Local Tourism Guide

Target Audience

Students or professionals in tourism and related fields.

Justification

The offering of a short course in Tourism Guiding is a strategic initiative that responds to the growing market demand for qualified professionals in the tourism and hospitality sector. Local and regional tourism, driven by the search for authentic, sustainable, and cultural experiences, is in constant expansion.

This course aims to serve both members of the local community seeking to enter the job market and professionals in the sector who wish to enhance their skills in guiding visitors. Through theoretical and practical classes, participants will learn everything from the fundamentals of hospitality to advanced guiding techniques, including local history and geography, legislation, public speaking, and safety.

By offering this training, Unesc is contributing to the development of qualified professionals prepared to meet the demands of the tourism market, connecting the Bachelor's degree in Tourism with the local trade and consolidating its position as a reference in education and support for regional development.

General Objective

To equip participants to plan, conduct, and operate local tourist itineraries, mastering guiding techniques, communication, and safety, preparing them to act professionally and ethically in welcoming and guiding visitors.

Specific Objectives

• Apply group guiding techniques, interpret specific legislation in the sector, utilize routing tools, and adopt safety and first aid protocols in the field.
• Understand and convey with authority the history, geography, cultural heritage, and attractions of the region, promoting respect for diversity and valuing local memory.
• Promote excellence in communication and service in hospitality, applying public speaking techniques, conflict mediation, and personal presentation to enchant and engage different audience profiles.

Curriculum Content

[title-dropdown] Module 1 - Fundamentals of Tourism and Hospitality [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] Syllabus: Introduction to the tourism phenomenon and the tourism production chain. Concepts of hospitality, welcoming, and the socioeconomic importance of the activity. The role of the tourism guide in the current market. [/content-dropdown]

[title-dropdown] Module 2 - History, Geography, and Local Tourist Attractions [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] Syllabus: Analysis of the regional geographic space, climatic aspects, relief, fauna, and flora. Local historical evolution, emancipation, socio-spatial formation, and identification of the main natural and cultural attractions in the region. [/content-dropdown]

[title-dropdown] Module 3 - Cultural, Environmental Heritage, and Interculturality [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] Syllabus: Concepts of material and immaterial heritage. Heritage and environmental education. Interpersonal relationships and interculturality in serving tourists from different origins, ethnicities, and cultures. Sustainability in guiding. [/content-dropdown]

[title-dropdown] Module 4 - Human Communication, Public Speaking, and Tourist Service [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] Syllabus: Customer service techniques applied to tourism. Professional posture, ethics, netiquette, and personal presentation. The art of public speaking: public speaking techniques, voice modulation, body language, and storytelling applied to guiding. [/content-dropdown]

[title-dropdown] Module 5 - Tourism Legislation and Guiding Techniques [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] Syllabus: Specific tourism legislation (General Tourism Law, regulation of the guide/guide profession, CADASTUR). Consumer Protection Code. Group guiding techniques on foot and in transport: routing, map reading, group dynamics management, and conflict resolution. [/content-dropdown]

[title-dropdown] Module 6 - Safety, Risk Management, and First Aid [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] Syllabus: Technical safety standards in tourism activities (focusing on adventure and nature tourism, if applicable). Contingency planning and risk management. First aid protocols and basic pre-hospital care in natural and urban areas. [/content-dropdown]

[title-dropdown] Module 7 - Planning Itineraries, Services, and Tourist Equipment [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] Syllabus: Mapping local tourist infrastructure (accommodation, food, transport, and agencies). Analysis and operation of tourist equipment. Creation, pricing, and formatting of innovative and personalized tourist itineraries. [/content-dropdown]

[title-dropdown] Module 8 - Practical Experiences and Technical Visits (Field Laboratory) [/title-dropdown]

[content-dropdown] Syllabus: Real simulations of group guiding in local urban, historical, and natural attractions. On-site evaluation of services and tourist equipment in the region. Supervised practice of guiding techniques, posture, and public speaking. [/content-dropdown]