A Study of Problems in Tour Arrangement and the Need to Develop the Tour Guides’ Skills for Supporting the Disabled Tourists

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to study the problems of tour guides in managing trips for disabled tourists and 2) to study the needs of tour guides in developing skills to support the disabled tourists. The methodology used in this qualitative research was phenomenology. The data was collected by using the in-depth interview with 28 tour guides. The verbatim report and the content analysis were employed for analyzing and concluding the data. The study results were presented in a descriptive method.

The research found that the problems in managing trips for the disabled tourists were 1) the lacking of knowledge and skills in communication and taking care of each type of the disabled tourists 2) the lacking of tools or equipment to assist tour guides during the trips and 3) the number of tour guides is not enough to take care of the disabled tourists. For the needs of tour guides to develop the skills to support the disabled tourists can be divided into 1) skill of assisting and providing services for the disabled tourists correctly 2) skill of communication 3) skill of using foreign languages and 4) skill of recreation. In order to increase the opportunity in traveling of the disabled tourists and create a good image of Thai tourism industry, the related organizations with the training courses should publicize in advance and include the content of moral and ethics to avoid the problem of inequality.