Wednesday 7 November 2012

How To Be A Tour Guide Or Tour Manager. Linguistic Or Non-Linguistic.



Objectives:
Guides play a vital role in bringing satisfaction to tourists visiting a country / region / state. The opportunity of direct interaction with the tourists makes them all the more responsible for projecting the correct image of the country / region, giving factually correct information about the destination, ensuring the safety and well being of the tourists as well as pleasant and satisfying stay for them during their visits.
The institution of guides is a basic component of the infrastructural requirement both for International and Domestic tourism. There has been a steady increase in the international tourist arrivals. Further, as a result of increasing affluence, there is also a significant increase in domestic tourist movement. The last Guidelines for selection, training and licensing of Regional Level Tourist Guides were issued in February 2007. The Government of India has decided to continue the Regional Level Guide training course, including the refresher course, on a regular basis in order to meet the increasing demand for guides both for the international and domestic tourists.
2. Scope:
There are four categories of Regional Level Tourist Guides:-
i) General: Regional level guides who are authorized to work in their respective regions on a full time basis.
ii) General – Linguistic:  Linguists with fluency in foreign languages (apart from English), such as French, German, Spanish, Korean, Russian, Japanese, Thai, Arabic, Hungarian, Polish, Hebrew, Chinese etc., as identified by the Ministry from time to time are approved under this category.
iii) Expert Guides:  In order to encourage scholars, specialists etc., in the fields of Tourism, Indian History, Architecture, Culture, Wild Life and other related fields of tourism, there is a special category of Regional Level Tourist Guides known as Expert Guides.
iv) Expert – Linguistic:  Regional Level Tourist Guides who scholars, specialists etc., in the fields of Tourism, Indian History / Architecture / Culture/ Archaeology / Wildlife or other related fields of Tourism with fluency in foreign languages (apart from English), such as French, German, Spanish, Korean, Russian, Japanese, Thai, Arabic, Hungarian, Polish, Hebrew, Chinese etc., as identified by the Ministry from time to time are approved under this category.
3. Eligibility:
Educational qualification(s): 
The following educational qualifications are prescribed for the selection of tourist guides and all applicants should have fulfilled the criteria on or before the date of publication of the first advertisement for selection and training.
General:
(a) A Graduate of a recognized University or Holder of three year Degree in Tourism / Hospitality
Or
Diploma in Archaeology from an Institute recognized by UGC, Association of Indian Universities (AIU), AICTE or any other State / Central Government body.
(b) Fluency in English language is essential. Candidate should have studied English as a subject at 10 plus 2 levels.
General Linguistic:
(a) (i) A Graduate of a recognized University or (ii) Holder of three year Degree in Tourism / Hospitality or (iii) Diploma in Archaeology from an Institute recognized by UGC, Association of Indian Universities (AIU), AICTE or any other State / Central Government body.
(b) Candidates should have knowledge and fluency in a foreign language (apart from English). The fluency shall be tested at the time of written examination which shall be given in the foreign language selected by the Candidate for which he / she aspire to become a linguistic guide.
Expert Guides:
a) Doctorate in the field of Tourism, Indian History / Architecture / Culture/ Archaeology / Wildlife or other related fields of Tourism.
b) Fluency in English language is essential.
Expert – Linguistic:
(a) Doctorate in the fields of Tourism, Indian History / Architecture / Culture/ Archaeology / Wildlife or other related fields of Tourism.
(b) Candidates should have knowledge and fluency in a foreign language (apart from English), in terms of reading, writing and speaking. The fluency shall be tested at the time of written test which shall be given in the foreign language selected by the Candidate for which he / she aspire to become an Expert Linguistic guide.
Eligibility of State Level Guides:
The State level Guides under guidelines approved by any of the States / Union Territory Administrations would also be eligible to apply for licenses to work as Regional level Guides provided they qualify
(a) The common selection process based on merit as detailed above for the selection of various categories of RLGs and
(b) The examination and viva voce after the training.
Age Limit:
The applicant should be at least 20 years of age on the date of the first advertisement appearing in the media for selection of above mentioned categories of Tourist Guides.
4. When do you get the guide license:
On successful completion of their guide training course, the successful candidates would be issued Regional Level Tourist Guide License by the Regional India Tourism Office(s), Government of India. The license would be valid for a period of 03 years.

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