Who needs a tour guide? Today 48-59% of U.S., European, and Asian smartphone users research and plan their entire trip to a new destination using only a mobile device. “I get all the travel tips I need online for free” is standard operating procedure.

Trouble is, the top research sites comprise brief impressions by first-time, short-term visitors—folks who arrived a few weeks before you.

So, who needs a tour guide? Travelers who value cultural context, accuracy, and certified training. Today’s tour guide typically has a degree in a specialized field, ranging from culinary or visual arts and history to environmental science.

Beyond the Scenic

In Bruges, Belgium, tour guides Filip Bil and Annemieke Demuynck gave me insights into language, economic history, culinary traditions, and artistic innovation—all conveyed with humor and depth. They revealed a city that has vastly more to offer than pretty backdrops for selfies.

They also shared insights only locals know: What time a popular (read “overcrowded”) footbridge turns back into an oasis of contemplation. Why the history of Bruges’ canals and lace-making are far more dramatic than their charm suggests. How to pay less for mussels than the average visitor does—for mussels that aren’t merely average.

“As a person who actually lives there,” says Demuynck, “you have the opportunity to show what is really important and interesting. [Guides] can make it personal, showing you their favorite places that locals visit. Those are mostly far away from the tourist traps.”

By contrast, when we deprive ourselves of opportunities to learn from knowledgeable local guides, we’re left with the “glance-and-go” effect: We see places, but we don’t see into them.

“I Don’t Want to Seem Like a Tourist.”

One misconception about hiring tour guides is that it reduces one’s credibility as an “authentic” traveler. Tell that to travel experts like Rick Steves or National Geographic Explorers, who all depend on local guides.

Another reason travelers hesitate: Low expectations. They imagine trudging through towns en masse, herded by someone with a big flag. Or they’ve encountered a cynical operator: The bargain that wasn’t. The “cheesy” commentary. The “tour” designed to propel them toward the gift shop.

Julie Cason offers an important clarification. A former publisher and intrepid traveler, Cason has photographed all 50 states and many points abroad, from St. Petersburg to Sao Paolo and Samarkand to Salzburg.

“A personally hired guide,” says Cason, “is distinctly different than the guide one gets with [for example,] a commercial bus tour, where the guide gives canned commentary and makes bad jokes. On a trip of a lifetime—one that is not likely to be repeated—it’s invaluable to have a personal guide at least occasionally to show and tell about the most relevant aspects of what you’ve come to see.”

Life-Changing Experiences

In 2010, Cason, her wife, and three friends, including photographer Keven A. Seaver, traveled through southern Africa. The five women made a point of hiring local tour guides, rangers for safaris and cultural guides for other sites. They wanted to make the most of their time, stay safe, and gain insight into each country’s history and cultures.

“Everyone—books, people, websites—warned us away from touring Joberg,” recalls Cason. Have I mentioned that she is an avid scholar of history and a dedicated advocate for human rights? And that the sprawling Soweto township of Johannesburg was once home to human rights heroes President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu?

“We felt as if we needed a guide, since we thought it important to visit the capital city.”

There they met historian and tour guide Robin Binckes. As a Boer who had come of age during Apartheid, he quickly become committed to ending it. Binckes guided Cason’s group through the apartheid sites in Johannesburg.

“We not only got first-hand stories,” Cason recalls, “but also well-researched historical background as we visited the incredible Supreme Court building, the Apartheid Museum—still one of the best museums I’ve been to anywhere in the world—and the township of Soweto, including meeting children who attended Robin’s own preschool.”

“Experiencing a township with a local who knows, and is loved by, so many residents was something that we’d never have experienced on our own.” Eight years later, says Cason, “We still talk about the personal and moving stories he told us.”

“Shouldn’t We Wait Until the Kids Grow Up?”

No! Josephine was 7, her brother Adji was 10 when they, their mother, Honor Teoudoussia, and 21 other relatives traveled to the Okavango Delta of Botswana.

“Unlike most rivers, it doesn’t reach the sea,” says Teoudoussia. “It spills into the sands of the Kalahari Basin and creates an incredible mosaic of channels, islands, lagoons, and forests that are full of inter-related animal and plant life.”

