in contact with during a tour. 
• Make sure you shine.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

­As a local tour guide, you are an ambassador for the tour operator and for the area in which you conduct your tour. 

Your success depends on your ability to act in a professional manner, maintain a professional appearance, be service-oriented, work well with drivers and tour directors, understand the cultural background of your tour members and to respond to their special needs. 

Visitors' memories of their tours are influenced by how they remember you, so it is important to handle stress well and keep smiling. 

Participating in professional development like attending this course, can help you develop confidence and acquire new skills and knowledge from which your employer and tour groups can benefit.

GOOD TO KNOW

Professionals do not gossip about their organization or their co-workers. 
If you have a problem, do not discuss it in front of tour members. 
Discuss issues with tour directors and drivers in private and attempt to resolve any problems.

GOOD TO KNOW

Always take care of 'housekeeping' details at the beginning of a walking tour. 

Explain any rules and regulations, such as no smoking rules, and the general

itinerary of the tour. 

This is a good time to mention when the group will be picked up and where, in case anyone becomes separated from the rest of the group. 

Let tour members know the expectations early on. 

This can prevent comments such as 'you never told me that.' 

Inject a little humour and provide some anecdotes to illustrate what can go wrong if tour members ignore the rules.
Like Do Not Feed Animals, or Beware of Baboons!

GOOD TO KNOW

As a local tour guide, you are constantly in contact with a variety of people who have many different needs and personalities. 
Having a positive attitude can help you make the most of these relationships. 
Being positive can bring you personal and professional satisfaction, help you work well with others and even enhance the way you promote tourism products and services.

B: General Knowledge.

• Having a wide range of knowledge compares the tour guide like the Bank with a lot of money with different Customer care options. 
• A Tour Guide without information is like bank without money!
• Where can I get that famous Tanzanite? 
• "What do the Clock Tower or Askari Monument mean?" 
• Where can I exchange some money? 
• 'A successful local tour guide has a sound foundation of knowledge about the places and events that tour groups come to see. T
• o develop this knowledge, you have to know where to find the information you need and select the type of information suited to the tour and to the tour members.
• You can make your task easier by developing and maintaining information files that are extensive, well organized and up to date. 
• These files are essential when creating interesting and informative tours that will keep tour members listening.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Do not use general tourist guide books as your only source for historical information. 
• While guide book authors try to make their information as accurate as possible, errors can occur. 
• Go to reliable history books and encyclopedias for historical information. 
• History books are also more likely to give you the interesting details that many guide books leave out.

• Atlases can be valuable for more than the detailed maps they contain. 
• They also have information on the environment (e.g. rainfall, water temperatures) and other physical and human geographical topics (e.g. lists of mountain heights, populations, industries).

• If you are looking for interesting and odd facts, try the Guinness Book of World Records. It may have some records connected with your locale.
• Check the internet for additional sources of information. 
• You will find that associations, governments (Ministry of Natural Resources & Tourism, Tanzania Tourist Board, etc.) and private companies have web sites with either information you can use or references to where you can find other material If you do not have your own internet connection, try your local library like the one we have just established - KUDU Library. 

• Another possible source of information are CD-ROMs, DVDs, etc. available on a wide range of topics. Their value as a research tool is in the combination of print, sound and visual material they present on a topic. e.g. the Bird Calls. 
• Try to use a variety of information sources for each topic, rather than relying on just one. 
• Remember that information sources may have a point of view that focuses only on certain aspects of your community. 
• For example, tourism information is useful for details about the scenic beauty and other attractions in your area like the Ngorongoro Crater. 

• It may not provide information about environmental issues. 
• While you may not want to include such issues in your commentary, you should be aware of issues that tour members may ask about.

• Be especially careful in providing information about people. 
• Make certain that the information you have is accurate, up to date and fair in how it represents history and culture.

• One of the types of information asked about most often is metric conversion. 
• You are expected to convert temperatures and distances quickly and easily. 
• You should also be able to give information on local landmarks, such as the heights of mountains like Oldeani, Oldoinyo L'engai, or the distances in kilometres and miles. 
• Carry a pocket-­size metric chart with you to help with quick conversions. 
• The main metric conversions you should be able to do are kilometres to miles, litres to US gallons and Celsius temperatures to Fahrenheit. 
• Here is a simple table to help you estimate conversions for these measures quickly.

