MODULE 1- LESSON 1

Tour Guiding as a Profession

DOT training for tour guides
Define accreditation
Benefits and Incentives of accreditation with the DOT

Learning Objectives:

 Understand Tour guiding as a Profession

 Identify DOT training for tour guides
 Define accreditation
 Identify benefits and incentives of accreditation with the DOT

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever joined tour with a professional tour guide?

Everyone, at one time or another, has considered what it would be like to be a

tour guide. Tour is escorting, tour guiding has become one of the most
attractive and glamorous jobs in the travel industry. Getting paid to travel for
free is indeed very exciting and rewarding and fulfilling profession. Meeting
different types of people from various parts of the globe staying in a high-end
accommodation, dining a plush specialty restaurant, being part of the VIP’s
events and occasions they need to attend, these are just some of the “money
can’t buy’ experiences and exposures the tour guiding profession gives.

An ordinary person might think of a tour guide as any person who leads an
organized group of people for a certain tour and time allotted for a particular
tour. Trained or not, they are called tour guides.

In the travel industry, however, the term “tour guide” has a precise meaning.
Often called frontline, he takes tourists on sightseeing tours on the limited and
specified duration of time. To define tour guide, one will have to consider the
amount of work he is expected to perform under the scope of a tour guide’s role
which is so varied and by the provision of tourist services being requested.
(Guides’ Inc.,1980).

An excellent tour guide has the assurance and tact of a diplomat, the knowledge
of a scholar, the performance of an entertainer, and the organizational abilities
of a time management expert (Mancini, 2001).

Training Defined

It is an organized activity aimed at imparting information and instructions to

improve the recipients’’ performances or to help him or her attain a required
level of knowledge or skill. Training is teaching or developing in oneself or
others, any skills, and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies.

Department of Tourism Seminar/ Training for Tour Guides

On-line application for training and accreditation is now available through the
DOT portal and to name a few links.

The kind of training conducted by the Department of Tourism for tour guides are
specifically designed based on the kind of tour guides in demand for a particular
area. It can be regional training, which normally lasts for about a month. Daily
topics are presented to the enthusiastic tour guides/ participants by industry
experts, making the training vigorous one, because of examinations,
assessments, oral and written validations, role playing, video-critiquing and other
means used the competency of the trainee- participants.

Some of the topics discussed are:

 Overview of the Tourism industry

 Trend and updates in the Tourism industry
 Childwise Tourism
 The Philippines as a destination
 Marketing a destination
 Flora and Fauna
 History and Culture
 Geography, time zones of the earth
 Psychology of Tourism
 Research
 Commentary making
 Itinerary planning
 Tourist Market patterns
 Safety and Security
 First aid
 Tourism statistics
 Environmental issues
 Current events
 Souvenirs and handicrafts
 Values formations
 Personality development and custom service

The above- mentioned topics are all taken up, discussed and given in depth
analysis by the speakers to complete the required knowledge, skills and attitude
of aspiring tour guides. A difficult and challenging days for the trainees, it can be
physically demanding and mentally exhausting. However, on the other hand, it is
a very exciting seminar days and hours training, with the end given making
trainees ready for the world of tour guiding.

Accreditation Defined

It means a certification issued by the Department of Tourism, that the holder is

recognized by the department, as having complied with the minimum standards
for the operation of the establishment concerns.
Before the implementation of R.A 7160 (Local Government code of 1991)
Department of Tourism carried the tasks of training, licensing and accreditation
of tourism establishments and the personnel including tour guides. Presently,
because of the devolution of powers to the LGU’s the licensing of tour guides are
now with the local government units. Training and accreditation are still given by
the DOT.

Another law was passed R.A 9593 (Tourism Act of 2009) which is still on-
going implementation.

Republic Act. No. 9593 (Authored by Se. Richard Gordon and Rep.
Edgardo Chato)

“ An act declaring National policy for Tourism as an Engine of Investment,

Employment, Growth and National Development, And Strengthening The
Department of Tourism and Its Attached Agencies to Effectively Efficiently
Implement that Policy, and Appropriating Funds, Therefore.”

