We were honored to take part in Ehime Prefecture’s Guide Training Program for two consecutive years! The program was meant for those residing in and near Ehime Prefecture who are or interested in becoming guides for inbound tourists, and for this year, it was not only about lectures and on site training but had the opportunity to communicate with local companies and organizations that support the tourism industry.
The growing importance of inbound guides
In response to current inbound needs, Ehime Prefecture is hosting this program with the aim of training English guides who can assist foreign tourists who visit and travel within the prefecture, and for the second consecutive year since 2023, our company has been in charge of everything from recruitment to implementation. The program was targeted at people who live in Ehime Prefecture and the surrounding areas and have a certain level of English proficiency, and who are interested or aspire to be inbound guides, not limited to those who are licensed guide-interpreters.
〇Online lectures
For 2024, five instructors introduced participants to the basics of inbound guiding and local information that will be useful when working as a guide in Ehime Prefecture. In particular, we were able to create a valuable opportunity to hear the story of the preservation and repair work at Dogo Onsen from the leader who was involved in the reconstruction, which is not something that we usually have a chance to hear. When showing around foreign guests, storytelling is important when it comes to introducing places and sites because it adds value to the place and depth in knowledge which leads to customer satisfaction, and I feel that these valuable stories are something that can be used in future guiding.
〇A balance of input and output for the on-site trainings
In this project, a limited number of participants were allocated to the on-site trainings, and was conducted in which participants actually traveled around tourist spots in the prefecture to see and learn about the areas. This year we went to Matsuyama and Imabari, and accompanied by a profressional from a local travel agency as a lecturer, he introduced each spot while also doing a preliminary inspection. In addition, mock guiding in English was conducted in small groups. While learning from the guiding of other participants, it was a practical opportunity to think about how to become a better guide.
〇Information exchange session with local tourism related organizations
At the end of the program, an information exchange session was held between the trainees and tourism business operators involved in Ehime Prefecture’s tourism industry. It was an opportunity to learn how tourism business operators are working hard to invigorate the region, and it also provided an opportunity for the trainees to work as guides after the program. Both parties expressed a desire to have more opportunities like this in the future.
<Comments from the participants>
“I’m planning to start guiding as a side job this season. I was worried about my guiding skills, so I participated in the training. It was very helpful and it helped me make clear what I need to do.”
“I realized that it is essential to acquire sufficient knowledge and conduct thorough preliminary research beforehand. I realized that I want to gain experience and become able to guide with ease.”
“I was inspired by the depth of the instructor’s knowledge and realized that I still have a lot to learn. I realized that I can’t speak without knowledge. And as the instructor said, I want to try to create stories based on that knowledge.”
This year, we received many more applications than in the previous year, indicating that there is a high need in the area to improve guiding skills. Because this is a training program that emphasizes output, it was necessary to set a limit on the number of participants, but we will continue to work hard to provide more people with the opportunity to become active as inbound guides.