Evaluation of the training condition of tour guides in Iran

Considering the importance and role of tour guides in providing domestic and international tourists with tourism services and with regard to scant attention given to tour guide training in Iran, this study investigates the current status of tour guide training in Iran. The main objective of this study is to recognize and determine the present condition of tour guide training and to present how to maximize the efficiency of training programs in Iran. This investigation was a descriptive study and was conducted by taking insights from tourism experts and professors as well as trained guides. In this multidisciplinary study, a questionnaire with 34 questions was designed and sent to 120 qualified experts, referred to above. The related data was gathered and analyzed by descriptive statistical methods and 2 ? test. The findings for the major research questions of the study were as follows: the quality of training regarding trainer proficiency 80.48%, trainees 83.52%, educational materials 52.69%, technological devices, facilities, and physical resources 56.66%, large-scale management and tourism policy making 51.33%, approaches and attitudes of officials 60.68%, and public relations of officials and staff 83.6%. It is concluded that, the quality of education, technological devices, facilities, physical resources, and largescale tourism management and policy making are all about average. Therefore, a revision of educational materials and an increase in facilities in educational centers seem inevitable. As it is clear from the findings, the quality of tour guide training in Iran, regarding educational programs and technological devices used, and facilities and physical resources employed, is around average. To get at a favorable level, therefore, it is necessary to make appropriate large-scale plans in universities to increase the number of educational centers and enhance the quality of tour guide education in Iran’s tourist attracting provinces.

Iran’s Tourism Industry- Tour Guide- Training – Training Centers