The following VTOS Onsite Tour Guiding Standards have been prepared to provide qualifications for on-site tour guides working at local destinations, World Heritage Sites or other important cultural or religious heritage sites in Vietnam. Onsite tour guides are an essential part of sustainable tourism development as they play an important role in educating the visitors about the authentic values of sites and codes of responsible conduct.
The main responsibility of an on-site tour guide is to communicate cultural, environmental or heritage values to the audience through interpretive activities. In order to do this effectively, a guide needs to know the site well. In addition to its history, knowledge about the site should include why the site is important and how it is being protected.
As interpreter and educator, on-site tour guides act as the direct link between tourism sites and the visitor. As such, they play a very important role in the protection of local heritage and culture. Through interpreting local sites, on-site tour guides can create awareness about the value of traditions, local sites and cultural heritage. They also can educate visitors and communities about how to take care of the environment and how to respect each other’s values. By sharing tourism benefits with local communities, on-site tour guides help foster local support for the protection of the environment and of important tourism sites.
To perform the above-mentioned tasks well, the on-site tour guide needs to acquire some special skills – on top and above basic tour guiding techniques. They need to be able to:
- Venture beyond basic tour guiding to disseminate knowledge of the cultural significance of local tourism sites and be aware of the ways to protect these
- Transform this knowledge into interesting and informative accounts and interpretations
- Facilitate the highest level of visitor and experience and satisfaction at these sites
- Contribute to the sustainable development of tourism and maximising tourism benefits to community and visitors (UNESCO)
Onsite Tour Guiding Qualifications
| Cert No | Occupational Qualifications (aimed at industry) | Level |
| COTG2 | Certificate in On-site Tour Guiding | 2 |
| COTG3 | Certificate in On-site Guiding | 3 |