Choosing a private guide is very much like a blind date: it is a mix of anxiety and aspiration. You are going to spend a large portion of your time with this person, so what they are like really matters.
It is your holiday, but a knowledgeable guide can greatly enhance your travel experience. Here is a list of Private Tour Guide attributes that all of the guides at Your Thai Guide will deliver.
Punctual and Well Paced
A private tour guide should be waiting for you when you arrive, rather than the other way around.
Regardless of the length of the story behind an attraction you wish to visit, the pace, whether on foot, car, or boat, will never feel too fast or too slow. All of Your Thai Guide tours are delivered at your pace.
Friendly and Flexible
A relaxed and friendly manner is key to a great tour guide. A tour guide should also have a certain level of assertiveness, and be able to keep tour members together, focused and on schedule.
A flexible approach can make the difference between a good and a great tour guide. Being flexible means being open to serendipity and taking a moment to enjoy spontaneous moments.
Knowledgeable
A good tour guide has an in-depth knowledge of a site, its history and importance. A great tour guide has passion for their subject and can share their enthusiasm with a private tour group.
Such passion can be contagious and inspiring, making a site really come alive. Being able to express a sense of the cultural background of a site is also important, as it can greatly enhance what you experience on your tour.
Interactive and Observant
Effective tour guides invite questions and interaction from tour members, rather than treating the tour as a one-person show or a ‘be quiet and listen’ school lesson.
A tour should be made relevant to each person in a group and a good private tour guide remains aware of your special needs.
Funny and Engaging
A great tour guide knows how to have fun! A certain level of friendly humor is essential to every tour. The most memorable times in life are when you’re having fun; your holiday tour should be no different.
Great tour guides share their knowledge in an engaging, illuminating and entertaining way. A good tour guide also knows when to allow for a little quiet time, to let a site speak for itself.