International Tourist Guide Day was celebrated on February 21, giving prominence to the role that this sector plays in the tourism industry. However, it is a profession that is frequently overlooked and underappreciated.

 MP-DA Shadow Minister of Tourism, James Vos, who recently completed a course in tourist guiding, says guides play an important role in creating a positive image of the country, an undertaking that has cumulative spin-offs for the economy, however the importance of tour guides and their role in the economy is often overlooked. 

Johan Van Biljon, Chairman of the Institute of Professional Tourist Guides of Southern Africa (IPTGSA) spoke to Tourism Update regarding issues facing the industry. He says tourist guides are underpaid and overlooked, mainly due to the fact that the majority of guides freelance, bar the few permanent guides generally working in museums. 

According to Van Biljon, tour operators are taking advantage of the guides, with severely low pay and no additional benefits, such as medical aid. Furthermore, the work some operators require, Van Biljoen describes as “hectic”, adding, “when I hear what guides get paid, I want to freak out.”

He explains that often guides had a 21-day tour, working 18 hours a day. This is especially relevant to foreign-language guides as they have to constantly attend and entertain guests.

Another major issue is that there is a substantial lack of youngsters entering the field, says Van Biljoen, as they do not see guiding as a financially viable option, the reason why the majority of guides are older. 

“There is a lack of young people in the industry, and we need to change this. I hope that guiding starts to be seen as a profession,” he says. 

Touching on the relevance of female guides in the industry, Van Biljon estimates that only 30% of guides are female, adding that the long 18-hour work days and physical aspects of the job, such as carrying guests’ heavy luggage is something one cannot expect of a woman. The most concerning issue however, is the high level of harassment that female guides frequently experience from males.

Guiding in SA is somewhat regulated, stipulated in Chapter Six of the Tourism Bill, which requires all guides to register with the government, however many do not complete their assessments, says Van Biljoen, and this is where illegal tourist guiding comes into play. 

By law, guides are required to wear a badge at all times when on duty, as well as carry their identification card, which specifies where they are qualified to guide. For example, a guide may be authorised to work in the Kruger National Park, but then takes on guide work in Johannesburg, where they have not completed assessment and registration. This qualifies as illegal guiding. 

IPTGSA is trying to bridge this gap, as the institute requires continuous learning and yearly renewal of credits, says Van Biljon. 

According to Vos, the first step in reversing this trend is to professionalise tourist guiding. To ensure that tourist guides are geared toward service excellence, the industry needs to be well regulated, reliable and professional. This also involves dealing with the vagaries of and challenges posed by illegal tourist guiding.

“I will make sure to highlight these issues and look forward to working with the industry to find ways to make improvements,” concludes Vos.