1EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER 1

The Problem and Its Background

Introduction

A tour guide is a person who leads groups of people

around a town, museum, or other tourist venue. The tour

guide provides a commentary on the features and history of

the location. The tours can be from as little as 10-15

minutes to extended periods over many days. Considerable

importance is placed on the guide's knowledge of local

stories, history and culture depending on the location of the

tour. This is a course for learning or validating the skills

and duties involved in tour guiding for a tourism

organization.

The tasks and responsibilities of a tour guide include

the following: describe tour points of interest to group

members, and respond to questions, escort individuals or

groups on cruises, sightseeing tours, or through places of

interest such as industrial establishments, public buildings,

2EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

and art galleries, conduct educational activities for school

children, monitor visitors' activities to ensure compliance

with establishment or tour regulations and safety practices,

provide directions and other pertinent information to

visitors, greet and register visitors, and issue any required

identification badges or safety devices, distribute brochures

and explain establishment processes and operations at tour

sites and research various topics, including site history,

environmental conditions, and clients' skills and abilities

to plan appropriate expeditions, instruction, and commentary.

Filipinos are fun-loving and friendly people. Throughout

the islands, there are festivals celebrated every day and

foreign guests are always welcome in their homes.

Theoretical Framework

Expectancy Theory proposes that a person will decide to

behave or act in a certain way because they are motivated to

select a specific behavior over other behaviors due to what

they expect the result of that selected behavior will be.

In essence, the motivation of the behavior selection is

3EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

determined by the desirability of the outcome. However, at

the core of the theory is the cognitive process of how an

individual processes the different motivational elements.

This is done before making the ultimate choice. The outcome

is not the sole determining factor in making the decision of

how to behave.

Expectancy theory is about the mental processes

regarding choice, or choosing. It explains the processes that

an individual undergoes to make choices. In the study

of organizational behavior, expectancy theory is

a motivation theory first proposed by Victor Vroom of

the Yale School of Management.

"This theory emphasizes the needs for organizations to

relate rewards directly to performance and to ensure that the

rewards provided are those rewards deserved and wanted by the

recipients."

Victor H. Vroom (2004) defines motivation as a process

governing choices among alternative forms of voluntary

activities, a process controlled by the individual. The

individual makes choices based on estimates of how well the

4EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

expected results of a given behavior are going to match up

with or eventually lead to the desired results. Motivation is

a product of the individual’s expectancy that a certain

effort will lead to the intended performance, the

instrumentality of this performance to achieving a certain

result, and the desirability of this result for the

individual, known as valence.

Dependency theory, also referred to as core-periphery

theory, is based upon the inter-relationship

between development and underdevelopment. The term

“dependency” can be used to signify economic, social or

political dependency, but in reality these different types of

dependency are all inter-related. Economic dependency often

leads to social and political dependency, with the latter two

may be more difficult to establish in an objective

manner. Tourism development may exhibit the symptoms of

dependency theory when it results in the enrichment of

developed metropolitan areas at the expense of poorer,

underdeveloped regions. International examples often cited

tend to be small island states in close proximity to large

5EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

industrialized economies (such as Caribbean tourism

destinations). However, dependency theory has also been cited

for the larger landmasses of Afro-Asia and Latin America. One

could argue in most of these cases that the weakness of the

internal political and economic structures made it likely

that they would become dependent upon other nations during

the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

With the advent of mass tourism, even those countries

that were not sought out for their mineral deposits, slave

labor, strategic military locations or agricultural climates

were inevitably going to be brought into the dependency

chain. But dependency theory may also relate to domestic

tourism where sparsely populated peripheral regions find that

their economic structures have been distorted by the demands

derived by tourism activity. Many issues surrounding tourism

developments, such as second homes, often involve dependency.

For instance, the land and general price inflation that may

be associated with tourism development may make it impossible

for local residents to purchase their own homes or to survive

6EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

in the area while engaged in more traditional industries.

This then makes the local economy dependent upon tourism for

its survival. The underlying thesis of dependency theory is

that the so-called developed areas are subject to

sustained indigenous growth, whereas underdeveloped areas

exhibit reliance upon external factors and, as such, derive

their growth from the developed or 'metropolitan' areas:

hence the term dependency.

Conceptual Framework

INPUT OUTPUT

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COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Fig. 1 Conceptual Paradigm of the Study

Conceptual Paradigm of the Study

PROCESS

The local tourist’s perception to the Filipino Tour Guides in terms of:

Personality; Communicatio

n Skills and Technical

Skills?

