BEING A TOUR GUIDE IS NOT EASY!!!

This week has been very challenging! Being a Tour Guide is not as easy as what many people think, having to deal with difficult guests is a challenge. At times their demands and requests are unacceptable! We are in the service industry and our job is to provide good service but we are after all still human and we still need respect.

I have travelled to many countries in my life at a very young age, I went to Malaysia on my own when I was 12 and travelled to the Philippines when I was 18. In my early twenties, I have travelled to USA & different parts of Asia. The furthest I have been is Germany & England in my early thirties. I cannot remember an incident that I have given any problems or difficulties to anybody when I travelled to their countries. Even thought I am a paying customer, I still treat them with respect. Perhaps I was brought up well by my parents, they always remind me not to create problems or difficulties for people.

When guests arrived at the airport, I always welcome them with a big smile. In the bus, I will introduce everything about Boracay Island and different activities they can enjoy during their stay in the island. As a professional Tour Guide, we will assist them with their Check-In and conduct an Island Orientation so that they have a better understanding of the island. I always encourage guests to take up different activities in the island but never impose on them. If they wish to take up the services with me, I will be glad but if they don’t, I will still provide the same service for them.

However; I can’t accept those guests who expect exceeding services and not willing to pay for it. There is a saying; Cheap Things Are Never Good & Good Things Are Never Cheap! If they paid for CHEAP PACKAGES then don’t expect to receive good things in their packages. Don’t expect to eat in expensive restaurants with buffet meals. You are getting what you have paid and as a Tour Guide, we just follow whatever the contract stated. If guests are unhappy with the food, please don’t blame it on the Tour Guide but on the packages that they have paid. For those who are vegetarian, please take note that the island is not easy to be a vegetarian. If you are a vegetarian because of health then you can be selective with the food that you are eating but if you are a vegetarian for the sake of religion then please be kind to others and don’t create difficulty. I believe your religion teaches you to be kind and merciful then please act like one, don’t be a hypocrite!

For those who drink, do take note that not all Tour Guides drink! Perhaps I can consider the few in the island that don’t drink and smoke. I am a PADI Master Instructor & an experience Technical Diving Instructor, I take good care of my health and I don’t smoke and drink. Furthermore; I always believe being a responsible Tour Guide, one shouldn’t drink. If you drink with guests and you are also drunk with guests then who will take care of them and bring them safely back to their resort? As a professional, I don’t drink with guests but there are guests will complain that I don’t drink with them. Well, I am a Tour Guide and I am not a bartender.

We are Tour Guides and we are not Saints, we can’t control the weather. There are also many things beyond our control but just imagine some guests will ask questions such as why is it raining, why is it flooding or why is it so hot in the island? Some guests will be unhappy with the Tour Guide because of the rain & sun. During the journey to Boracay, we have clearly stated that walking is part of the adventure so is normal for us to work from Station 3 to Station 1 or even Friday’s Beach. If they don’t wish to walk then pay to take tricycle but when I mention they need to pay for the tricycle, they will be unhappy! There were some who even complain, why Tour Guide is taking the tricycle with us without paying?

We also have feeling as Tour Guides, we are also human! We also need respect! At times these guests thought we are in service industry and we should always be service orientated and expect exceeding services. They have forgotten about respect, they have forgotten about basic manner as a human being! At the end of the day, they will be classified by us as BAD GUESTS and this also bring disgrace to the country they are coming from. Worst! A disgrace to their parents because guests with bad attitude, we usually said they don’t have proper upbringing by their parents!

As a Tour Guide, we will always do our best. We always hope guests will come with smiles and leave the island with smiles. We will always do our best to provide the best services for our guests, make them happy. For guests that took up services with the Tour Guide are usually those who are happy with the service but those who usually complain are those who are not willing to pay extra for other services and yet expect exceeding services. I always wonder why spent so much money in the airfare and do nothing in the island. Is more fun in the Philippines but is even more fun in Boracay! However; if you don’t do anything then nothing will be fun in the island.