Benefits and Incentives of Accreditation with the Department of

Tourism

ACCREDITATION means a certification issued by tourism enterprises that have

complied with the minimum and progressive levels of operation quality and
internationally recognized standards for the operations and maintenance of their
tourism facilities and services. For this purpose, a compendium of benefits and
incentives is hereby granted to accredited entities too wit;

1. Inclusion of your company profile in the official websites at

www.itsmorefuninthephilippines.com or www.tourism.gov.ph and
www.visitmyphilippines.com where data based related information on all
accredited establishments in the country is made available for the
consumption of foreign and local tourists and travelers.
2. Entitlement to subsidized human resource development seminar like
waitering, and bartending course, tour guiding, front office management,
housekeeping , efficient customer relations seminar, among other courses.
3. Endorsement of tourism infrastructure projects to appropriate government
agencies such as BOI (Board of Investment) or TIEZA (Tourism
Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority) for availing incentives
such as reduction in applicable real estate/ income tax and duly free
importation of capital goods.
4. Endorsement of Tourist accredited land transport companies to Metro
manila Development Authority (MMDA) for exemption from the unified
vehicular volume.
5. Endorsement to LTFRB ( Land Transportation Franchise and
Regulatory Board) for exemption from regular franchising process for
accredited accommodation establishment to use a maximum (2) shuttle
services vehicles dedicated for free of house guests and customers under
certain terms and conditions (LTFRB MC no. 2005-001)
 6. Endorsement to LTFRB for the grants of Certificate of Public
Conveyance (CPC)
7. Endorsement to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
8. Entitlement of free posting of marketing collateral materials at the Clark
International Airport, NAIA, Mactan- Cebu International Airport.
9. Endorsement to international and domestic airports for issuance of access
pass to qualified personnel
10.Endorsement to local and foreign tour operators for inclusions of the
accredited entity in their tour packages.
11.Endorsement of local tour operators and tour guides to the commission on
higher education regarding engagement of transportation ,
accommodation and tour guide services for students in participating in
educational tours and field trips (CHED memo no. 17, s 2012)
12.Technical assistance and access to data base information on travel and
tourism like visitors arrival statistics, market profiles national survey on
domestic travel, among other research based information for purpose of
planning and marketing initiatives.
13.Automatic membership with the marketing arm of the DOT.
14.Endorsement to COMELEC exemption from liquor ban during election
period
15.Endorsement to embassies and travel trade associations for utilization of
the establishments’ facilities and service; and
16.Issuance of ID cards to bonafide employees of accredited establishments.

Accreditation Requirements for Tour Guides

 Accomplished application form from the DOT

 Two pieces 1x1 picture
 NBI clearance (local employment)
 Occupational permit from LGU
 Certificate of training (previous year)
 Accreditation fee

Licensing

It is issued by the Local Government unit, the effective of which December 31, of
each year. This is mandatory requirement and renewal should be done January of
every year, with grace period given by LGU Licensing committee. A fine is
imposed to those who renew after the deadline.

Licensing Requirements

 Accomplished application from LGU

 Two pieces 1x1 picture
 Barangay Clearance
 Police clearance
 Health certificates from a government physician
 Accreditation certificates from DOT
 Licensing fee-varies according to LGU
REFERENCE/S:
Tour Guiding as a Profession
Ma. Dolores N. Salamanca, MPA
Copyright 2016
JFS Publishing services

Google.com
ACTIVITY LESSON 1- MODULE 1

Name:________________________________________ Score:______________
Course & Year:_________________________________ Date:_______________

Instruction: Follow what I being asked below

A. Write TRUE or FALSE in the blank

__________1. Licensing is issued by the Local Government unit, the effective of
which January 31, of each year.
__________2. Tour is escorting, tour guiding has become one of the most
attractive and glamorous jobs in the travel industry.
__________3. An ordinary person might think of a tour guide as any person who
leads an organized group of people for a certain tour and time allotted for a
particular tour. Trained or not, they are called tour guides.
__________4. Commentary making is included to the topics being discussed in
Department of Tourism Seminar/ Training for Tour Guides.
__________5. On-line application for training and accreditation is now available
through the DOT portal and to name a few links.
__________6. Accreditation means a certification issued by the Department of
Tourism, that the holder is recognized by the department, as having complied
with the minimum standards for the operation of the establishment concerns.
__________7. Before the implementation of R.A 7160 (Local Government code of
1991) Department of Tourism carried the tasks of training, licensing and
accreditation of tourism establishments and the personnel including tour guides.
__________8. Republic Act. No. 9593 is an act declaring National policy for
Tourism as an Engine of Investment, Employment, Growth and National
Development, And Strengthening The Department of Tourism and Its Attached
Agencies to Effectively Efficiently Implement that Policy, and Appropriating
Funds, Therefore.
__________9. Included endorsement of local tour operators and tour guides to the
commission on higher education regarding engagement of transportation ,
accommodation and tour guide services for students in participating in
educational tours and field trips to benefits and incentives of accreditation with
the Department of Tourism.
__________10. Endorsement to COMELEC exemption from liquor ban during
election period is not included in benefits in DOT.

B. Give the acronym meaning of the following in Tourism

1. TIEZA-

2. LTFRB-

3. DOT-
4. LGU-

5. BOI-