By admin 
Organizing a guided tour can be quite time-consuming, especially if it is your first time. Whether you are a tourism professional, a teacher, or a history enthusiast, you will find in this article all the answers to organize a successful guided tour.
From preliminary research to creating an attractive itinerary, to practical advice for a good speech and good group management, make your visit a unique moment that participants will remember!
Summary
- What is a guided tour?
- Know your subject of visit
- Define the audience for the guided tour
- Create a well thought out itinerary
- Know how to properly manage a group
- Engage the senses and emotions
- Who can lead a guided tour?
- Pay attention to logistics and security
- Promote your guided tour
1. What is a guided tour?
A guided tour is, as its name suggests, a visit led by a guide on a given subject or place (museum, city, art gallery, sports complex, etc.). The goal of going through a guide rather than doing the tour alone is to benefit from the latter’s experience and knowledge, while providing more visual elements, historical anecdotes, etc.
A guided tour also encourages introspection and promotes conversation between participants but also with the guide. Finally, a guided tour is also an ideal activity if you are abroad and are not familiar with the local language for a visit.
Visits can be free or paid and can be organized indoors (church, historic site, museum) or outdoors (natural sites, cemeteries, remains of a medieval site, etc.). As an association for example, it is an ideal activity to offer to tourists coming to discover your city and its cultural heart. Finally, consider organizing this type of activity if there is a special event in your city.
2. Know your subject of visit
Before you start planning your guided tour, it is essential to be well-versed in the topic of the tour and to do a thorough research on the place or topic you want to present, if you are not an expert on it. This will allow you to be much more confident in your speech and to offer relevant and interesting information throughout the tour.
3. Define the audience for the guided tour
To better prepare and organize your guided tour, it is essential to understand your target audience in order to adapt it to their expectations and needs. Are they foreign tourists, families, students or professionals? This knowledge will help you choose the tone, level of detail and anecdotes that are appropriate for your group and for each tour.
4. Create a well thought out itinerary
The itinerary of your guided tour must also be well thought out to provide a smooth and coherent experience and journey. Select the most relevant sites and points of interest, and organize them logically and chronologically, with each time an adequate speech and funny, historical, cultural, etc. anecdotes. Also remember to include breaks to allow participants to rest, take photos, drink and eat or ask questions.
5. Know how to properly manage a group
Every guide must know how to manage their group well for the smooth running of the tour, regardless of the age or profile of the participants. Learn how to maintain the attention of your group, manage noisy or disruptive participants, and answer questions clearly and concisely. Remember to be friendly, approachable and enthusiastic to create a warm atmosphere while maintaining the educational aspect in your narration.
6. Engage the senses and emotions
To make your guided tour even more unique and memorable for participants, engage their senses and emotions. To do this, use visual, audio or tactile elements to arouse their curiosity and interest (VR headsets, videos, speakers with natural sounds, etc.). Tell atypical (but true) stories that allow them to immerse themselves further. Actively involve them by encouraging questions and discussions, and create interactive moments that allow them to experience the guided tour in a more interactive and original way.
7. Who can lead a guided tour?
It is essential to assign the responsibility of leading a guided tour to those who have skills or enjoy public speaking. Volunteers, board members including the president, treasurer and secretary, anyone can do this activity. However, it is best not to be too introverted and enjoy speaking in front of a number of groups of people and for long hours at a time.
8. Pay attention to logistics and security
In addition to preparing the content and the tour itself, you should also consider the logistics and safety aspects of your guided tour. Check the opening hours of the sites, obtain the necessary permits, plan transportation if necessary, and find out about the safety rules and health measures in force.
Make sure you have a first aid kit and are prepared to respond in case of an emergency. Some sites (especially natural ones) require additional and very specific licenses and authorizations.
9. Promote your guided tour
Once you have organized your guided tour with the above elements, it is time to promote it to attract as many people as possible. Use social networks , create an attractive website, and collaborate with local partners such as tourist offices, schools or hotels. Offer competitive rates and special offers to attract more participants.
Don’t forget to collect positive reviews and testimonials to build your reputation and attract new customers. Consider listing your ad on sites like Tripadvisor for example. Finally, consider offering an online registration system or ticketing to make it easier for participants to register, both online and remotely.
Weezevent’s solutions are perfectly suited to organizing a guided tour, offering organizers a set of tools to create a unique experience. With features such as online booking , whether the tour is free or paid , and the ability to issue e-tickets, Weezevent simplifies the planning process and allows organizers to focus on creating an immersive and captivating tour for attendees.