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Tourist Guide Career Course Institutions in India and AbroadA travel / tourist guide's job is both lovable and challenging. Doing the job of a tourist guide amounts to literally living life out of suitcases. If we, like Romain Rolland, believe that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, then a touirst guide's role in this regard, is that of a true looking glass which can make any place look beautiful and captivating to the 'beholders' (tourists). In other words, a guide has to make the tourist spots aesthetically appealing, be it the narrow and filthy lanes of a historical city or the imposing landscape of Himalayas. He has to uphold the cultural traditions and heritage of the place being visited and also talk of social customs, even local superstitions. It's important to satisfy the curiosity of a tourist, especially the first - timers. A travel guide must have extensive knowledge of the tourist destinations. At the same time, additional knowledge of the associated cultures is also required to become an interesting and capable guide. Therefore, a travel guide should be a voracious reader, mugging up all the informations pertaining to tourist destinations. Now - a - days tourists are not only interested in visiting a certain place, but insist on knowing as much as possible about it. Thus, a comprehensive knowledge of local history, sociology and environment really helps. A tourist guide should also have local informations, including trivia, at his fingertips because many tourists show interest in local lives and events. A training course, conducted by the tourism offices of Government of India is held in the four Metros. Only graduates from any stream are eligible. After the completion of the course, the guide is certified and given a licence. While giving admission preference is given to applications who are well travelled. The knowledge of a foreign language also helps. But sadly enough, this course is run only twice in a decade. Recently, Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management (IITTM) authorised Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management to introduce a 12- month postgraduate diploma course in Tourism Management from August 2002. The syllabus has been approved by IITTM and recognised by ALCTE. It is the only institute authorised to conduct the course, apart from the Ministry of Tourism. But first the applicants need to go through the grind of an all India admission test. The tour guide must be a polished person while conversing with the tourists. As the appearance of a guide is of a paramount importance, she should be well dressed. A good sense of humour can enliven the gathering when the commentary gets monotonous. This helps the tourist guide in keeping tourists perked up without being overbearing. Here, a trained voice acts as an asset. Pedantic lectures delivered in a continuous drone will put off the tourists. To hold their attention the guide should also have a repertoire of anecdotes and interesting events. Further, it always helps to know about places with potential tourist attractions and even be able to package a destination in such a way that the customer gets a different perspective. Since, it's difficult thing to do, it requires a lot of innovation. Guides at many times face unnerving situation. A good presence of mind and charming sense of humour bails them out of such situations. The profession also has its lures and therefore, it is important for a guide to be a responsible and a virtuous man. To put it in precise terms, a tourist guide's profession is endowed with immense potentials. Travel guiding is a field, where initial struggle does pay rich dividends. Though there are plenty of guides around, only a handful have been able to carve a niche for themselves because thay take their work like professional. Institutes
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