Zprávy památkové péče 2019, 79(3):309-315 | DOI: 10.56112/zpp.2019.3.09

NHI tour guides: who are they and what do they need?

Radka Ranochová

Publicly accessible sights in the Czech Republic usually offer guided tours. The guides that lead them are both permanent employees and, in most cases, seasonal temporary workers. They present the cultural and historical heritage of the country to millions of visitors every year, and therefore due care should be taken in this profession. This is one of the reasons why the project "Presentation and Interpretation of the Historical Environment as an Integral Part of Cultural Education in the Age of New Media and Fluid Modernity" is now active; one included aspect is the revitalization of guide care. It also focuses on heritage properties managed by the National Heritage Institute (NHI, NPÚ), which includes nearly one hundred mainly fortified castles, residential castles, and monasteries.
This study presents the results of a nationwide survey among guides that took place at the end of 2018. The survey and its results try to better answer the basic questions of: What are the guides like? Where do they come from? Why have they decided to guide? and What does this work give them? The study also focused on the painful spots that this work entails and how they could be addressed. The questionnaire received a response from every fifth guide addressed, two thirds of whom were secondary school or university students. The study is slowly starting to focus on other groups, such as parents on maternity leave and active seniors.
The main motivations that bring the guides to the heritage site is an interest in history, the possibility of working with people, and temporary work near their residence. After the first year of experience with guiding, the guides appreciate the acquisition of soft skills (mainly rhetoric and conflict resolution) and contact with people. The guides gradually learn how to maintain the attention of different groups of visitors, especially mixed groups. For many guides, the presence of families with children is difficult, and many guides do not know what to do; this offers ample room for finding solutions to prepare them for this.
The guides themselves would appreciate several types of support in their work. The first is, of course, recognition for well done work and good relationships at the workplace. They would also like to have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of history and knowledge about the heritage site itself, ideally through extended tours in the site led by an administrator or other expert, or through lectures. Even though it was found that the guides remain 75% true to one site, they would still welcome the opportunity to share experiences with other guides from nearby or similar heritage sites. Last but not least, they mentioned higher pay as a possible area of support.
The questionnaire survey is one of the starting points of the entire project and the basis for necessary and current topics for a broader discussion and upcoming workshops. The presentation of heritage sites in the form of guided tours, even with the simultaneous introduction of other forms, will continue to be the main method of presentation; this now depends on whether adequate support and care will be provided to ensure that quality guides remain.

Keywords: guide, sightseeing tour, heritage building, revitalization

Published: September 1, 2019  Show citation