Tour Directors vs. Local Guides
The Difference Between a Tour Director and Local Tour Guide
On a guided group tour, sometimes the role of a Tour Director (Tour Manager, Tour Leader, etc.) and Tour Guide is not clear and can be confusing for travelers. Part of the confusion between the two roles lies in the fact that there is some overlap between their shared responsibilities. For example, a Tour Guide and Tour Director will mingle with the group to gauge the pulse of the travelers, answer questions, and provide requested assistance. They both share itinerary information in a fun way and inform the group of timing and pick-up points. In a nutshell, Tour Directors and Tour Guides coordinate the itinerary together to make sure that sightseeing and other activities happen in an acceptable and enjoyable manner.
Tour Guide - Local Expert
A Tour Guide is a local expert that leads a group around a city, a few attractions, and venues for several hours or for as long as the group is visiting the destination. A Tour Guide brings an insider’s perspective to the destination. They are local experts on the history of the destination and offer comprehensive information about points of interest, museums, natural attractions, and other travel venues of interest. Most often, a Tour Guide lives in the city that the group is visiting. In addition to being the local source of information, a Tour Guide makes sure that the tour is as safe as possible for the entire group. Their role is to enhance the visitor experience in the destination and be the ambassador for it.
Tour Director Logistics & Problem Solver
One of the first differences between a Tour Guide and a Tour Director is that a Tour Director stays with the group for the entire duration of the group tour and is responsible for transporting guests to different places included on the itinerary in a timely manner. Tour Directors are available to clients 24/7 during the course of the trip to answer questions like what to do during the group’s free time and respond to emergencies.
Interview with Tour Director Marina Haksteen
Organization and logistics are critical components of what a Tour Director does. For example, they are responsible for communicating precise travel itinerary plans, times, and pick-up points on a daily basis to the group, motor-coach drivers, and Tour Guides to keep the planned itinerary on schedule. Another important component of a Tour Director’s responsibilities is to coordinate with restaurant, venue, attraction, and accommodation providers to double-check reservations and coordinate the arrival/departure time of the group. So, if you see your Tour Director on the phone a lot or texting away, they are not ignoring their responsibilities to the group, they are most likely reconfirming itinerary items.
Tour Directors are also there to solve problems like delayed or canceled flights or transport, a closed venue, missing reservations, or someone becoming ill on a trip. They are the sole liaison with the Tour Company that has hired them. A Tour Director will not know everything about a local destination - like the name of a lake or the history of a museum – that is what a Local Tour Guide does. Their most important role is to make sure that passengers get the services and experiences that Tours of Distinction has booked and that guests have paid for.
Passion For Travel & People
The most important similarity between a Tour Director and a Tour Guide is their passion for travel. For both, one of the biggest perks is to see how people’s faces transform when they see something that has been on their bucket list for the first time.