Knowledge-Oriented Leadership for Tourist Guidance Professions: A Conceptual Analysis Based on Specialization

Introduction

One of the most fundamental aspects of tourism services that involves a high level of engagement in terms of knowledge exchange is the profession of tourist guidance, which necessitates a multidisciplinary approach. Because of its power to influence followers, the tourist guide profession shares characteristics with leadership. Both leaders and tourist guides inspire their followers with qualities like charisma, transcendental spirituality, trust, humility, visionary behaviors, idealized influence, individualized consideration, and other qualities. Furthermore, the origin of leadership is very closely related to tourist guidance. Because, the term “leadership” is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word leadare which means “to take people on a journey” (Kets de Vries, 1995). Although the concept of leadership is typically addressed in the context of business organizations or work teams, leadership characteristics can be readily recognized in any social group that has a shared objective that needs to be accomplished together. Almost every tourist group needs a leader in order to ensure that the trip is memorable and enjoyable. The reason for this is that a leader has the power to captivate an audience with his or her charm, behaviors, and oddly convincing justifications. A tourist guide today occupies a major function due to his or her skills in tour administration, group inspiration, and knowledge transfer. Therefore, virtually all tourist guides work fervently to persuade their followers that they are ambassadors of the destination. Nonetheless, a participant (tourist) in a group prefers to listen to engaging presentations that contain fresh, original, practical, and topical information. In other words, they require well-versed guides, namely called knowledge leaders.