Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Motorcoach
Motorcoaches intended for tour use should have large windows, air-conditioning, comfortable seats,
and restroom facilities. Springs or other suspension systems in the coaches should be designed so that
the joggling of passengers is kept to a minimum or eliminated. Multilingual guide service or
multilingual tape recording facilities with earphones for each passenger are useful in communities
or on tours where an interpretation of the points of interest is desirable.
Personnel assigned to buses should be selected for suitable temperament, courtesy, and spirit of
hospitality. For example, if a bus is staffed by a driver and an interpreter, the interpreter can assist
passengers on and off the bus as well as inform them of local environment, particularly attractions of
interest. Interpreters or guides should be trained and educated for this duty. Too often, the interpretation
of points of interest is super
cial (and inaccurate). A program of certi
cation for guides should be
conducted by a special school or provided in the curriculum of an institution of higher learning. In such a
program, competent instructors should educate potential guides in the history, archaeology, ethnology,
culture, and economic system of the area in which the tour is being conducted. Competency in the
various languages commonly encountered with tourists is also an essential quali
cation.
Ship and Boat
Water travel is a major part of tourism and contributes considerably to the development of travel on
land and by air. Forms of water travel include ocean cruise ships, river cruises, passenger travel on
freighters, ferryboats, river sternwheeler, chartered boats and yachts, houseboats, and smaller family
boats and canoes.
Cruise ships and other large vessels need convenient piers and good land-air transportation con-
nections for their passengers. Smaller boats need docks and loading-unloading ramps for easy acces-
sibility to water. Charter boat operators must have reliable weather forecasting and ready availability of
needed supplies and repair services. Where rental canoes are popular, delivery and pickup services are
often necessary, as are campgrounds in wilderness areas where canoeists can stay overnight. Persons
owning their own boats appreciate good public-access points for launching.
Rail
Travelers worldwide often prefer rail travel, particularly because of its safety record and the
convenience and comfort of viewing the scenery from an air-conditioned car. Also, the frequent
schedules of trains in many countries appeal to travelers. The recent advent of high-speed trains
further enhances their appeal. Some trains have stewards or hosts, which travelers seem to appreciate.
Adequate taxi, limousine, or bus service from the railroad station to hotels and downtown points is
essential. Such transportation service must be frequent enough to get the traveler to the destination
promptly. Conversely, the traveler should be able to get to the railroad station in ample time to make
connections with the train.
Taxis
Adequate taxi and limousine services are essential in a tourist area. Ideally, taxis should have
removable and washable seat covers so the car always presents a clean appearance to the passenger.
Also, to make the best impression, the taxi driver should dismount from the driver's seat and open the
door for the passenger. He or she also should assist in stowing the luggage in the trunk or elsewhere in
the cab and be courteous at all times.
Taxi drivers who are multilingual are highly desirable and, in fact, essential if tourism is to be an
important element of the economy of the location. Training taxi drivers in foreign languages should be
no more dif
cult than training tourist guides or front-desk clerks. Where taxi drivers have no foreign
language ability, hotels may provide written directions for the tourist to give to the driver concerning
the destination and the return to the hotel at the end of the excursion.
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