Factors Affecting the Service Quality of Tour Guides
INTRODUCTION
Tourism industry is now one of the major industries in the Philippines; according to President Aquino it employed 3.8 million Filipinos or 10.2 % of national employment in 2011 and contributing 8 % to 9 % of our national GDP. Now, let’s take a closer look to those behind this boosting industry. There are many aspects that tourism industry is progressing in our country and one of that is tour guiding. Many people say that tour guiding is just an easy job, they just have to say “look at your right and look to your left”. It’s kinda funny, isn’t it? But people should know that tour guides are also one of the reasons why tourist came back to our country again and again. On the recent news of www.sunstar.com.ph by JM Agreda, that BAGUIO City, the Summer Capital and one of the top tourist destinations in the country, ironically, only has three accredited tour guides. Ironic isn’t it? We have a large no. of tourist arrival yet there are only three accredited tour guides even though it is now a mandatory according to Tourism Code of 2009. Maybe there are reasons behind that, and it could be possibly the service quality that a tour guide are giving. According to World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA), a tour guide should provide a professional service to visitors, professional in care and commitment, and professional in providing an objective understanding of the place visited, free from prejudice or propaganda. But as what happening now ( let’s face the reality ) tour guides are just now guiding for the sake of money and the novelty of that job is left behind. In this research, the researcher would like to know the factors that affect the professionalism of tour guiding hence, to change it and make it as a novel job and take back the essence of what tour guiding should mean to.
STATEMENT OF A PROBLEM
1) What are the profile of the DOT accredited guides in terms of:
1.1 Age
1.2 Gender
1.3 Educational background
1.4 Civil
Tourism industry is now one of the major industries in the Philippines; according to President Aquino it employed 3.8 million Filipinos or 10.2 % of national employment in 2011 and contributing 8 % to 9 % of our national GDP. Now, let’s take a closer look to those behind this boosting industry. There are many aspects that tourism industry is progressing in our country and one of that is tour guiding. Many people say that tour guiding is just an easy job, they just have to say “look at your right and look to your left”. It’s kinda funny, isn’t it? But people should know that tour guides are also one of the reasons why tourist came back to our country again and again. On the recent news of www.sunstar.com.ph by JM Agreda, that BAGUIO City, the Summer Capital and one of the top tourist destinations in the country, ironically, only has three accredited tour guides. Ironic isn’t it? We have a large no. of tourist arrival yet there are only three accredited tour guides even though it is now a mandatory according to Tourism Code of 2009. Maybe there are reasons behind that, and it could be possibly the service quality that a tour guide are giving. According to World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA), a tour guide should provide a professional service to visitors, professional in care and commitment, and professional in providing an objective understanding of the place visited, free from prejudice or propaganda. But as what happening now ( let’s face the reality ) tour guides are just now guiding for the sake of money and the novelty of that job is left behind. In this research, the researcher would like to know the factors that affect the professionalism of tour guiding hence, to change it and make it as a novel job and take back the essence of what tour guiding should mean to.
STATEMENT OF A PROBLEM
1) What are the profile of the DOT accredited guides in terms of:
1.1 Age
1.2 Gender
1.3 Educational background
1.4 Civil