Going places, literally

Updated on: Tuesday, March 02, 2010

From answering questions of inquisitive tourists to negotiating prices with shopkeepers, tour guides in India do much more than taking people around.

For those who like to explore places and meet people from varied backgrounds, the profession offers a right platform. What often seen as an unorganised profession is, in fact, bound by strict laws and licensing rules.

“But lack of awareness about the courses makes many jump into the profession on their own. Getting licence has become very difficult these days,” says Sudhakar S Selwyn, Honorary secretary of Tourist Guides Federation of South India.

While stories of tourists deceived by fake guides have been doing the rounds for long, the government is tightening its grip over tourist-companies to make sure they employ only licensed tour operators.

PG diploma courses

The Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management conducts postgraduate diploma courses in tourism and travel, international business, and tourism and leisure. A qualifying examination is conducted for admission and CAT scores are also accepted. Degree holders from the institute receive the tour-guide licences at the completion of their programme.

But the demand is much greater than the supply, Mr. Sudhakar observes. At present, there are 240 licensed tour guides in south India and every year there are only few additions.

“On the contrary, thousands of tourists visit out countries and prefer licensed tour guides. Top-slot hotels and travel operators are in a major recruitment drive,” he says.

Going places, literally

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