Private Tours are About People – It’s all About Travelling with a Great Tour Leader
A guide is a great storyteller and group leader who often fills the roles of host, educator, entertainer, safety officer, historian, photographer, counselor, navigator, naturalist, customer service representative, parent, friend, and so much more.
Unfortunately, a typical tour leader in Greece is often an ex-taxi driver who plays the role of a “trying-to-behave” driver, a photographer at most, and a smoker—when you are not watching—but you can smell while you travel despite the aromatic chemicals.

But you should be looking for this, assuming you are not looking for the cheap(est) tour you can find online!
- A well-trained tour guide will do far more than share facts.
- may also require sector-specific knowledge, such as culinary culture and gastronomy for food tours, ecology and wildlife for nature-based tours, or the legends of local hauntings for ghost tours.
- Location knowledge is, of course, essential to guide tours to each specific destination.
- Your guides need to be knowledgeable about your destination, such as local history, culture, and geography.
- how that information is shared makes the difference between a mediocre tour and a memorable experience.
- They will be able to transform their knowledge into engaging stories that make your guests feel something—stories that make them laugh… or cry. Stories that involve conflict and overcoming. Stories that surprise, entertain, inspire, and delight. Stories with a personal connection.
- Good communication skills, such as body language, appropriate eye contact, and facial expressions, help convey empathy, confidence, and approachability, fostering trust and rapport with travelers.
- guides need an understanding of first aid and safety protocols and how to respond to problems and emergencies that may arise.
- It is about storytelling!!
- manage diverse groups (families, friends, gay, children, solo women, culture, background, personality, etc.)
The Final Impact
- Impact on Travelers’ Experience: Your tour guides can make or break a traveler’s experience. A well-trained guide knows how to take a tour itinerary and turn it into an extraordinary experience that will feel extra special for each guest, an unforgettable part of their trip they’ll remember forever.
- Impact on Business Reputation: Training your guides to deliver these highly positive experiences will also positively impact your business’ reputation. A positive experience inspires your guests to rave to their family and friends about it in person and on social media, leave five-star reviews for your business online, and maybe even come back for more. On the flip side, a negative experience delivered by an inexperienced, undertrained guide can have significant negative implications in the way of customer complaints, negative reviews, or worse.
You should also ignore the “way too expensive” tours and services! Look for VFM plus most of the above!
