Tour Guides and Destination Image: Evidence From Portugal

Abstract

Tourist guides as front-line professionals, information-givers, and interpreters act as destination representatives and “ambassadors” in the eyes of tourists (Rabotić, 2010). This paper, using an empirical analysis of coach tour foreign tourists travelling in Portugal, intends to determine how tourist destination image (TDI) is modified and enhanced through the influence of tourist guide performance and tourist satisfaction with the guided tour. A survey questionnaire of first-time package tour travellers to Portugal revealed a positive change in attitude to image components such as monuments/museums, tourist information, landscape, and gastronomy and wines, confirming that the tourist guide’s attributes in communication skills and scholar knowledge (history, art, and popular culture) together with highly rated tourist satisfaction with the guided tour concerning the professional competence of a bus driver were critical in enhancing Portugal destination image. Marketing implications for senior coach tour in Portugal are drawn.