Metric to imperial measures

When you know:            Multiply by:          To convert to:

Centimeters………………..0.4  ………………………….inches

Metres……………………...3.3……………………………feet

Kilometers…………………0.63…………………………miles

Hectares……………………2.5………………………….acres

Kilograms…………………..2.2………………………….pounds

Imperial to metric measures

When you know:              Multiply by:                   To convert to:

Inches………………………….2.5……………………..centimetres

Feet……………………………0.3………………………metres

miles  ………………………….1.6………………………kilometres

acres…………………………..0.4………………………hectares

pounds…………………………0.45…………………….kilograms

Celsius to Fahrenheit double °C and add 32

Fahrenheit to Celsius subtract 32 from °F and half the result.

As you collect the information for your tour, you can create your own fact sheets and handouts for tour members on specific topics. 
Keep these filed with the relevant tours.

C: Presentation.
Presentation is everything! 

• You have probably heard people say that about food, but the same holds true for delivering information on a tour. 
• As a local tour guide, you spend much of your time presenting information, so your ability to develop interesting and memorable commentary and to communicate it effectively are the two most important skills you need. 
• Tour members will remember your tour if it sparked their interest and made them laugh, and will never forget it if it was painfully boring.

  
Communication Skills: GOOD TO KNOW

Using colourful local language can add flair to your tour, but make sure you explain what the terms you are using mean. 

Do not make assumptions about what people know. 

Try to give some background, if possible, about how the words came to be used.

GOOD TO KNOW

To learn new communication skills, you should practice, practice, practice. Have a friend listen while you practice your commentary. 

Ask him to give you feedback on your strengths and weaknesses. 

Or tape yourself giving your commentary, either on an actual tour or on a practice run.

You can listen to the tape later and determine where you can improve your presentation.

You may find you speak too quickly, too slowly, too loudly or too softly. 

If so, practice adjusting the way you speak.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Maintaining eye contact with the person you are communicating with is a very important way of showing you are interested and open. 
• But remember that keeping direct eye contact for more than 10 seconds at a time makes most people feel uncomfortable.

• People tend to analyze your nonverbal communication style first, noticing whether you smile or make eye contact. 
• Then they focus on your word choice, grammar and pronunciation. 
• So avoid 'ums' and 'ahs: They can be very annoying to a listener.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Have you ever been on a tour where the guide read from a sheaf of notes, only rarely making eye contact with the tour group? 
All the facts may have been there, and maybe even some great descriptions of locations or events, but how successful was the guide in keeping everyone's attention and making the tour enjoyable? 
Your success as a local tour guide depends on both your commentary and how you deliver it. 
You want to be well prepared with facts and stories, and you want to present them in a way that captures your listeners' attention and keeps them interested. 
This lesson puts the strong general knowledge base (developed in the previous module) to use when developing your tour commentary.

GOOD TO KNOW

•  Add bits of trivia and specific detail throughout your tour commentary. 
• Just how windy is it at the crater rim? 
• Selected details can intrigue listeners and reinforce your credibility. 
• But do not bombard them with facts. 
• Too much detail can overwhelm listeners, and they may then 'shut you off'.

Create your commentary. 

• It is always a good idea to write out your commentary, even though you will not be reading from your notes when you deliver it. 
• Prepare an outline first to organize your material effectively and help you to identify any gaps in your material. 
• Then as you fill in the text, you can concentrate on painting word pictures and drawing on all the senses to create an atmosphere for your stories. 
• Do not forget to add humour wherever possible, but do not try to be a stand-up comedian.

GOOD TO KNOW

• As you assemble your information, keep in mind the length of time you have available for your tour. 
• Note that the total length of time is not the amount of time you must talk. 
• You should be talking only 80 to 90 per cent of the time. 
• The timing for when to discuss each location on your tour will depend on how quickly you move between sights. 
•  On a walking tour you have to keep in mind the time it takes for everyone to walk from place to place. 
• Since it is impossible to speak to the whole group while you are walking this is a good time to answer questions. 
• For a Game Drive, your commentary has to accommodate the speed of the vehicle, so you have to have commentary to fill the space between sightings, as well as commentary for when the sightings are in view, like infront of a sleeping lion or mating warthog.

