Investigating the Effects of Tour Guides Training on their Performance in Kenya

A comprehensive tourism destination must ensure that tourists are accompanied by a professional tour guide who guides and interprets attractions in the areas visited. The performance of tour guides in Kenya has been impacted by an undefined level of education, a lack of standardised training curriculum, and a lack of barriers to the guiding career. In Kenya, little research has been conducted to determine the role of guides in satisfying customers and protecting the environment. The study's goal was to look at tour guides' interpretation knowledge and their thoughts on areas that need more training to improve their performance. The researchers anticipated that tour guides' training needs are unaffected by their degree of education, work experience, or qualification. It is thought that guides will need further training in East African flora and fauna, cultural history, and client service. They must have ICT (Information Communications Technology) training, eco-tourism concepts, and the ability to communicate in at least one foreign language. According to the study, the higher a guide's level of training, the more resourceful the guide will be. The original data was collected using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups discussions (FGDs). The findings reveal that tour guides' perspectives on areas in which they need additional training are unaffected by their greatest degree of education, employment experience, or qualification. Most guides irrespective of their level of education, work experience and qualifications were of the opinion that they needed more training on mammals and plants (x2=1.07,df=2,P=0.583), training on birds and insects (x2=0.254,df=2,P=0.885) and training on culture and history of East Africa (x2=1.140,df=2,P=0.566). Respondents’ training needs were independent on the duration of tour guiding course training had taken. Guides trained for less than six months, one year and more than two years agreed that training on foreign language (x2=4.84,df=2,P=0.196), ecotourism principles (x2=1.62,df=2,P=0.653) and tour planning and costing (x2=399,df=3,P=0.262) would improve their performance. According to the findings, tour guides are aware of the areas in which they require training and should be consulted before such training is organised. Regardless of their degree of education, qualification, or work experience, they require more training. The findings mean that there is no significant relationship between tour guide professional qualification and their training needs. According to the study, tour guide curriculum should be standardised, and all guides should take an exam before being certified to guide, with only those who have such a licence being permitted to practise guiding.