Tour Guide Beijing
Your tour guide is the first person you will see, touch, feel and know when you make your first trip to China either on a group tour or private tour offered by a local Chinese travel agency.
So having a basic knowledge of the tour guides in China will help you make a better interaction with them. Through your tour guide, you will know its people better, its history better, its life better, its system better. The “Four Betters” largely depend your candid communication with your tour guide.
How to become a tour guide in China
In China, to be a licensed tour guide, you must pass a national tour guide certificate examination sponsored by our China National Tourism Administation. If you pass the examination, you will get the tour guide certificate from the tourism authorities concerned. In addition, to be a legal tour guide, you have to register at a travel agency or local tour guide management company. Most of the tour guide management companies have some official background. After your registration, you will get a tour guide IC card ( or tour guide offcial permit ) from the local tourism administration. Tour guides are requested to hang their IC card around their necks when they escort touists.
Tour guide’s responsibility
Tour guides are responsible for conducting tours and expeditions organized by tour operators for which they work. They take the tours of historical places, famous buildings, natural landscape, temples and theme parks. In the course of the tours, tour and travel guides describe points of interest, answer questions and offer background information on interesting attractions.
A tour guide must be designated by a tour company for offering tour guide service.
A licensed and legal tour guide should have two things – IC card and formal reception plan from the travel agency for which she or he works. A formal reception plan is actually a travel plan or tour confirmation between a travel agency and the tourists. A tour guide is forbidden to be covertly and directly engaged in any tour guide service by any ways or means.
Self-employed tour guides
Independent tour guides trading with tourists directly is illegal in China. In China, a licensed tour guide must be employed by a tour company. A money-oriented tour guide directly trading with the tourists is a kind of illegal travel business. Because a tour guide is not a legal entity, unable to hold responsibility for the tourists.
“Black” tour guides
Black tour guides have neither IC card nor travel plans from a travel agency. They touch the tourists directly by using some low-cost sales channels like web forums, phone calls, direct encounter at some scenic areas. Some trendy black tour guides also make a simple travel website and contact the internet travellers directly! You are kindly advised not to use their services even though their service charges are much lower maybe. To put yourself in the hands of a black tour guide is dangerous!
Salary or no salary?
All tour guides at Beijing Xinhua International Tours ( www.tour-beijing.com ) get a fairly good tour fee and bonuses based on their performance. They don’t live on the commission from the shops. Of course, tips are much expected from the tour guides if they think they have offered good service to their clients. But tipping is at our clients’ discretion.
To tip, or not to tip? And how much?
At http://www.tour-beijing.com/ , we have no exact Tipping Policy for tour guide and driver since Tipping the tour guide or the driver is at our clients’s discretion, not us. But we do have a tipping recommendation on our travel website.
Tipping is not included in the tour expense. Not compulsory, but tipping is expected by drivers, tour guides and hotel
portage. Following tipping standard is only for your referance:
Tour Guide: RMB 80 – RMB 100 per day
Driver: RMB 60- RMB 80 per day
Hotel Bellboy: RMB 5-RMB 10 per room each time
portage. Following tipping standard is only for your referance:
Tour Guide: RMB 80 – RMB 100 per day
Driver: RMB 60- RMB 80 per day
Hotel Bellboy: RMB 5-RMB 10 per room each time
Tour guides’working hours
For all the day tours listed on tour-beijing.com, 8-hour tour guide service is included. For extra hour tour guide service, please contact our trip advisors; For the all the evening tours on tour-beijing.com, 4-hour tour guide service is included. For extra hour tour guide service, please contact our trip advisors.
Feedback on our tour guides
A tour guide is quite independent while offering guide service beyond the direct supervision by our travel agency. Your timely feedback on their performance will either protect your personal interest and help us ensure a stable and good service on the part of our tour guide. So your reviews on our tour guides are much appreciated. Please spend a few minutes and leave your comment. Thanks!
Politeness…
Knowledge…
Efficiency…
Responsibility…
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Ms Lee, one of the best tour guides at Beijing Xinhua International Tours
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