the contribution of tour guides to destination understanding and image. the case of haiti via an...
DESCRIPTION
‘Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti’ (Thomson, 2004) is considered by many writers and literary critics as the best travel writing about Haiti as it makes the readers want to go there, make them feel they had actually been there and most importantly give them a better understanding of the place, notably due to the fact Ian Thomson takes the readers into areas of Haiti that no other modern writer has bothered to explore. Under many different aspects Ian Thomson can be considered as a ‘virtual’ tour guide. When he went to Haiti in 1990, Ian Thomson hired professional tour guides. All the information included in his travel writing (history of Haiti, history of particular areas of the country, information about particular people, etc) are derived from explanation provided by professional tour guides and also by the locals who are in some extent ‘tour guides’. In a country like Haiti with such a rich and complicated history, having a tour guide is a ‘must’ in order to be able to decipher the codes required to understand the true nature of the destination, its people and interpretations of heritage.TRANSCRIPT
THE CONTRIBUTION OF TOUR GUIDES TO DESTINATION UNDERSTANDING AND IMAGE. THE CASE OF HAITI VIA AN ANALYSIS OF: ‘BONJOUR BLANC, A JOURNEY THROUGH HAITI’
Dr Hugues SERAPHIN
The University of Winchester
CREDDI-LEAD EA 2438 (Université des Antilles Guyane)
International Research Forum on Guided Tours , 2013 (4,5,6 April) Breda University of Applied Science (NHTV)
IAN THOMSON / LOCALS / TRAVEL WRITING / READERS
Ian Thomson
Readers
KEY QUESTIONS
What does it mean to be a tour guide in Haiti?
Who are the actual tour guides in Haiti?
MAJOR FUNCTIONS OF A TOUR GUIDE
(Cohen, 1985)
Originals / Pathfinders
Animators
Tour leaders
Professionals
CHALLENGE FACED BY ‘PROFESSIONAL’ TOUR GUIDES IN HAITI
adaptation of Prakash et al (2011)
People do not trust tour guides
Limited knowledge
Poor payment for the job
Can do little to ensure security of tourists
Non registered guides
Inability to meet expectations of tourists
No decent entertainment in the country
Local do not always treat tourists properly
Poor connectivity with other areas with tourism potential
THE BODYGUARD FUNCTION OF THE TOUR GUIDE IN HAITI
Haiti is an unsecure destination (Higate & Henry, 2009)
Haiti is a place where the worse is always likely to happen (Bonnet, 2010)
Quotes from ‘Bonjour Blanc, a journey through Haiti’:
‘You should never – never – be walking around Port-au-Prince like that on your own. It’s dangerous. There’s a siege, you understand’
‘You need a guide’ wheedled Michael. ‘For protection, understand?’
‘The inhabitants of this village were considered hostile and suspicious'.
‘We began to walk, Michael and I, along the Carrefour road, a red light district which at night apparently teems with thieves and ghouls’
THE BODYGUARD FUNCTION OF THE TOUR GUIDE IN HAITI
Function of the tour guide in Haiti:
F1 – Originals/Pathfinders (Bodyguard)
F2 – Tour Leaders
F3 – Professionals
F4 - Animators
THE BODYGUARD FUNCTION OF THE TOUR GUIDE IN HAITI
FUNCTIONS OF TOUR GUIDES IN INSTABLE DESTINATIONS (Like Haiti)
2 Original/Pathfinder = Body-guard Tour Leaders
1 Original/Pathfinder = Bodyguard
3 Original/Pathfinder Tour Leaders Professionals
4 Original/Pathfinder Tour Leaders Professionals Animators
1= Dictatorship / civil war / etc TO 4= Stability / democracy)
THE LOCALS IN HAITI: THE TOUR GUIDES
Role of the tour guide rather limited in ‘Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti’:
Chapter 3: Paris of the gutter
Chapter 5: The white black men of Europe
THE LOCALS IN HAITI: THE TOUR GUIDES
Negative description of the tour guides in ‘Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti’Witch
The man was terribly tall and thin, with sharp cheekbones and an aquiline curve to the nose
Ignorant
‘I’m English, not American’‘So you live in New York?’
Vulture
‘I’m not a bad guy. I’m just hungry. So, you won’t mind if I have some of that chicken, no?’
THE LOCALS IN HAITI: THE TOUR GUIDES
The locals are playing a major role in the tourists experienceTransferring detailed information and interpreting attractions, and sites
Facilitating interaction between tourists and the environment
Interacting and socialising with touristsThe functions of the tour guide described by Cohen
(1985) and by Ap and Wrong (2001), are functions that are not only endorsed by the professional tour guide but also function that locals are also endorsing in Haiti, meaning the professional tour guides are not the only one capable of enhancing the experience of the tourists
TALK THE TALK, WALK THE WALK
Tour guides contribute to the image of the destination (Dahles, 2002)
Locals have a major role to play, e.g.:•Conde Marimon (Owner of Auberge Bolivar)•Madame Lexima (Vodoo ‘Ougan’)•Madame Thoby (Owner of Hotel Sambo)•Etc. In Haiti, tour guide can be a ‘real’ profession, only and only if
changes are made in all sectors of the tourism industry. Too many factors (internal and external) are stopping the development and evolution of the profession
CONCLUSION
The tour guiding sector of a destination (in our case, Haiti) can be a reflexion, even an allegory of the tourism industry of the destination.
‘BONJOUR BLANC, A JOURNEY THROUGH HAITI’
‘Haiti is a country of incredible intensity and extremes – One of the most astonishing places on earth’(Thomson, 2004: 364)
PHOTOS: Bruno MARIANI
QUESTION / ANSWER
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
DO YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS?