PREPAIRING A TOUR

COMMENTARY
Information Relevant to Tour Itineraries
Lesson
Objectives:
• Define the Tour Commentary
• Know different types and components of
Commentary
• Able to know the steps in delivering a
commentary
• Tips for Effective Listening
• Tips for an Effective Commentary
 Tour
Also known as “guide speak”, refers
Comment
to what tour guides say in front of
the tourists when describing an

ary
attraction.
It includes general information
about place as well as local tales,
events and personalities related to
the attraction.
 Sources Of
Commentary
Materials.
PRIMARY DATA
Firsthand experiences
information.
that are ideal primary source of
SECONDARY INFORMATION
Normally
(Claravall)
taken from reading books,
magazines, and other reference, materials.
the internet,

TECHNICAL DATA
includes expert knowledge taken from further education and
training.
 Sources Of
Commentary
Materials.
CURRENT EVENTS
Great sources of information where commentaries can be based
from.

TRIVIAS
(Claravall)
Interesting tidbits of almost anything. These may be interestand
amuse tourists when included in the commentaries.
Steps in
preparing a
commentary:
Know your guests’ interest and expectations

Know the itinerary

Look for reliable sources of information about the

attractions included in the itinerary and gather
information from these sources..
Write your tour commentary based on the
information you gathered.

Practice and revise your commentary as you see fit.

 GIS-JOE
GIS
Know your Guests,
Itinerary, and
Sources of
Information
JOE
Jot it down and Execute
Tour guides keep their commentaries
fresh all the time. Constant repetition of
information causes boredom and may
be annoying for some tourists.
CODE SWITCHING - a manner of
communicating where words in
different languages are alternately used
in one sentence.
 REQUIRED

Types of
A required tour commentary is a memorized
script usually provided by a company for its
guides.
“Good morning everyone. Welcome to the city of

Comme
smiles. My name is Kyla, your tour guide for
today, and beside me is our bus driver, Mr. Rey.
On behalf of KJN Travel and Tours. I would like to
welcome you all to Bacolod City. The bus rides to
your hotel will take about 30 minutes. Before we

ntary
leave, may I ask if your entire luggage’s are
already inside the bus? All right. Please remain
seated until we reach our hotel, Sugarland
Hotel. Tomorrow, at 8:00 AM, we shall start our
tour of the city. Please make sure you have your
own breakfast before that time and we shall
meet at the lobby. We have several destinations
to visit. The weather is about 32 degrees
Celsius. I suggest you wear comfortable
clothes.’
Types of INFORMATIVE

Comme Includes describing the city, the designated

stops, other points of interest, and even
giving advice to tourists as they go along

ntary
the tour.
“Bacolod is a highly urbanized city, located in the Western Visayas. It has
sixty-one barangays. Well, you see, we are proud of beautiful sights
here. This is a good place for photography as well. We are now
at our first destination the San Sebastian Cathedral. What to do you
notice? It is beautifully made of coral stones from Guimaras and
hardwood from Palawan. By the way, the locals of Bacolod are called
Bacolodnon. They are very pleasant and helpful people. Bacolod
celebrates Masskara festival every October, the colorful festival was
created as a diversion from the series of tragedies experienced by the
Negrenses in 1980’s. First is when the international consumers
stopped importing Bacolod’s sugar due to the rise of cheaper
substitutes like corn syrup (fructose). The industry plummeted and so did
its people, whose only source of income was planting and
producing sugar canes. Then, in April 22, 1980, the MV Don Juan, a
luxury liner on its way back to Bacolod City from Manila, collided with
an oil tanker, MT Tacloban, off Tablas Strait in Mindoro, leaving
176 dead and several others missing. Now came up with the
Masskara Festival and sought to re-envision Bacolod as a City of Smiles --
 REQUESTED

Types of
When requested/asked, tour guides shall
provide commentary to address particular
needs & inquiries of the tourists.

Comme “That’s a very interesting

question, Although Bacolod is a

ntary highly urbanized city,

average monthly crime rate
the

reduced to 35. 40% compared to

last year.”
 OPTIMAL

Types of Highlight the guide's engaging

Comme
& entertaining traits. Also
when giving commentaries,
these include anecdotes,

ntary
stories, legends, simple trivia,
and games.
COMPONENTS OF
COMMENTARIES
I. Introduction
II. Body of the Commentary
III.Feedback
IV.Summarizing the Commentary
V. Reminders
VI.Thank you and Good-bye
 INTRODUCTION
• Introductions during the start of a tour, especially done in a
coach are usually accompanied with greetings. A greeting is a
form of a salutation done in a very pleasing tone and
sometimes accompanied with gestures.
• Some tour guides use other communication tools like a bell, or a
whistle to get the group’s attention. If tour guide sees that the
majority have focused their attention to them, then they may
already start with the commentaries.
 BODY OF THE COMMENTARY
• Emphasizing on the vital of the points such as history,
geography, culture, and the rest of its fine points are important.
A descriptive narration about the place usually answers the
questions what, when, where, why and how. All these are
essential to tackle in the body of commentary.
• Commentaries are great source of information, therefore,
never rush while talking. Be sensitive towards those who
cannot understand the language you are using.
 FEEDBACK
• No matter how well-prepared the commentaries are, tour guides
may receive unpleasant remarks. Tour guides must be
proactive. They cannot expect that everyone listening to them
will believe, agree, and like what is being explained especially if
it has something to do with changes in the itinerary and other
events causing discomfort. Be ready with acceptable
explanations.
 SUMMARIZING THE COMMENTARY
• summaries are always short and important facts are reiterated,
but no longer described lengthily. This part is normally brief. It
involves emphasizing the important matters
 REMINDERS
• Some reminders can be given at any time at they are needed.
For instance, if the tourists are going to a crowded place, it is
best to remind them to be watchful of their belongings.
• Reminders involve mentioning of the next scheduled
activities and important things to remember for the succeeding
events, like what to bring and what not to bring.
 THANK YOU AND GOOD-BYE
• Any professional knows how to say thank you even if snide
remarks have been said. Say thank you for the
opportunity to share and the patience and
understanding and most of all for company. Good-byes must be
pleasant too.
 Creating a Personal
Platform Image
 Voice- rate of speech
a. Volume is critical
b. Speak audibly
c. Be sure you are speaking to be heard by all, not just
a few.
d. Keep your pacing or rate of speech quick than slow.
e. Pitch and tones
f. Vocal ticks as “um” and “ahh” are distractions that
you have to avoid by:
- Consciously focus attention on the vocal tick. Hear
yourself saying them. As soon as you do, they will begin to
go away.
- Ask a friend, colleague to signal each time they hear you
say it.
 Creating a Personal
Platform Image
 Eye- Contact
• If you want to LOOK and SOUND sincere, MAINTAIN
eye contact with the person you are speaking.
• Looking a person in the eye means you are
listening to what he is saying and it’s a message of
recognition.
• Talk to the guests by looking at their eyes as you
begin to speak. They will respond with a smile, nod
or signal of recognition.
• Good eye contact is a very important way of
communication.
 Creating a Personal
Platform Image
 Body Language
• Be conscious of your body language, just enough
to become more mindful of its effect.
• Watch for clues from others, focus on how they
move and react to your speech, and also how you
react to their body language and gestures.
• Cultivate “power move” – right posture-back
straight, head up. Relaxed-look-hands on hips or in
pockets, but not slouchy. Firm gestures, avoid hair
twirling.
 Creating a Personal
Platform Image
 Your Audience
• Asa tour guide, you draw your energy also from
your audience/guests. It takes a happy listener for
the speaker to gather all the enthusiasms and
positive feelings and be an entertaining tour guide
along the way.
• Most of the guests are in an "excited, happy,
interested and energetic mode". They have
planned the vacation or tour, saved money for
that, and prepared for a welcoming tour guide,
with the smiles. They are focused on a holiday,
relaxation, free-from-stress "lazy days" but full of
excitement and high expectations from the people
they are about to encounter during their tour.
 Creating a Personal
Platform Image
 Listening skills
• Listening is key to all effective communication,
without the ability to listen effectively messages
are easily misunderstood.
• Listening in any language requires focus and
attention. It is a skill that some people need to
work harder than others.
• Before the sending of the message, both the send
and the receiver practice listening skills.
 Tips for
 Use Attentive Listening
 Learn how to use your “thinking