Good to Know.

• Create stories in your commentary rather than simply reciting dates and other statistics. 
• Historical information in particular allows you to bring in personalities like Grizmek, Leakey and build suspense as you reveal the string of events that made history.

• Do not carry your fully written-out commentary with you on your tour. 
• If you want to carry some information with you, such as Info File that fit easily in your pocket. 
• Refer to them only if necessary. 
• If you have practiced your commentary several times, you will probably find that you do not need them.

You may want to use archival photos of people and places like at the Olduvai, you refer to in your commentary. Put these in plastic sleeves, available in stationery stores, to prevent damage when they are passed around the group.

Delivering Commentary: GOOD TO KNOW

• You will not be reading from your prepared commentary, but at first you may want to carry some notes with key points. 
• Do not refer to these unless it is necessary. 
• You need to focus your attention on your audience, not on your notes.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Keep your commentaries fresh by continually researching topics and coming up with new information. 
• Try seeing sights through your audience's eyes, especially if they are seeing the site for the first time. e.g. leopard climbing down a Sausage Tree.
• Always work on improving your performance by developing your voice, streamlining your presentation, adding more humour - anything you can think of to continue your development as a professional local tour guide.
•  

Tour Procedures:

 While part of being a local tour guide means having expert knowledge about a particular site, attraction or area, the other part means having the organizational skills of a battalion commander. 

Every tour and group is different from the one before, but the basic procedures of tour guiding are the same. 

In general, procedures can be categorized as preparing for the tour, conducting the tour and managing post-tour reporting. 

The amount of detail presented in this module may seem overwhelming at first, but with time arid practice you should soon master the routines and gain confidence in your abilities to manage the many tasks competently and reliably.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Whatever type of guiding you do - step-on, meet and greet, on-site or driver guide like you Macho ya Tanzania Guides, ­getting ready to lead a tour is more than having your commentary memorized and your vocal cords warmed up. 
• It is knowing just what to expect about the tour itinerary, the group and what you have to do while you are in charge of the group. 
• The better prepared you are for all these things, the more likely you are to enjoy a smooth tour. 
• Of course, few tours run precisely like clockwork, but unforeseen difficulties can be kept to a minimum if you do as much as you can to prepare ahead of time.

• As you gain experience conducting tours, especially for the same operator, the time you spend preparing may decrease. 
• This is not to say that you should ever skip preparation altogether. 
• Every tour group is different, local attractions come and go, company policies and procedures change. 
• However, as you become more familiar and practiced with procedures for preparing for a tour, you will be able to carry them out more effectively and efficiently.
•  

Preparing for a Tour:

• Now that you are working for a Macho ya Tanzania company, the tour operator may provide you with an information package before the start of the tour (or tour season, if you are scheduled to conduct the same tour repeatedly). 

• This should contain some or all of the information and materials you need to organize for, and conduct, the up-coming tour(s). 
• When you receive the package, check that it contains the information and materials needed.

• If some details or items are missing, you may want to obtain them yourself. 
• Keep in mind that if your tour involves crossing an international border (e.g. if you are transferring a tour group from Arusha to Nairobi to board a plane), you are responsible for remembering your passport or other proof of citizenship.

GOOD TO KNOW

It is a good idea to acknowledge individuals who were particularly helpful to you in preparing for your tour or who went out of their way to accommodate your group during the tour (e.g. reservations clerks, dining room managers). 

Such acknowledgements are a valuable way to forge good working relationships.

• Develop a checklist of the supplies you want to have on hand during every tour. That way you can be sure that you have all you need. 
• The sample checklist shown here gives you a starting point. 
• Adapt it to suit your needs. Once you have assembled the items, pack them in a suitable carrier (e.g. waist pack, backpack) so that you are always ready to go.