As experts on this complex ecosystem, the guides were also attuned to the way children learn. Josephine and Adji’s favorite guide was Tumeletso Setlabosha, better known as Water. His mother had reportedly given birth to him in a lagoon.

For kids, the opportunities to explore a vast outdoor classroom proved riveting. Water shared spellbinding lessons, many from his childhood or about animals they saw. These were no Disney tales.

Like the story of two antelope who fought so fiercely their horns locked. One fell prey to a lion, while the “survivor” succumbed to the stress of dragging around the remains of a rival. If that isn’t the most memorable argument for working with, instead of against, one another, I don’t know what is.

Working with, and teaching about, the ecosystem has made Water one of the most respected guides in Botswana. Years later, Teoudoussia who is a National Geographic Learning executive, saw Water in a National Geographic documentary about efforts to save the delta. It did not surprise her to learn that he had managed logistics and navigation for the expedition.

Says Josephine, “Guides know a lot of stuff because they’ve been doing it a long time. You meet this new person, someone you will remember.” Adji agrees. “You get information you would [otherwise] never have known.”

“Isn’t Hiring a Personal Tour Guide Expensive?”

Yes and no. Some organizations make it possible to spend a few hours to all day with a licensed guide starting at $35-$100 per person. These guides may have other careers but are passionate about local culture.

Other organizations charge significantly more, as the scope and challenges ramp up, particularly when the local guide is an internationally recognized expert. But “expensive”? A better question might be: Which will contribute more to your travel experience, upgrading your hotel room, or gaining insights you’ll always remember?

Travel Tip: Costs vary, but certification and training are essential criteria.

“You Get to Meet Inspiring People”

When I ask Demuynck what is one of the best things about conducting tours, her response applies equally to guide and traveler: “You get a very interesting view of the world and different cultures. It broadens your view . . . and you get to meet very inspiring people. You only have a short time together, but sometimes you end up being friends at the end of the tour . . . and that is really great.”

Next time you travel, remember: Souvenirs end up at thrift stores. Fancy hotels wreak havoc on your credit. But the cultural context you gain by meeting local tour guides can change your whole life for the better.

Heartfelt thanks to our contributors: award-winning, internationally acclaimed photographer /author Keven A. Seaver; global citizen Julie Cason; the Teoudoussia family; Filip Bil and Annemieke Demuynck. In the interests of full disclosure, Cason and Teoudoussia are my former colleagues. Click the links to learn more.