Effective
time” effectively by paying
attention and focusing on what you

Listenin
see and hear.
 Become an observer
 Listen with an open mind
g  Do not jump to conclusions
 Let the speaker recognize that you
are listening.
 Creating a Personal
Platform Image
 Research skills
• Tour commentaries are planned, structured, and
studied information carefully gathered through
research and used as a tool to be able to
effectively inform the guests, let them understand
and appreciate the facts related to the actual
sights seen along the way on a running tour or a
walk about tour.
• There are several ways to do research. Reading
books, articles, newspapers, autobiographies,
journals are an excellent source of information.
With the advent of modern technology, research
became easy and fast.
 Creating a Personal
Platform Image
 Delivery skills
• In Tour guiding, delivery of information gathered
and researched is the most challenging part of the
"show."
• It is here that the talking skills of a tour guide
are being put to the test.
• It is not the idea of being so fluent in English or
any other foreign language, but the way you
deliver the commentary to the listening tourists is
the " name of the game" here. It is indeed not
"what you say, but how you say it" that would
matter most.
How to prevent NERVOUSNESS:

a.Know your stuff (What to say)

b.Know your place
c.Visualize success
d. Breathe
Factors to
Consider in
Guest Analysis:
 Nationality and country of origin
 Age and Gender
 Socio-economic status and educational attainment
 Special interests
 Occupation and Profession
 How long is their visit?
 Have they been there before?
 How much do they already know?
 Where else they have been?
 Where else are they going?
Basic information
about the place
• Short profile of the place
• Historical Background
• Origin of the name (historical or legendary)
• Basic Facts

 Capital
 Land area and population
 People, culture, customs and tradition
 Local dishes, as well as their arts and crafts
 Local products, rituals and tribal wears
 Natural and Man-made attractions
 Cultural sites/ attractions
 Other significant special interests
Tips for
Effective
Commentary:
Accuracy

Relevance

Structure

Varied

Objectivity
 Tips for an Effective
Commentary
• Begin with a smile, greeting, and introduction
• Deliver information in a manner that would interest the guests .
• Add sense of humor in your commentary
• Remember that people join a tour to be entertained with facts and stories
about the place, and appreciate the things they see
• Face the group, not a few
• Speak clearly and slowly ( especially for a larger group)
• Voice should be audible
• Practice eye contact
• Prepare yourself for questions to be asked.
 Tips for an Effective
Commentary
• Take control of your breathing and try to emphasize important words.
• Use synonyms in explaining (when necessary)
• When mentioning a name, repeat it or spell it
• Maintain silence, if the need arises.
• Listen carefully to questions and other concerns.
• Never argue with the guests.
• Always end your tour by thanking the guests for joining the tour, and visiting
the country.
Steps in Delivering a
Commentary
1. SMILE, GREET, INTRODUCE yourself and the driver
2. Brief the guests about the tour for the day
3. Review the inclusions and exclusions of the tour
4. Give the location and distance, traveling to the destination
5. Tell them what to expect from the tour
6. Announce comfort stops
7. Provide necessary precautions
8. Don't forget to point the famous landmarks along the way
Steps in Delivering a
Commentary
1. SMILE, GREET, INTRODUCE yourself and the driver
2. Brief the guests about the tour for the day
3. Review the inclusions and exclusions of the tour
4. Give the location and distance, traveling to the destination
5. Tell them what to expect from the tour
6. Announce comfort stops
7. Provide necessary precautions
8. Don't forget to point the famous landmarks along the way
Sample Commentary
Kumusta? It means, ?How are you? That's how we usually greet
out friends in the Philippines. My name is Erick and I will be your
tour guide for today. On behalf of Happy Travel Agency, we
thank you for joining this tour and we welcome you to Manila!
Today, we will visit popular tourist spots in the City of Manila,
specifically the old Walled City of Intramuros & the Rizal Park.
Travel time from the hotel and in between sites is just about five
minutes. This is a half-day tour, so meals are not included. Is
there anyone of you who has already been to Intramuros?
TOUR GUIDING
SAMPLE!
1 st

2nd

3 rd
T H AN K
YOU!!!