Park guide

Park guides assist visitors, interpret cultural and natural heritage and provide information and guidance to tourists in parks such as wildlife, amusement and nature parks.

The following job titles also refer to park guide:

amusement centre worker
park interpretation officer
heritage centre worker
heritage centre guide
countryside guide
countryside ranger
national park ranger
wildlife centre guide
cultural heritage centre worker
visitor guide
visitors centre guide
countryside manager
park ranger
visitors centre worker
national trail officer
area ranger
ranger
interpretation officer
national park guide

A high school diploma is generally required to work as a park guide.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Park guide is a Skill level 2 occupation.

No potential next step identified on the General track track for this occupation.

No potential next step identified on the Manager track track for this occupation.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of park guide.

• Sightseeing information: The sightseeing information of a particular touristic site.
• Local area tourism industry: The characteristics of local sights and events, accommodation, bars and restaurants and leisure activities.
• Local geography: The range of physical and geographical properties and descriptions of a local area, by street names and not only.
• Geographical areas relevant to tourism: The field of tourism geography in Europe as well as the rest of the world in order to point out relevant tourism areas and attractions.

These skills are necessary for the role of park guide.

• Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
• Monitor visitor tours: Monitor visitors’ touring activities to ensure compliance with legislation and safety practices.
• Provide visitor information: Provide directions and other relevant information to visitors.
• Select visitor routes: Examine and select points of interest, travel routes and sites to be visited.
• Collect visitor fees: Collect fees from visitors and group members.
• Speak different languages: Master foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.
• Read maps: Read maps effectively.
• Handle tour contract details: Administer tour contract details in order to make sure that tourists receive all services included in the tour package.
• Provide tourism related information: Give customers relevant information about historical and cultural locations and events while conveying this information in an entertaining and informative manner.
• Maintain relationship with suppliers: Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with suppliers and service providers in order to establish a positive, profitable and enduring collaboration, co-operation and contract negotiation.
• Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
• Manage health and safety standards: Oversee all personnel and processes to comply with health, safety and hygiene standards. Communicate and support alignment of these requirements with the company’s health and safety programmes.
• Welcome tour groups: Greet newly arrived groups of tourists at their starting point to announce details of upcoming events and travel arrangements.
• Handle personal identifiable information: Administer sensitive personal information on customers securely and discreetly
• Maintain customer service: Keep the highest possible customer service and make sure that the customer service is at all times performed in a professional way. Help customers or participants feel at ease and support special requirements.
• Conduct educational activities: Plan, perform and supervise educational activities for a variety of audiences, such as for school children, university students, specialist groups, or members of the public.
• Ensure health and safety of visitors: Take the necessary precautions to ensure the physical safety of an audience or people visiting an activity. Prepare actions in case of emergency. Administer first aid and direct emergency evacuations.
• Escort visitors to places of interest: Bring tourists to places of interest such as museums, exhibitions, theme parks or art galleries.
• Manage tourist groups: Monitor and guide tourists ensuring positive group dynamics and address areas of conflict and concern where they occur.
• Perform clerical duties: Perform administrative tasks such as filing, typing up reports and maintaining mail correspondence.
• Register visitors: Register visitors after greeting them. Distribute any required identification badges or safety devices.
• Handle veterinary emergencies: Handle unforeseen incidents concerning animals and circumstances which call for urgent action in an appropriate professional manner.
• Follow ethical code of conduct in tourism: Carry out touristic services according to accepted principles of right and wrong. This includes fairness, transparency and impartiality.
• Train guides: Give training to fellow guides and volunteers.
• Inform visitors at tour sites: Distribute booklets, show audio-visual presentations, give guidance and relevant comments at tour site locations. Explain the history and functionality of tour highlights and respond to questions.
• Assemble visitor supplies: Collect and check all required supplies and equipment before departure.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of park guide. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Natural areas maintenance: The methods to maintain the assets (both natural and constructed) of natural areas, including program development and implementation.
• Tourism market: The study of the tourism market on a international, regional and local level and considering worldwide tourist destinations.
• Plant species: The variety of plants, trees and shrubs and their special characteristics.
• Environmental impact of tourism: The study of the environmental impact of travel and tourist activities on tour destinations.
• Animal species: The characteristics of different species and breeds of animals (relevant to the occupation).

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of park guide. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Distribute local information materials: Hand out leaflets, maps and tour brochures to visitors with information and tips about local sites, attractions and events.
• Monitor nature conservation: Evaluate and monitor features of nature conservation interest in habitats and sites.
• Handle customer complaints: Administer complaints and negative feedback from customers in order to address concerns and where applicable provide a quick service recovery.
• Maintain incident reporting records: Keep a system to record details of unusual events that occur at the facility, such as job-related injuries.
• Identify plants characteristics: Identify and classify crop characteristics. Be able to recognise different types of bulbs by name, graded sizes, field markings and stock markings.
• Maintain relationships with doctors: Communicate with doctors in order to solve possible misunderstandings related to prescriptions, indications, etc.
• Inspire enthusiasm for nature: Spark a passion for the natural character of fauna and flora and human interaction with it.
• Demonstrate intercultural competences in hospitality services: Understand, respect and build constructive and positive relations with intercultural clients, guests and collaborators in the field of hospitality.
• Measure customer feedback: Evaluate customer’s comments in order to find out whether customers feel satisfied or dissatisfied with the product or service.
• Advise on nature conservation: Provide information and suggested actions relating to the conservation of nature.
• Assist clients with special needs: Aid clients with special needs following relevant guidelines and special standards. Recognise their needs and accurately respond to them if needed.
• Apply foreign languages in tourism: Use the mastery of foreign languages orally or written in the tourism sector in order to communicate with collaborators or customers.
• Promote recreation activities: Promote the implementation of recreation programs in a community, as well as recreation services provided by an organisation or institution.

5113 – Travel guides

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References

1. Park guide – ESCO