I nt e r p r e t i v e
Gu i d e
for Sus t a i na b l e
To u r i s m
Tips for being a good tour guideInterpretation

What is Sustainable Tourism?
Sustainable tourism should:
1. Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element intourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping toconserve natural heritage and biodiversity.
2. Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their builtand living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural
understanding and tolerance.
3. Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment andincome-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.
(UNWTO)

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Interpretation

What is Interpretation?
Interpretation is a way of communicating that helps people understand and appreciate the resources at tourist sites and villages. Interpretation includes facts, but it also
reveals why those facts are important so that individual guests understand why theresources should matter to them.

Interpreters (guides) playa major role in promoting
sustainable tourism.

Tangible facts

Intangible values
3Interpretation

Why is Interpretation Important?

4

Brings benefits

Provides organization

Good interpretation inspires guests tofurther think or act in relation to thepeople, stories, and unique natural andculture areas they experience.

Organization makes guests more comfortable, orients them, and gives themreasons to participate. Any informationor communication that helps people
understand what is going to happen iscalled an advance organizer.

Engages peopleRelated to individuals

People invest in interpretive experiences with both money and time.
The experiences must be worth theperceived value and time committed
by the guests.

Guests with no knowledge about yourculture may need a description with morecomprehensible terms. By talking about“universal concepts”, such as family, food,or homes, guests can better relate to yourculture since these are common subjects
in many cultures.

Interpretation

Why a Theme is Important?
Convey a theme
A theme is a message. It is what you want your guests to understand and remember
the most about your community or a specific place or resource.

Bagan (World Heritage Site, Myanmar)

I remember...
Very important!

People remember themes
but forget facts.

- Sam Ham -5

Making an interpretive tour Case study:

Mt. Fuji, Japan

Step 1

Select the best topic for the site
Topic 1:

Mt. Fuji
Water
Topic 5:Food
Topic option 3:

Sake

Topic 2:

Topic 4:

Sake

Fish

Topic 3:

SchoolSelected topic

Mt. Fuji Water

6 En-Ya Mt. Fuji Ecotours (mtfujiecotours.com)

Making an interpretive tour Case study:

Mt. Fuji, JapanStep 2

Make a strong main theme basedon the selected topic

Themes are usually stated as simple sentences.
Keeping the theme in the form of a simple statement keeps you
focused on what you would like to express about the subject.

Example of bad themes:

Mt. Fuji is important!

(Bad theme. It doesn’t answer “Why is it important?”)

The height of Mt. Fuji is 3,776 metres.

(Bad theme. So what? It is only information.)

Biodiversity of Mt. Fuji.

(Bad theme. Needs to be explained in asentence.)

Good theme:

Mt. Fuji provides life for our community.

(Good theme. Answers the reason why, explained in a sentence.)

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Making an interpretive tour Case study:

Mt. Fuji, Japan

Step 3Make sub-themes, activities, andstories to support the main theme

Sub-theme 1: The Shiraito falls are a blessing from the sacred Mt. Fuji.
Activity: Tour of Shiraito Falls
Story: A local guide interprets the geology, history, and culture of thewaterfalls.

Sub-theme 2: Mt. Fuji nurtures the unique culture of our community.
Activity: Village cycling
Story: Ride to local villages through natural rural landscapes and rice fields along thewaterways, with Mt. Fuji in the background and interpretation by a local guide on theway.

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Making an interpretive tour Case study:

Mt. Fuji, Japan

Sub-theme 3: Good water makes good food.
Activity: Traditional noodle making
Story: A local elder cooking group teaches guests how to make traditional noodles
with Japanese tempura made with locally grown vegetables.

Sub-theme 4: The preservation of culture and nature by the community is a key tosustainability.
Activity: Tree-planting site tour
Story: A Buddhist monk who maintains the forest with local students teaches theimportance of sustainable management by locals to prevent landslides and wildlife
conflicts.

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Making an interpretive tour Samples of themes
Stated as simple sentences

Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park
(World Heritage Site, Philippines)

Theme:The park represents a significant habitat forbiodiversity conservation.

Sea turtles

Theme:

Sea turtles need our help to ensure their future.

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Making an interpretive tour Samples of themes
Stated as simple sentences

Luang Prabang (World Heritage Site, Lao PDR)

Theme:

Luang Prabang is not only an ancient town, but its traditional
cultures are still alive and present in today’s communities.

Halong Bay (World Heritage Site, Viet Nam)

Theme:

Halong Bay inspires people of many cultures to explore
their connections to the dynamic landscape.

11Interpretive techniques

Make Connections
When guests visit tourist sites or communities, they wish to form a lasting connection with the people and places they came to see.

1. Develop programmes, demonstrations, and activities that are authentic
to the communities and local culture.
2. Wear local authentic clothes
and accessories, such as dress,bags, etc., during tours to introduce and encourage guests
to purchase local products assouvenirs.

3. Support the theme withlocal food that is unique tothe area and prepared bylocal people.

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4. Encourage local
people to become
guides and hosts sothat the economic
benefits go directly to communitymembers. (Supporttranslation if necessary.)

Interpretive techniques

5. Develop programmes
for guests to join traditional
festivals.

6. Invite questions andencourage conversations.

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Interpretive techniques

Know Your Visitors
Different guests look for different experiences. It is important to know their expectations before starting the tour.
1. Explorers: actively seek additional experiences (Go on a hike or extended tour
after seeing the visitor centre).
2. Experience seekers: are motivated by a desire to visit a place because it’s a wellknown or even “must-see” destination. They are often tourists.
3. Facilitators: like to help others will have the best experience by sharing theirknowledge (parents, teachers).
4. Spiritual rechargers: want or have a close and personal connection to thesubject matter. They can be satisfied by simply absorbing the experience without
gaining additional knowledge.
5. Professionals or hobbyists: have a specific and deep interest in subject mattersthat are related to their jobs or hobbies.

