Impacts of COVID-19 on local tour guides

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 health crisis has severely affected the tourism industry worldwide. Some subsectors of the industry have suffered much more than others, particularly the tour guiding profession, which has been damaged considerably. The primary role of the tour guide, which is to interact with visitors’ face-to-face, has changed significantly. The purpose of this article is to outline how COVID-19 has affected local tour guides and the guiding profession; and assess the future outlook for the profession. Qualitative data were analyzed using an inductive approach involving 10 in-depth interviews with local tour guides and several virtual guided tours. Results reveal that the current situation in local guiding has highlighted issues such as the fragility of the profession, the lack of legal protection, and guides’ vulnerability when faced with the threat of unfair competition from free tours. The study also highlights the passivity of many professionals, whereas other, more resilient tour guides have reactivated their profession in new ways. The findings contribute to knowledge on how the pandemic has impacted the tour guiding profession, and sheds light on how local tour guides can cope with the future.