Original scientific paper
Tour guiding at the Great Zimbabwe National Monument
Haretsebe Manwa
orcid.org/0000-0002-6671-5071
; School of Tourism Management North West University, Mafi keng Campus, Mmabatho, South Africa
Abstract
The study aim was to establish the role of tour guides in tourist experiences at the Great Zimbabwe National Monument. A netnographic analysis was conducted of the written reviews of visitors to Great Zimbabwe National Monument posted on TripAdvisor.com website between January 2015 and December 2016. Of 140 reviews generated, 30 were deemed relevant for the study and analysed in detail using Cohen's and Hu and Wall's frameworks on the roles of tour guides. The results showed that tour guides performed the traditional guiding roles espoused by Cohen. The predominant roles of tour guides were leadership and mediation, where they directed tourists to different sections of the monument. On-site interpretation involved giving factual information on the history of the site and did not promote sustainability in the interpretation of the site. Guests did not interact with local communities nor were local communities' values and association with the site included in the interpretation of the site. Tour guides did not encourage tourists to behave sustainably by practising ecologically sustainable behaviour towards the site. Recruitment of tour guides from local communities is recommended. In addition, new guide training should be introduced in Zimbabwe that equips guides with skills as ecotour guides who could promote the sustainability of heritage sites.
Keywords
netnography; interpretation; heritage tourism; tourist experiences; tour guides; Great Zimbabwe National Monument; Zimbabwe
Hrčak ID:
202747
URI
Publication date:
29.6.2018.
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