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Interpretive techniquesExperiences in Different Ways
People learn and enjoy experiences in different ways. A good tour will use manydifferent learning styles so that everyone in the group has the chance to enjoy theexperience and connect with the resources.
1. Listen: Guests become disengaged if they only listen to you talking!
2. Do: Audience participation will keep guests fully engaged, but it is important tohave good explanations.
3. Use support tools: Showing maps, pictures, and signs, passing out handouts,
and visiting visitor centres can help guests understand better.

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Interpretive techniques

Engage All the Senses
See: Give your guests enoughtime to enjoy beautiful sites!
Setting up chairs and serving
traditional drinks at a viewing
spot is a great idea.

Touch: Touch flowers, statures, crafts, animals, etc. Touching unique tree stems thathave thorns to protect itself from animals is
an example of an interesting experience.

Smell: Smell flowers, woods,
local medical plants, foods,etc.
Taste: It’s always good to
try unique local foods.
Listen: Listen to the soundof nature or traditional music
and songs. Let your guests
listen to the birdsong in theforest!

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Interpretive techniques

Ask Questions
Asking questions is one of the most effective ways to influence your guests to think
about the varied aspects of protecting natural and cultural resources. Always respondto the answers with respect and enthusiasm.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Where are you from?
What do you like about this place?
Do you notice any differences between your house and my house?
What is the highest mountain in your country and how tall is it?
What do you think will happen to this area if…?

Share Personal Stories
Share personal stories about your village, family, friends, and country. Guests
want to understand your unique culture and lifestyle. Your stories can give themlasting memories of you and your community.
Example:“You may not find anything special in this grassland, but this place is very
important to me. My grandmother used to come here to collect plants tomake medicine when I was sick. This place is a natural pharmacy to us andwe must protect it!!”Lang Biang Biosphere Reserve grassland, Viet Nam17

Interpretive techniques

Never Stop Learning
Guests expect tour guides and the local hosts to be experts on subjects in the area.
Talk to local elders and researchers and read articles to expand your knowledge.

Be Honest
If you cannot answer a question, it is okay to say “I don’t know”. Try to find the answer and follow up with the guest later by e-mail or by using other information tools.

18Interpretive techniques

Be on Time
Guests have limited time in their schedule and may be concerned about the waitingtime or the length of an activity. Arrive at the meeting site 15 minutes before thetour starts.

Make Eye Contact and Be Friendly
Making eye contact with all
guests is important to showrespect and sincerity. Use theirnames in a friendly manner.
Take off your sunglasses when
speaking to your guests.

19Interpretive techniques

Comfortable People
Pay Attention
Make sure that guests have access to food,water, shelter, and toilet facilities. Inform inadvance how long each activity will take or
how difficult it will be. Maps can aid guests’
understanding.

Be in the Best Position
When gathering guests to speak, bring them tothe shade when possible and avoid having
them face into the sun. Avoid standing
in front of important objects so thateveryone can have a clear view.

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Interpretive techniques

Walk at a
Reasonable Speed
Pay attention to how fast guests walk.
Some guests may have physical limitations or need to go slowly. If you go far
away from them, they will lose interest
in your stories or have a greater risk ofaccident.

Use Sub-guides EffectivelyUsually, a sub-guide stays at the end of atour group and assists the main guide forsafety and group management. If a guest
asks a question to the sub-guide, ensurethat the main guide answers it and shares
the answer with the other guests for better management.

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Convey your messages
to your guests with theseinterpretive techniques.

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C R E DI T S
About AJC:
The ASEAN-Japan Centre (ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investmentand Tourism) is an intergovernmental organization established by the ASEAN
Member States and Japan in 1981. It has been promoting exports from ASEAN
to Japan while revitalizing investment, tourism as well as people-to-people
exchanges between the ASEAN Member States and Japan.
www.asean.or.jp/en/
Ecologic:
Ecologic was established in January 2008, right beneath the iconic Mt. Fuji. The
founder of Ecologic, Masanori Shintani, works as an international ecotourism
consultant and an interpretive trainer in over 12 countries, and has over 25 yearsof ecotourism development experience around the world. We also own En-Ya Mt.
Fuji Ecotours in Fujinomiya city providing ecotours and glamping as models ofinterpretive ecotours, working together with community.
www.mtfujiecotours.com/
Illustrations by Dao Van Hoang
Although his background was in advertising, Hoang is now working as a fulltime wildlife artist. Combining the communication mindset and artistic skillof a Creative Director, he has completed numerous illustrations, commissioned
murals and concept designs for interpretation centres, national parks and public
spaces all over Viet Nam and in the region for the purpose of educating children
and communities about nature and environment protection.
See more of his works at www.daovanhoang.com

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Ms. Lisa Brochu and Mr. Tim Merriman
for sharing their knowledges and experience of interpretation.
Copyright © 2020 ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism and Ecologic.
All Rights Reserved.
Questions about this guidebook or request for copies should be directed to:
ASEAN-Japan Centre (ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism)
1F Shin-Onarimon Bldg. 19-17-6 Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004
Phone: +81-(3) 5402-8008
Email: info_to@asean.or.jp

23Checklists to be a goodinterpreter:
Be Responsible
Convey a Theme
Make Connections
Know Your Visitors
Engage All the Senses
Ask Questions
Share Personal Stories
Be Honest
Be on Time
Make Eye Contact and Be Friendly
Make Guests Comfortable and Pay Attention
Walk at a Reasonable Speed
Use Sub-guides Effectively