Labour market research

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1 y y p NL/05/B/F/PP/ Labour market research Your professional experience in the tourism sector 10% 10% 19% 38% 23% Under 1 year 1-5 years 6-10 years Over 10 years none Kek Kronos, Maria Alizoti Veliko Tarnovo University, prof. Georgi Todorov November 2006 City Guides labour market research report 1/17

2 Report on results Questionnaires on City Guides/Tourist guides THE RESEARCH Research was carried out during the second quarter of 2006 using one questionnaire, which was drawn up for application to Tourist organizations and associations, Tour operators, Organizations and people dealing with Tourist Guides/City Guides vocational training, Tourist Guides/City guides etc. The questionnaire was the result of common decision between the partners of this project after several discussions and modifications in order to achieve the desire results. The aim of this research was to gather information on the dimension of the labour market, conditions, and organizations involved in this kind of business, vocational training, contracts and secondary labour conditions (insurance, pension, training, workplace, etc.). Every partner took part in the research trying to collect as much as possible answers. KEK KRONOS carried out the statistical analysis of the completed questionnaires. Below are listed some of the main conclusions resulting from this analysis. THE ANALYSIS The questionnaire included general questions such as the kind of organization, the position, age and professional experience of the person who answered the questionnaire and specific questions. General questions They were collected 62 questionnaires by several organizations such as Tourist organizations and/or associations, Tour Operators, Company Organizations and people dealing with Tourist Guides/City guides vocational training, etc. The chart below shows the questionnaires received by country. Questionnaires received by country UK Cyprus Bulagria Greece Netherlands Belgium France UK Cyprus Bulagria Greece Netherlands Belgium France City Guides labour market research report 2/17

3 The age of the questioned group was mainly over 55 years old, while their professional experience is over 10 years (38%) and their position in the organization is mainly in management followed by people working as tourist guides. The charts below show the above-mentioned characteristics. Age Under 25 years old years old years old Over 55 years old Under 25 years old years old years old Over 55 years old Position Other Tourist Guide Services area Management Your professional experience in the tourism sector 10% 10% 19% 38% 23% Under 1 year 1-5 years 6-10 years Over 10 years none City Guides labour market research report 3/17

4 Specific questions In response to questions regarding the organization of some forms of vocational training for guides to meet tourist needs the answers were positive in a percentage of 63% while the 35% said that they do not organize such courses. It is clear that more than the other countries the UK organize such courses (19 of the 23 organizations answered positive) while in the other partners countries it seems that the positive and negative answers is divided by almost Does your organisation provide some form of vocational training for guides to meet tourist needs 2% 35% 63% Yes No Other The kind of training organized by organizations differs. The organizations provide courses in own premises with own teachers (40%) or with teachers from outside organization (28%) but also courses outside the organization (22%). The chart below shows the answer to this question. What kind of training they offer Courses in ow n organisation w ith ow n teachers. 1%1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 4% Courses in ow n organisation w ith teachers from an outside organisation. Courses outside your ow n organisation. 22% 40% Health & Safety, School Visits People from other countries/ethnic backgrounds Dealing w ith invalids 28% Any city/area can prepare a course, but it must be approved by The Institute of Tourist Guiding Busy w ith starting a guide guild Training by myself and study for a travel accompaniment by IVOR Ow n supervision Training pupils and students City Guides labour market research report 4/17

5 The duration for such courses is mainly between 1-10 days, but some of them may last up to 6 months or over a year depending mainly on the level. What is the duration for such courses 1-10 days 1-3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months over 12 months Various As long as required In response to questions regarding the foreign languages required besides mother tongue, the majority from the Netherlands and the UK respond negative but it seems that in Bulgaria and Cyprus is very important. Are foreign languages required besides mother tongue? 41% Yes No 59% The foreign languages that Tourist Guides/City guides have to know is mainly English, followed by German, Russian, French etc depending on the culture of the country and the nationality of tourists mainly visit each country. City Guides labour market research report 5/17