Sample Checklist: Basic Supplies for a Local Tour Guide

For short tours (i.e. less than half a day):

-         business cards

-         address book (or electronic organizer)

-         notebook or journal

-         extra pen

-         throat lozenges

small package of tissues

-         bandages (variety of sizes)

-         extra batteries for all equipment used (remember my disastrous hiking at Olmoti Crater?)

Additional supplies for day-long tours:

- sunscreen

- motion sickness treatment

- insect repellent

- packaged, pre-moistened towelettes

- multi-purpose knife/tool combination (such as a Swiss army knife)

- safety pins

- matches

- camera and film

- calculator

- inexpensive prizes and other small gift items (e.g. lapel pins, candies, pens, Maasai bracelets, etc)

Confirming Reservations:

GOOD TO KNOW

• If the tour operator does not already have one, you may wish to develop your own reservation confirmation sheet for the tour. It helps you keep track of all the reservations required and made, and of all the confirmation contacts.

• There may be times when the suppliers you have booked with are unable to meet your needs (e.g. if a fire has damaged a hotel wing or the restaurant chef has just quit). A supplier may do the best possible to provide alternative arrangements, but you would be wise to have some back-up ideas of your own.

• Restaurant reservations should be confirmed about 24 to 48 hours ahead.
• 
  
  The Itinerary
  GOOD TO KNOW
  •  Ensure tour members appreciate the importance of keeping to the itinerary. One approach is to point out that five minutes lost here or there might not seem like very much, but, were it to happen repeatedly at every stop throughout the tour, it could put the whole group significantly behind schedule - maybe enough to jeopardize a restaurant or theatre booking.
  
  
  • Lead by example. To encourage tour members to be punctual, you need to be on time, or even a little early for all appointed assembly times.
  
  
  • If you find that a tour member is regularly holding up the group, take the individual aside and politely but firmly explain the need for punctuality. One reminder is usually all that is needed.

Keeping passengers Informed: 

GOOD TO KNOW

• For day-long outings, it is helpful to remind tour members to stock up on snacks, water and other beverages they might want during the tour.  
• This is especially important if you know there will be a long stretch between stops.

• When making group announcements, be sure that you have the entire group so attention and that everybody can hear you. 
• This ensures that everyone receives the same information. If you have a large group, stand on a step or low wall so that you are raised enough to be seen and heard even by people at the back of the group.

Hotel Procedures: Checking In and Checking Out.

• Checking in involves ensuring that all tour members have a satisfactory room, a key and their luggage; that they know what hotel amenities are available, when meal time are, and when and where the next day's departure will be. 
• It is also important to let members know what costs they need to cover themselves (typical extras are for phone calls and for use of mini bars in the rooms), what time the luggage pull will be in the morning; and how they can contact you if they need you in the evening or during the night. 
• Check-in procedures also include confirming check-out procedures and arranging the necessary wake-up calls and luggage pulls.

• Checking out involves confirming that the luggage pull has taken place, settling the tour company account and ensuring that tour members have returned room keys and paid any incidental charges they incurred. 
• If the group is travelling by coach, check-out procedures also involve verifying the luggage count with the porters and driver and ensuring that all tour members are on the coach.
•  

GOOD TO KNOW

• Sometimes, when luggage is being dropped off to hotel rooms by hotel staff, it can get dropped off at the wrong rooms. Mistakes or delays are inevitable, for example, if there are two Mrs. Robert Smiths, a J. McKay and a J. Mackay, or a Labelle and Labbe. 
• An entire group from another country, with surnames that are unfamiliar to local porters, may also cause delays in luggage drops. 
• By offering to help hotel staff match luggage to rooms, you can save yourself and others a lot of time and trouble later.

• Announcing luggage pull procedures to tour members is as simple as saying, 'Set your luggage outside your door by 8:00 a.m., and it will be picked up by hotel staff and loaded on the coach, ready for departure.
• Request also, that people not add or subtract pieces of luggage during the tour. 
• The sudden appearance or disappearance of a suitcase can distress the local tour guide and driver. 
• Furthermore, portage charges, which are pre-arranged by the tour company, are based on a set number of bags.

