An expert guide can bring art galleries or natural landmarks alive for visitors and explain why locals line up hours ahead of them. The tour guiding industry is so accommodating that newcomers and experienced guides regularly share tips online.
Many travelers choose group tours to explore the world with like-minded travelers while alleviating some of the stress of planning a trip. But why do these group tours remain so appealing?
1. They are knowledgeable
Tour guides add tremendously to the travel experience by imparting local knowledge. They will explain why people act in certain ways and what you should expect when visiting different cultures worldwide.
Additionally, they can recommend fantastic places to discover and even take you to off-the-beaten-track spots that would be difficult to find on your own.
Becoming a Local Guide requires both passion and an understanding of local culture. Furthermore, quality should always come first – including having great photos that do not duplicate across locations and avoiding inappropriate edits such as defamatory words, off-topic answers, or personal attacks – and following Google Maps’ User Contributed Content Policy.
2. They are friendly
Whether you’re traveling alone or as part of a group tour, local guides are usually friendly and helpful – their job is to give you an incredible experience.
They know where the best places are off-path to make your trip more rewarding, learn how to take amazing photographs, and can answer any queries during your adventure.
Google Maps’ local guides do more than promote their businesses; they help Google Maps function more smoothly, earning points when posting reviews or adding places to the map. To maintain accurate maps, Local Guides must share real experiences and information – any deliberative edits, off-topic answers, or personal attacks against anyone are against the guidelines; now Google is even giving Local Guides a chance to achieve Level 10 status!
3. They are helpful
Tours offer you the freedom to let someone else do all the hard work for you, and an experienced guide will ensure you make the most of your visit. They know where to find delicious local cuisine, catch stunning views at sunset, and how you can save money on transportation costs while in town.
As well as posting photos, Local Guides can also use Google Maps to update and correct business listings – acting like an army for Google. They ensure their towns and cities stay as up-to-date as possible by directly contributing information to the search engine.
Yet some Local Guides abuse the system by flooding businesses with fake reviews and ratings – this gives businesses false security in the form of misleading rankings and assessments that provide a false sense of confidence to potential clients. This practice damages all involved parties in the ecosystem by giving businesses wrong feelings of security that ultimately compromise business success.
4. They are a great source of information
Local Guides help millions make more informed decisions by sharing photos, answering queries, or editing locations on Google Maps. Local Guides earn points and badges as part of their contributions, which can also boost businesses’ online presence.
However, some Local Guides aren’t in it just for the greater good; rather, they want to score points and unlock badges – this can damage businesses unless they plan to respond to reviews quickly and appropriately.
Group travel tours with a tour leader or local guide enhance safety for everyone by decreasing the chance that thieves will target solo travelers. They also ensure all group members have safe lodging each night.
5. They are fun 
Joining a tour allows you to relax and focus on having fun without being bothered with logistical details. Your tour operator takes care of transport and itinerary logistics so you can focus on enjoying yourself.
Budgeting for travel costs with group tours is easier since lodging, sightseeing, and some meals are already included in your package price. Bring money for souvenirs and any meals not covered in your tour package price.
Becoming a Local Guide can be an incredibly fulfilling way of contributing to the community while earning rewards at the same time. Unfortunately, more Local Guides than ever before are leaving unnecessary and inaccurate reviews to raise their badge level – this harms both businesses and customers alike.