6 How many and which foreign languages do Tourist Guides/City guides have to know? English Greek German Russian French Any other European With regard to the Tourist-Guides/City Guides services the organizations provided, the majority has their own staff (56%) while the 22% have contracts with freelance people and hire them when needed. If your organization provides Tourist-Guides/City Guides services, then do you 15% 22% 56% 7% Have your own staff Use the services of other companies Have contracts with freelance people and hire them when needed Others. The majority of organizations they have contacts with organizations and/or provide combined activities/services concerning tourist guiding in local level (59%), the 28% of them have contacts on national level while the 13% of them have contacts on European level (mainly the UK). With which kind of organisations do you have contacts and/or provide combined activities/services concerning tourist guiding 13% 28% 59% On local level: On national level: On European level City Guides labour market research report 6/17

7 The 76% does not know to what degree the activities of the organization are regulated according to the European legislation, the 13% answer that the activities are regulated according to the European legislation to quite a sufficient degree (Bulgaria and Cyprus) while the 9% to a small degree and only 2% fully (Bulgaria). Тo what degree are the activities of your organisation regulated according European legislation 13% 2% 9% 76% I don t know To a small degree To a quite sufficient degree Fully The number of Tourist Guides/City Guides in the cities of the questioned organizations varies. Most of them have between Tourist Guides/City Guides or more than 50 (mainly in Cyprus and in the Netherlands). The approximate number of Tourist Guides/City Guides in your city/town to 5 5 to to to 50 more than 50 don't know To the question on How many inhabitants are living in your city/town shows that the questionnaires received for this research come from small cities (from inhabitants) up to big cities (more than inhabitants and up to ) City Guides labour market research report 7/17

8 How many inhabitants live in your city/town less than betw een and betw een and more than The most effective and preferable vocational training according to the questioned group is the face-to-face courses (55%), followed by the combination of face-to-face and e-learning courses (22%), preferable mainly in Bulgaria. What form of City Guides vocational training is more effective and preferable in your opinion 19% 22% 55% 4% Face to face courses; E-learning; E-learning + face to face. Other. With regard to the frequency of the courses most of countries agree that the courses should take place once a year, while in the UK some organizations expressed that training should take place when it is required, when the law changes etc. City Guides labour market research report 8/17

9 How often, in your opinion, should the courses take place 25% 48% 8% 12% 7% Once a year; Once every two years; Once every three years; Once every four years; Other. The length of the course it seems that depends on the organization and the country, from 1-day course up to 18 months. In Bulgaria for example the majority of questioned group consider that 1-week course is the most appropriate while in the UK the majority said that 1-day course is the most appropriate but several opinions expressed on this issue such as one month with exams, as appropriate etc What length of course do you consider appropriate 28% 55% 17% one day course; one w eek course; Other In the question Which areas of knowledge should be included in the content of City Guides vocational training course? general knowledge, specific knowledge of the city /town and guiding skills are equal important for all partners countries. City Guides labour market research report 9/17

10 Which areas of knowledge should be included in the content of City Guides vocational training course? 16% 2% 29% 28% General Knowledge (General history, Local history, City development, Places of interest, a different religions etc..); Local Specific knowledge of the city/town Guiding skills (techniques of guiding groups, attitude, manner, communication, respect, sa General Knowledge about the different classes/categories of tourists (visitors) and their ne Other. 25% The labour conditions of tourist/ city guides vary from country to country. In the Netherlands some tourist/ city guides are paid and some of them are not paid (9 positive answers and 10 negative), in Bulgaria the majority is paid, also in Cyprus, while in the UK the majority is not paid. Concerning the social insurance the majority of tourist/ city guides they do have a social insurance. It is interesting to mention that most of tourist/ city guides do not know about organisations, which protect the interests of the Tourist Guides/City Guides and about organisations and associations, where they can become members, in all partners countries. The graphs below show the labour conditions. Are they paid? 48% 52% Yes No Do they have insurance 11% 89% Yes No City Guides labour market research report 10/17