Will extent to the Qualities of a Tour Guide:

Good communication skills

Knowledge Personal

integrity Professiona

l appearance

Sense of humor

Punctuality Tactfulness

Survey Questionnaires.

Interview and Statistical and treatment of Data

Analysis.

Interpretation of Gathered Data.

FEEDBACK

8EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Figure 1 illustrates the different variables that affect

the expectations of Local Tourist to Filipino Tour Guides.

These input variables greatly affect their job performances.

The variables are: The job performance along personality

effectiveness wherein Filipino tour guides are well groomed,

has a sense of anticipation, and good manners; along

communication skills wherein Filipino tour guides communicate

effectively with tourists, expresses ideas clearly and uses

refined language in dealing with others; along skill

efficiency and quality of work wherein Filipino tour guides

possesses knowledge in handling tourists’ day to day

activity, arranges itinerary, and schedules effectively and;

along public relations wherein tour guides shows genuine

respect for human personalities, maintain good rapport

between tourist – tour guide relationships.

All customers have different needs and want that need to

be fulfilled. These needs and wants build up their

expectations of the tourism product purchased. If these input

factors are valued, carefully examined and objectively

9EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

implemented more likely Filipino tour guides tend to display:

maintain personal effectiveness, proper communication

techniques, improved and upgraded performance and

competencies and good feedback to tourists.

Statement of the Problem

This study is intended to find out the expectations and

perceptions of tourists towards Filipino tour guides. More

specifically, the researchers sought to answer the following

questions:

1. How do the local tourists perceive the Filipino Tour

Guides in terms of:

1.1 Personality;

1.2 Communication Skills and

1.3 Technical Skills?

2. Is there a significant difference on perception of

the local tourist to the Filipino Tour Guides using the above

mentioned variables?

3. From the findings of the study, what do the

researchers recommend?

10EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Hypothesis

There is no significant difference on the perception of

the local tourists to the Filipino Tour Guides when grouped

according to sex.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

The study is limited to the following scope: the

researchers will rely on information that will be gathering

from the Filipino Tourists and some person will be able to

help by giving information and ideas regarding the research

work. A questionnaire will be distributed during the personal

interview with the Filipino people, and tour guides.

Significance of the Study

The study will benefit the following: as guide for the

Filipino people especially the tourism students, tour guides,

the Department of the Tourism and the people concerned to

Tourism Industry. To be aware with the perception,

expectation, wants, needs and motives of the Filipino

tourist. The researchers will work hard together to encourage

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COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

and motivate the Filipino people to travel around the

country.

To the Filipino Tourists. Knowing the performance of

tour guides in a certain firm, may provide some strategies in

teaching and guidelines for the implementation of functional

guidance program and activities that will benefit for the

students taking up tourism course or to the future tour

guides.

To the Students/Future Tour Guides. It may provide some

insights as to how to impart good tour guide skills needed in

a certain firm.

To the Tour Guides. To understand the condition of

performance of tour guides’ task and its relationship to

personal effectiveness, communication, skill efficiency and

quality of work, and public relations that is necessary so as

to help them in facing their problems and be able to overcome

and eliminate them as they become fully successful; and to be

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COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

able to know their strength and weaknesses as tour guides who

yearns for more efficient employee.

To the Travel Agencies. To serve as the base for travel

agency with regards to hiring of their tour guides. Travel

agencies may be able to determine which is more employable,

if it is the single tour guides or married ones. The

improvement of better tour guiding that may result from this

study may lead to a better employer’s employee relationship;

good rapport between the company and their tour guides same

with the other employees in the company.

Definition of Terms

The researchers believe that some terms need

clarification in order to impart his ideas clearly. These

terms are defined as they are used in this research.

Communication Skills. This refers to the expression of

ideas clearly to clients, using refined language in dealing

with others; utilizes regular channel of communication.

13EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Perceived. This refers to become aware of directly

through any of the senses, especially sight or hearing.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/perceived

Perception. This refers to the act or faculty of

apprehending by means of the senses or of the mind;

cognition; understanding. Immediate or intuitive recognition

or appreciation, as of moral, psychological, or aesthetic

qualities; insight; intuition; discernment: an artist of rare

perception.

Personality. This refers to individual characteristics

of one person that reflects to himself.

Public relation. This refers to the methods and

activities employed by an individual, organization, or

government to promote a favorable relationship with the

public.

Technical Skill. This refers to the proficiency, ability

or dexterity; in typing, dictation and keeping records.

Tour Guide. This refers to a person who guides visitors

in the language of their choice and interprets the cultural

and natural heritage of an area.

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COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Tourists. This refers to the person who travels for

pleasure, usually sightseeing and staying in hotels.