Selling Optionals

GOOD TO KNOW

• Though the selling of optionals (like Serengeti Balloon Safaris) is mainly a responsibility of tour directors on multi-day tours, local tour guides may also be asked to advise tour members that optionals are available. 
• In return for handling sales (that is, making bookings, collecting payments and co-ordinating outings), the local tour guide receives a commission. 
• Keep in mind, then, that the better your on-tour sales skills, the better your income from commissions.

• Check your tour company’s policy about selling optionals other than those it specifies. 
• Many companies do not allow you to promote or sell something that they have not approved. You could be reprimanded or even dismissed for doing so. 
• Some companies ask the local tour guide to distribute a booking form to all passengers and have them fill it out after they have had the excursions explained.
• Other companies ask the guide to circulate a sign-up sheet after the optionals are explained and then sit down with each individual to book the desired excursions and collect payment.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Selling optionals may require you to carry large amounts of money in the form of cash, cheques and charge card receipts until the tour ends. 
• One way to carry this without drawing attention to it is to put it in an envelope and tuck it inside the tour folder that you always have on hand.

Taking Leave of the Group.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Right after a tour has finished is the best time to assess if and how the itinerary needs to be adjusted. For tours of your own design, for example, you might incorporate new routes or stops and delete-others. Though there is less scope for introducing such changes to the tours you conduct for a tour company, you can certainly incorporate minor adjustments that make it easier to keep to the existing itinerary.

• Developing your own procedures checklists from the standards helps ensure you do not miss a critical task in performing any of the tasks.

GOOD TO KNOW

• While you are on tour, file tour receipts, credit card slips, cash and vouchers in separate envelopes. 
• This saves having to organize all the bits of paper later when it comes time to complete accounting-related forms.

The Importance of Tour Reports

• Like a longer version of the comment form filled out by a passenger, a tour report is the written or verbal assessment by the local tour guide about the tour, how special components rated (vehicle, driver, meals, attractions, suppliers, etc.), and what adjustments might be made for future tours. 
• Other particulars should also be recorded in the report, as necessary, such as details about accidents, changes made to the itinerary and problems encountered.

• Many companies require their guides to complete tour reports. You will be required to this now that we have a Format in Place. 
• Even if your employer does not, or if you are working on your own, you may want to make notes for your own use. 
• Noisy site stops, boardwalks that are slippery when it rains, and unusual requests by tour members, for example, are all pieces of information that can help you adjust your commentary or preparations for future tours.
•  

6. Problem Solving.

Some of the standards of this modules were covered during the training.

•  As a local tour guide, you are responsible for the well-being of your tour group while you are together. 
• Usually, this is a fun and interesting experience, but any activity involving a group of people includes some problems. 
• Most of these are minor, such as someone misplacing a hat, but occasionally you are faced with more major events, such as an ill or missing tour member. 
• While each situation presents its own challenges, planning and preparation can help make difficult situations easier to deal with, and your tour more successful and enjoyable.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• When problems arise on a tour, your group turns to you for help. 
• You have to be able to handle minor complaints or major problems with calmness and efficiency. 
• While you may be able to prevent some problems (e.g. by confirming meal arrangements ahead of time and dealing with any difficulties before the tour group arrives), many others (e.g. a missing tour member) cannot be foreseen. 
• However, by knowing how to solve a variety of problems, you are better prepared to help your tour members through difficult situations.

 GOOD TO KNOW

• The tour operator may provide you with a manual that contains official company policies and procedures for dealing with problems such as accidents, illness and mistakes by suppliers. 
• Always consult the manual, and contact your tour operator in an emergency.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Think about the location on your tour route where people are most likely to leave belongings behind (e.g. at Olduvai Gorge visitors, center, Naabi Hill Gate, etc. or when they leave the restaurant). 
• Remind them, as everyone is getting ready to leave, to check that they have all their belongings with them.

Handling Complaints

Complaints are a fact of life in any job dealing with people. As a local tour guide, you have to handle complaints promptly and positively. The first thing to remember is not to take complaints personally. Even if a tour member complains about your service, avoid becoming defensive. If you do become defensive, this will simply cause the other person to react more strongly.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Research shows that a person who has had a bad experience with a service or an establishment tells at least 10 others about it. 
• But if a visitor’s complaint is handled respectfully and efficiently, chances are the goodwill and professionalism will reach just as many ears.