11 Do they know about organisations, which protect the interests of the Tourist Guides/City Guides 4% 29% 67% Yes. No don't know Do they know about organisations and associations, where they can become members? 4% 29% 67% Yes. No Don t know In the UK and in the Netherlands organizations are working mostly with volunteers, in the contrary in Cyprus and in Bulgaria are working with professionals and / or both volunteers and professionals. Are you working with volunteers or professionals 15% 33% 52% only volunteers (UK & Netherlands) only professionals (Bulgaria & Cyprus) both City Guides labour market research report 11/17

12 With regard to the volunteers payment in most countries they are paid either by hour or half day, by day etc but in the UK there is a great number of tourist / city guides that they are not paid at all. Additionally, it seems that in the UK also a great number of the professional tourist / city guides are not paid, in the contrary with the other countries. In Bulgaria and in the Netherlands is usual that volunteers tourist/ city guides are paid by tourists tips, but not the professionals. The professionals are paid usually by fee and / or by day. As it concerns the salary and pension of the tourist/ city guides we cannot have a common standard in the partners countries. Lots of the questioned group didn t know about these issues. The table below shows some amounts concerning the salary and the pension in each country. Country Salary per month Pension per month Netherlands Bulgaria Cyprus / / 530 UK N/A N/A Monthly salaries difficult as some Private pensions only option months much better than others approx No idea about these matters 1,500 in a good month Don t know No idea about these matters Don t know City Guides labour market research report 12/17

13 Are your volunteers paid? Yes, 1 Hour Yes, half ayes, 1 day Paid onlyfee Day by tips tourists Traveling No (mainly Expenses in the UK) Yes, 1 Hour Yes, half a Day Yes, 1 day Paid only by tips tourists Fee Traveling Expenses No (mainly in the UK) Are your professionals paid Yes, 1 Hour Yes, half a Day Yes, 1 day Paid only by tips tourists Fee Traveling Expenses no (mainly in the UK) Yes, 1 Hour Yes, half a Day Yes, 1 day Paid only by tips tourists Fee Traveling Expenses no (mainly in the UK) City Guides labour market research report 13/17

14 QUESTIONNAIRE on City Guides/Tourist guides Dear Madame/ sir, City Guides is a project funded by the European Commission (Leonardo da Vinci programme, Ref N NL/05/B/F/PP/157526), which aims to develop and design practical training for the profession of City Guide. The idea has been presented to tourist experts because there is little professional training for this kind of jobs although many city councils promote their city for tourists. A research report (small scale,) showed that the City Guide is almost not trained, receives almost no theoretical background and is frequently an interested retired volunteer. The situations between partner countries, cities and vocational training centres differ very much. In the project are participating partners from a variety of EU countries including Netherlands, France, UK, Bulagria, Greece, Cyprus. We are distributing this questionnaire in order to collect as much information as possible about the dimension of the labour market, conditions, organizations involved in this kind of business, vocational training, contracts and secondary labour conditions (insurance, pension, training, workplace, etc.). The data processing will permit a rational and effective base for Tourist Guides/ City Guides vocational training on a European level to be constructed. Completion should take approximately 30 minutes and all data will be kept and analysed in confidence. It is hoped that this information will permit a rational and effective base for Tourist Guides/ City Guides vocational training on a European level to be constructed. Thank you in advance! City Guide/tourist guide: Definition of the World federation of Tourist Guides Associations (WFTGA): Tourist guide means any qualified person who either a) possesses a Tourist Guide License issued or recognized by the appropriate authority in the country concerned, or b) where the domestic legislation of the country concerned does not provide for such license, has received in depth guide training leading to qualification and/or recognition by the relevant local, regional or national authority and who guides visitors within that specific country or area of that country in order to provide special information and explanations on matters relating to the history, archaeology, monuments and works of art, cultural development, natural beauty, places of interest and in general any matter which may promote the country for the purpose of tourism. City Guide/ tourist guide: Definition of the European Committee for Standardization(CEN) EN 13809:2003 and EN ISO 18513:2003: Person who guides visitors in the language of their choice and interprets the cultural and natural heritage of an area, which person normally possesses an area specific qualification usually issued and/or recognized by the appropriate authority. Investigating target group: - Tourist organizations and associations; - Tour operators; - Organizations and people dealing with Tourist Guides/City Guides vocational training; - The Tourist Guides/City guides etc. 1. General questions 1.1. Organization: Country: 1.3. What kind of organization you are working in? a) Tourist organizations and/or associations b) Tour Operator, Company c) Organizations and people dealing with Tourist Guides/City guides vocational training d) Tourist office/tourist information e) Other. Please, specify: Position held: a) Management b) Services area c) Tourist Guide d) Other. Please, specify: Age: a) Under 25 years old b) years old City Guides labour market research report 14/17

