Tour guide
Introduction to the course
Being a tour guide is a very elegant and popular, moreover marketable profession. Those who like to deal with people, who have good performing skills, love travelling, culture and speak at least one foreign language, should consider to apply for it. A holiday becomes a daily routine for a tour guide. In addition they get paid for what they love doing. Everyday tasks are really varied because they guide in different cultures, at special places. The presentations always change since the audience always changes. One day they are with Hungarians, the next day with foreigners. Moreover the programmes are not the same either. It is an extraordinary, diversified, intellectual work and a cultural challenge in the meantime.
What can you expect from the training?
A decent tour guide training gives you accurate knowledge about the culture, history and gastronomy of countries or about the history of certain monuments and museums. The ideal tour guide is sensitive to the guests’ feedbacks. They have the ability to give information in interesting and colourful ways. When working at home tour guides represent their whole country. So, this way they form the image of Hungary.
Most people think that the tour guide’s only task is to provide a commentary on the historical and artistic curiosities and monuments you pass by. However, their task is much more complex, which becomes obvious at the very beginning of the training. Running the services provided by the travel agency problem free, for instance accommodation and catering and if necessary administration is also under the guides’ control. They guarantee that the tourists have their best time and their holiday is spotless.
They receive foreign groups, but some take guided tours when Hungarians visit foreign countries. There – besides introducing local sights – they help with interpreting and administration.
Apart from leading groups, optional programmes can be organised based on the visitor’s interests. Therefore, there are no two similar tours. Besides travelling all around the world, tour guides can meet new people and different cultures and it is up to them how these events go on. Those who don’t like visiting foreign countries can work at home in stunning environment with civilized conditions, either in Budapest or elsewhere in the country.