Tourist Guide of the Day - Malaysia Guide Grace Leong

Who is this tourist guide?
Grace Leong, a tourist guide in Sabah, Malaysia.

What does this tourist guide do?
I am a Blue Badge Guide and has been guiding for 19 years. My passion for travelling and sharing with others about Sabah's wonderful and beautiful eco-nature mountains and beaches as well as its colorful and diverse 32 over ethnic groups landed me in becoming a tourist guide since 1989 (there were only less than 80 guides then) and has never look back.

My guests who include normal tourists to very high profile personnel VVIPS such as Ministers, Filming Crews, CEOS have always commented that I have the gift of making stories of people, places and even animals come alive and could make a boring place become interesting which is not surprisingly as tour guiding apart from being my beloved profession, is also my hobby! With my years of experience in guiding and in management, I am also now a Trainer with Tourism Malaysia for their Mesra Malaysia and Eco Host programs, training tourist guides and frontliners in the tourism industry. I am also the founder of the KK Heritage Walk.

My motto in striving for excellence service is:Do To Others What You Want Others To Do To You !Thus, presenting surprising souvenir to my guests is just part of my service. Please contact me on OurExplorer.

How to find this tourist guide?
Profile Link: Tour Guide Sabah– Grace Leong

Client Testimonial-
A boy scout group with leaders from Sinagore. We give Grace a 5 out 5 -she was fantastic - highly recommended! Warm regards, Neil. Neil Dibb

Tourist Guide of the Day - Acapulco Tour Guide Rodolfo

Who is this tour guide?
RODOLFO "rudy" FREGOSO, a tour guide in Acapulco, Mexico.

What does this tour guide do?
Save up to 50 % On All Tours, I am a Professional Tour Guide in Acapulco, Mexico. Bonded by The Federal Mexican Government, Friendly, Knowledgeable, Kind And Fun Loving. Doing my Job Well is my Passion. "Let me take you under My Wing" and show you what only the insiders know!

I am in Possession of an Air Conditioned, up to 14 passengers, Windowed Van. I Consider Myself as a Privileged Person and think of myself as a Touristic Ambassador Proud to Show my Country to Visitors.

I Feel Fortunate to get paid to do something I love to do.... In between You & I, I enjoy it so much that I would do it for less...! Just don´t tell anybody!

Send me an e-mail and Let Me Take Care of You During Your Next Visit to Acapulco, I Will Proudly Show You My City & I Will Make of Your Time Here With us a Very Pleasant Experience.

Rodolfo "rudy" Fregoso your friend in Acapulco, Mexico.

How to find this tour guide?
Profile Link: Rodolfo "rudy" Fregoso,
http://www.ourexplorer.com/tour-guide-rodolfo--rudy--fregoso-1144.aspx

Personal Website: Best Tailored Tours in Acapulco http://tourbyvan.com/

Tourist Guide of the Day - Zel Lederman

Who is this guide?
Zel Lederman, a tourist guide in Jorusalem area of Israel.

What does this guide do?
Australian born , living in Israel for 17 years, based in Jerusalem and working as a licensed tour guide and tour organizer ,with an emphasis on custom designed tours for individuals, couples, small groups and families.

The Israel Travel Company offers a personal itinerary planning service for visitors to Israel. Through careful selection of lodgings , activities and tour guides ,we aim to offer travel experiences that highlight an Israel that is not always available through the usual travel service channels .Specializing in off the beaten track walking tours in Israel such as the Yam Le Yam/ Mediterranean Sea to Sea of Galilee, Israel National Walking Trail, Golan Trail, Nabatean route desert walks.

How to find this guide?
Profile Link: Zel Lederman,
http://www.ourexplorer.com/tour-guide-zel-lederman-jerusalem,isral-personal-tour-guide-1605.aspx

Tourist Guide of the Day - Guy King

Mr. Guy King is an individual member of WFTGA.org (WORLD FEDERATION OF TOURIST GUIDE ASSOCIATIONS).

Located in Auckland New Zealand, Mr. Guy King and his Select Tours provide travelers with "a unique insight into New Zealand."

"Enjoy luxury travel with personally hosted, and escorted Auckland and extended New Zealand tours." Website: http://select-tours-nz.com/

OurExplorer presenting to tour guides at WFTGA

I am excited to annonce that OurExplorer will be presenting at the World Federation of Tourist Guides annual conference in Bali - mid Jan 2009.

OurExplorer will be delighted to meet thousands of tour guides from all over the world. The aim of OurExplorer is to help these tour guides access a new method of getting business - Online.

OurExplorer will focus on how online shopping and purchasing is the way of the future - rising dramatically each year.

Do you have any queries about online sales for your tour guide service?

Cheers
Dave Cunningham
Chief Exploring Officer

Source: tourist guides, tour guides online booking

licenses of guides

We had a small discussion about guides license on http://www.hikingforums.net/. It's about whether hiking guides are with general license. I was wondering if hiking guides had general global-standard license, or regional license as tour guides.

Thanks to natchez's reply - "It would seem that a hiking guide of a specific area would only need to have thorough knowledge of the area he is employed in as a hiking guide, but on the other hand it doesn't make sense either.... "

My general impression has it that a tour guide relates to culture while hiking guides to nature. Culture is diversed but nature has something in common. E.g. A tour guide of New York is probably unable to guide in Beijing. But hiking in Chiangmai mountains might be similar with that in Shangri-la. Same about fishing guides, diving guides etc. etc.

There are currently heat discussions about "Tour guides sue over history test requirement" (Associated Press, updated 8:33 p.m. ET July 2, 2008)-
"PHILADELPHIA - Citing their free speech rights, three tour guides filed a lawsuit Wednesday challenging an ordinance that will require them to pass a history test and get a license before speaking to groups about the history of the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and other landmarks..."

Whichever licenses, they show only that one passed some exams and had certain knowledge. What really makes a good guide is his real skill and the client's feedback after the guided tour.