HOST 114 - Tour Guide Operations

4 Credits

This introductory course teaches tour guide skills specific to recreation, park, leisure, heritage, nature center, and green space settings. A focus is placed on four primary skills needed to effectively guide visitors: leadership in group settings, attraction interpretation (i.e. natural sites, human-made sites), risk management, and a business acumen needed to operate as a professional tour guide including some elements of entrepreneurship. An integral component of this course for learners is leading interpretive activities.

Course Note This course includes natural area exploration. Some natural areas may include slippery and/or uneven surfaces.
Fees

Quarters Typically Offered
Designed to Serve All students interested in hospitality, tourism, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and/or leadership.
Active Date 20200330T21:15:30

Grading Basis Decimal Grade
Class Limit 28
Contact Hours: Lecture 44
Total Contact Hours 44
Degree Distributions:
ProfTech Course Yes
Restricted Elective Yes
Course Outline
Learners completing this course will:

1) be able to lead guided activities for visitors

2) understand the importance of risk management when guiding visitors

3) be able to interpret natural and man-made sites

4) understand the basic components of tour guiding as a career from a business and entrepreneurial perspective.

Student Learning Outcomes
Learners will demonstrate leadership during hands-on activities in natural spaces;

Learners will collaborate to create holistic interpretation activities including natural and man-made attractions that are inclusive of all stakeholders, particularly in historical contexts.

Learners will respectfully participate in guided interpretive activities as active learning visitors.

Learners will analyze best practices for guiding tours inclusive of individuals who have special needs, translation necessities, safety or security challenges, and other considerations of potential visitors.

Learners will evaluate tour guide plans from business and visitor experience perspectives.

Learners will design intepretive activities that include elements of sense of place, the tourist gaze, authenticity, and other leisure study attributes.