Occasionally, you may encounter someone who habitually complains. 
One or two complaints may be justified, but if the person continues to complain, the problem may be with him and not with the tour. 
What can you do? Be tactful but firm, and explain that you have done what you can. 
Do not ignore the complainer, because ignoring him may increase his complaints. 
Ask for his solutions, and then try to work together to solve the problem.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Sometimes your tour groups may cause problems that jeopardize your relationship with suppliers or other contacts. 
• For example, if a valuable vase goes missing from a heritage house your group has toured, the site manager may be reluctant to allow more groups through. 
• Your problem-solving and negotiating skills are important here. 
• Remember to clearly identify the problem and determine who should deal with it. 
• Work with the supplier to determine the best possible solution for all concerned.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Members of your tour group may be able to help you in an emergency. 
• You can learn about their skills (e.g. nurses, firefighters, doctors) through casual conversation during the tour. 
• They are likely to come forward, in any case, if the need arises.

• Carry a list of the addresses of the stops along your tour route. 
• If an emergency occurs, you can give emergency personnel the exact location, and they can be on the scene more quickly
•  

Assisting Sick or Injured Tour Members

Sickness or accidents can strike anywhere, but they can be far more distressing and debilitating when they happen in a public place. If members of your tour group become ill or are injured, you need to help them get the medical assistance they need, while at the same time keeping the rest of the group together. It is important to deal with the problem quickly and professionally and resume the tour as soon as possible, if possible.

Your first task is to determine the nature of the sickness or injury, and decide how urgently it must be dealt with and how many tour members are affected. Do not administer medication or remedies - not even aspirin - because of the possibility of reactions from allergies or with other medications. Reassure the sick or injured tour member that everything possible is being done to get assistance, and ask the rest of the group to remain calm.

If you feel that the sickness or injury is serious enough, insist that the person seek medical treatment. However, you should call a doctor only if asked to do so by the affected tour member or if you see that she is so seriously ill or injured that the situation is clearly urgent (e.g. she is unconscious, delirious or in a very weakened state). If she refuses medical assistance, make sure that she signs a release form stating clearly her choice not to accept medical treatment.

If possible, you should accompany the person to the doctor or hospital, as necessary, and assist with any arrangements, such as informing friends or family. Depending on the type and severity of the illness or injury, you may have to notify local authorities (e.g. the police), the consulate of the tour member's home country, the tour director, the tour operator and anyone else affected (hotel or insurance company representatives).

GOOD TO KNOW

Know where the nearest medical clinics and hospitals are on your tour route. You may not need to call an ambulance, but you may need to escort a sick or injured tour member to a doctor.

Assisting a sick or injured tour member may result in a delay or change of itinerary for the tour group the situation to the remaining group members as soon as possible and ask them for patience and understanding. People are usually co-operative if they know what is happening.

No matter what happens, you should never promise refunds, either to the sick or injured person or to the other tour members. The tour operator may choose to offer a refund, but you do not have the authority to do so.

As with other problems that you need to deal with on tours, it is important to record the details of the sickness or injury. Include the names of the sick or injured people, when all where the incident occurred, and the names, addresses and phone numbers of witnesses, necessary. You should also include the names of the medical personnel involved and the diagnosis made.

GOOD TO KNOW

·        Advise tour members to keep receipts for any medical services received in case they are filing follow-up medical claims. You should also keep receipts for any costs you incurred in assisting a sick or injured tour member (e.g. taxi fare to take the tour member to the doctor).

·        When you are planning a tour route, look for potential problem areas so you know where to warn tour members to be more careful. For example, if your group has to cross a street where there is no crosswalk or traffic light, ask everyone to cross all together during a break in traffic. You can act as a traffic guard to stop any vehicles that arrive during their crossing.

Let's see how these notes equip you with the knowledge ready to go through the Practical Standards in the next training.
Thank you.
Izoba.