Tourist guides should serve as cultural ambassadors, says Vice-Chancellor

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Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University D.V. Paramashivamurthy addressing participants during the inauguration of a month-long foreign language training workshop for tourist guides in Hampi on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Tourist guides must function as cultural ambassadors while interacting with domestic and international visitors and should possess a sound understanding of history based on authentic archaeological and research sources, Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi, D.V. Paramashivamurthy said on Tuesday.

He was speaking after inaugurating a month-long foreign language training workshop for tourist guides organised by Kannada University in collaboration with the Karnataka Tourism Department under the SCSP/TSP scheme in Hampi.

The workshop was inaugurated at Bhuvana Vijaya Hall on the university campus.

Describing tourist guides as educators in their own right, Prof. Paramashivamurthy said that guides play a role comparable to that of teachers by disseminating knowledge about history, culture and heritage to visitors. He stressed that knowledge alone is insufficient and that effective communication skills are equally important for becoming a successful guide.

“Tourist guides have the responsibility of conveying maximum information in a limited time. Historical monuments and sculptures must be explained accurately on the basis of documented and authenticated sources without distorting history,” he said.

Highlighting Hampi’s global significance, he noted that the UNESCO World Heritage site has attracted extensive research from scholars across the world. Training guides in foreign languages at such an important historical destination will help them communicate more effectively with overseas visitors, he added.

Vijayanagara Deputy Commissioner and Chairperson of the District Tourism Development Committee Kavitha S. Mannikeri, who inaugurated the programme, said that the workshop will equip guides with valuable language skills and enhance their abi