$\"A$

In Athens, tour guide Constantin Kalafakakos decodes an array
of native herbs and their traditional uses.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s All About Cultural Context <\/strong><\/h2>\n
Who needs a tour guide? Today 48-59% of U.S., European, and Asian smartphone users research and plan their entire trip to a new destination using only a mobile device. \u201cI get all the travel tips I need online for free\u201d is standard operating procedure.<\/p>\n
Trouble is, the top research sites comprise brief impressions by first-time, short-term visitors\u2014folks who arrived a few weeks before you.<\/p>\n
So, who needs a tour guide? Travelers who value cultural context, accuracy, and certified training. Today\u2019s tour guide typically has a degree in a specialized field, ranging from culinary or visual arts and history to environmental science.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
You know where you’re going; a great local guide knows why it matters.
\u00a9 Keven A. Seaver<\/p><\/div>\n
Oh, I see:<\/strong> A private local tour guide can make the world of difference.<\/p>\n
Beyond the Scenic
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n
In Bruges<\/a>, Belgium, tour guides Filip Bil and Annemieke Demuynck gave me insights into language, economic history, culinary traditions, and artistic innovation\u2014all conveyed with humor and depth. They revealed a city that has vastly more to offer than pretty backdrops for selfies.<\/p>\n
They also shared insights only locals know: What time a popular (read \u201covercrowded\u201d) footbridge turns back into an oasis of contemplation. Why the history of Bruges’ canals and lace-making are far more dramatic than their charm suggests. How to pay less for mussels than the average visitor does\u2014for mussels that aren’t merely average.<\/p>\n
$\"Local$
At a neighborhood gem I\u2019d never have found on my own, local guides Filip Bil and
Annemieke Demuynck swap travel stories with my family.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cAs a person who actually lives there,\u201d says Demuynck, \u201cyou have the opportunity to show what is really important and interesting. [Guides] can make it personal, showing you their favorite places that locals visit. Those are mostly far away from the tourist traps.\u201d<\/p>\n
By contrast, when we deprive ourselves of opportunities to learn from knowledgeable local guides, we\u2019re left with the \u201cglance-and-go\u201d effect: We see places, but we don\u2019t see into<\/em> them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI Don\u2019t Want to Seem Like a Tourist.\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\nOne misconception about hiring tour guides is that it reduces one\u2019s credibility as an \u201cauthentic\u201d traveler. Tell that to travel experts like Rick Steves<\/a> or National Geographic Explorers, who all depend on local guides.<\/p>\n
Another reason travelers hesitate: Low expectations. They imagine trudging through towns en masse<\/em>, herded by someone with a big flag. Or they\u2019ve encountered a cynical operator: The bargain that wasn\u2019t. The \u201ccheesy\u201d commentary. The \u201ctour\u201d designed to propel them toward the gift shop.<\/p>\n
Julie Cason offers an important clarification. A former publisher and intrepid traveler, Cason has photographed all 50 states and many points abroad, from St. Petersburg to Sao Paolo and Samarkand to Salzburg.<\/p>\n
\u201cA personally hired guide,\u201d says Cason, \u201cis distinctly different than the guide one gets with [for example,] a commercial bus tour, where the guide gives canned commentary and makes bad jokes. On a trip of a lifetime\u2014one that is not likely to be repeated\u2014it\u2019s invaluable to have a personal guide at least occasionally to show and tell about the most relevant aspects of what you\u2019ve come to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
$\"A$
In a commemorative travel book, Cason paid tribute to the
important work of local guides.
\u00a9 Julie Cason<\/p><\/div>\n
Life-Changing Experiences<\/strong><\/h4>\n
In 2010, Cason, her wife, and three friends, including photographer Keven A. Seaver, traveled through southern Africa. The five women made a point of hiring local tour guides, rangers for safaris and cultural guides for other sites. They wanted to make the most of their time, stay safe, and gain insight into each country\u2019s history and cultures.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone\u2014books, people, websites\u2014warned us away from touring Joberg,\u201d recalls Cason. Have I mentioned that she is an avid scholar of history and a dedicated advocate for human rights? And that the sprawling Soweto township of Johannesburg was once home to human rights heroes President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu?<\/p>\n
\u201cWe felt as if we needed a guide, since we thought it important to visit the capital city.\u201d<\/p>\n
There they met historian and tour guide Robin Binckes<\/a>. As a Boer who had come of age during Apartheid, he quickly become committed to ending it. Binckes guided Cason\u2019s group through the apartheid sites in Johannesburg.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
“[Meeting] Binckes was the highlight of my trip,” says Keven Seaver, who
documented the Soweto and Alexandra townships in her book Streets of Hope.<\/em>
\u00a9 Keven A. Seaver<\/p><\/div>\n
“We not only got first-hand stories,” Cason recalls, “but also well-researched historical background as we visited the incredible Supreme Court building, the Apartheid Museum\u2014still one of the best museums I’ve been to anywhere in the world\u2014and the township of Soweto, including meeting children who attended Robin’s own preschool.”<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Like many local guides at Robben Island, Ntando Mbatha had
formerly been a prisoner there with Nelson Mandela.