15 c) years old d) Over 55 years old 1.6. Your professional experience in the tourism sector: a) Under 1 year b) 1-5 years c) 6-10 years d) Over 10 years 2. Specific questions 2.1. Does your organization organize some forms of vocational training for guides to meet tourist needs? a) Yes b) No 2.2. If YES, then what kind of training? a) Courses in own organization with own teachers. b) Courses in own organization with teachers from outside organization. c) Courses outside your own organization. d) Other. Please, state: Which duration for such courses? :..days..month(s) 2.4. Are foreign languages required besides mother tongue? a) Yes. B)No 2.5. If YES to above question, how many and which foreign languages do Tourist Guides/City guides have to know? a) The first. Which?... b) The second. Which?... c) The third. Which?... d) The fourth. Which?... e) Others. Please, specify: If your organization provides Tourist-Guides/City Guides services, then do you: a) Have your own staff b) Use the services of other companies c) Have contracts with free lance people and hire them when needed d) Others. Please, specify: With which kind of organizations do you have contacts and/or provide combined activities/services. when it's concerning tourist guiding. Please, specify. a) On local level:. b) On national level: c) On European level : Тo what degree are the activities of your organization regulated according European legislation? a) I don t know b) To a small degree. c) To a quite sufficient degree. d) Fully 2.9. Please, state the approximate number of Tourist Guides/City Guides in your city/town How many inhabitants are living in your city/town? What form of City Guides vocational training is more effective and preferable in your opinion? a) face to face courses; City Guides labour market research report 15/17

16 b) E-learning; c) E-learning + face to face. d) Other. Please, specify: How often, in your opinion, should the courses take place? a) Once a year; b) Once every two years; c) Once every three years; d) Once every four years; e) Other. Please, specify What length of course do you consider appropriate? a) one day course; b) one week course; c) Other. Please, specify Which areas of knowledge should be included in the content of City Guides vocational training course? You can mark more than one item. a) General Knowledge (General history, Local history, City development, Places of interest, art history, architecture, knowledge about different religions etc..); b) Local Specific knowledge of the city/town c) Guiding skills (techniques of guiding groups, attitude, manner, communication, respect, safety, etc.); d) General Knowledge about the different classes/categories of tourists (visitors) and their needs; e) Other. Please, specify: Labour conditions of Tourist Guides/City Guides you re using? Are they paid? a) Yes b) No Do they have insurances? a) Yes b) No Do they know about organizations/federations, which protect the interests of the Tourist Guides/City Guides? a) Yes. Please, specify: b) No Do they know about organizations and associations, where they can become members? a) Yes. Please, specify: b) No Are you working with volunteers or professionals? a) only volunteers b) only professionals c) both Are your volunteers paid? a) Yes, 1 Hour..Euro b) Yes, halve a Day..Euro c) Yes, 1 day..euro d) Paid only by tips tourists e) Fee...Euro f) Traveling Expenses g) No Are your professionals paid? a) Yes,1 Hour...Euro b) Yes, halve a Day..Euro c) Yes, 1 day..euro d) Paid only by tips tourists e) Fee Euro City Guides labour market research report 16/17

17 f) Traveling Expenses g) No What is the average monthly salary in your country? (in Euro) What is the average monthly pension in your country? (in Euro) What is the social protection for TG/CG in your country? Please, explain: City Guides labour market research report 17/17