Creando experiencias de calidad y sostenibles para el turista post-covid: la contribución del guía turístico

Abstract

[EN] The last decade has brought challenges for the tourism sector, related both to the new needs and expectations of tourists brought about by Covid19, and to the growing awareness and concern for the sustainability of tourism. The aim of this paper is to highlight the contribution that tour guides can and should make not only in providing a quality tourism experience to visitors to destinations, but also how their work can positively affect the achievement of sustainability at a socio-cultural level. The paper analyses the evolution of the role of the tour guide over the last century through a review of the literature. The results show how the traditional informative function of the tour guide must nowadays be complemented by a more emotional facet of the role of the guide, who, through his or her actions, must involve tourists in such a way that they co-create the tour experience together. Furthermore, the training of tour guides in the new post-covid era must include sustainability content, in order to impact both the tourist's responsible activities at the destination and their sustainable attitudes and behaviour post-visit.