\u00a9 Keven A. Seaver<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cExperiencing a township with a local who knows, and is loved by, so many residents was something that we\u2019d never have experienced on our own.\u201d Eight years later, says Cason, \u201cWe still talk about the personal and moving stories he told us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShouldn’t We Wait Until the Kids Grow Up?\u201d <\/strong><\/h4>\n
No! Josephine was 7, her brother Adji was 10 when they, their mother, Honor Teoudoussia, and 21 other relatives traveled to the Okavango Delta of Botswana.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike most rivers, it doesn\u2019t reach the sea,\u201d says Teoudoussia. \u201cIt spills into the sands of the Kalahari Basin and creates an incredible mosaic of channels, islands, lagoons, and forests that are full of inter-related animal and plant life.\u201d<\/p>\n
$\"Two$
Emma Ward and her cousin Adji Teoudoussia were fascinated by the
the world\u2019s largest inland delta.
\u00a9 Honor Teoudoussia<\/p><\/div>\n
As experts on this complex ecosystem, the guides were also attuned to the way children learn. Josephine and Adji\u2019s favorite guide was Tumeletso Setlabosha<\/a>, better known as Water. His mother had reportedly given birth to him in a lagoon.<\/p>\n
For kids, the opportunities to explore a vast outdoor classroom proved riveting. Water shared spellbinding lessons, many from his childhood or about animals they saw. These were no Disney tales.<\/p>\n
Like the story of two antelope who fought so fiercely their horns locked. One fell prey to a lion, while the \u201csurvivor\u201d succumbed to the stress of dragging around the remains of a rival. If that isn\u2019t the most memorable argument for working with, instead of against, one another, I don\u2019t know what is.<\/p>\n
$\"Animals$
“The delta is complex and intricate,” says Teoudoussia. “Every animal, insect, grass blade,
and dust swirl has its own story, and the Botswana bush camp guides know them all.”
\u00a9 Honor Teoudoussia<\/p><\/div>\n
Working with, and teaching about, the ecosystem has made Water one of the most respected guides in Botswana. Years later, Teoudoussia who is a National Geographic Learning executive, saw Water in a National Geographic documentary about efforts to save the delta. It did not surprise her to learn that he had managed logistics and navigation for the expedition.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Josephine (back left), Adji (right), and cousins loved attending “safari school”
with Tumeletso “Water” Setlabosha (center).
\u00a9 Honor Teoudoussia<\/p><\/div>\n
Says Josephine, \u201cGuides know a lot of stuff because they\u2019ve been doing it a long time. You meet this new person, someone you will remember.\u201d Adji agrees. \u201cYou get information you would [otherwise] never have known.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIsn\u2019t Hiring a Personal Tour Guide Expensive?\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Yes and no. Some organizations make it possible to spend a few hours to all day with a licensed guide starting at $35-$100 per person. These guides may have other careers but are passionate about local culture.<\/p>\n
Other organizations charge significantly more, as the scope and challenges ramp up, particularly when the local guide is an internationally recognized expert. But \u201cexpensive\u201d? A better question might be: Which will contribute more to your travel experience, upgrading your hotel room, or gaining insights you\u2019ll always remember?<\/p>\n
Travel Tip<\/strong>: Costs vary, but certification and training are essential criteria.<\/p>\n
$\"Local$
“At home with Annemieke and Filip.” With local guides, you\u2019re not among strangers,
but neighbors and new friends.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cYou Get to Meet Inspiring People\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n
When I ask Demuynck what is one of the best things about conducting tours, her response applies equally to guide and traveler: \u201cYou get a very interesting view of the world and different cultures. It broadens your view . . . and you get to meet very inspiring people. You only have a short time together, but sometimes you end up being friends at the end of the tour . . . and that is really great.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next time you travel, remember: Souvenirs end up at thrift stores. Fancy hotels wreak havoc on your credit. But the cultural context you gain by meeting local tour guides can change your whole life for the better.<\/p>\n
Heartfelt thanks to our contributors: award-winning, internationally acclaimed photographer<\/a> \/author<\/a> Keven A. Seaver<\/a>; global citizen Julie Cason<\/a>; the Teoudoussia<\/a> family; Filip Bil<\/a> and Annemieke<\/a> Demuynck.<\/a> In the interests of full disclosure, Cason and Teoudoussia are my former colleagues. Click the links to learn more. <\/em><\/p>\n
Comment<\/a> on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":32412,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[190,162,227],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-travel","category-encounters-culture","category-worldwide-mappoints"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32416","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32416"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32416\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32803,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32416\/revisions\/32803"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32412"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32416"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

It’s All About Cultural Context

Beyond the Scenic

“I Don’t Want to Seem Like a Tourist.”

Life-Changing Experiences

“Shouldn’t We Wait Until the Kids Grow Up?”

“Isn’t Hiring a Personal Tour Guide Expensive?”

“You Get to Meet Inspiring People”