This study focuses on the impact of the professionalism of a tour guide on tourist involvement and satisfaction in a cultural heritage site. This study proposed that the level of involvement and satisfaction of tourists should be different depending o...
This study focuses on the impact of the professionalism of a tour guide on tourist involvement and satisfaction in a cultural heritage site. This study proposed that the level of involvement and satisfaction of tourists should be different depending on the professionalism of a tour guide, because a guide trained to explain clearly the site's significance is pivotal in increasing a tourist's understanding and appreciation. A visitor's appreciation of cultural heritage sites may be largely determined by receiving appropriate interpretation about historical and cultural significances. Generally, well-trained and qualified tour guides are able to find clear and more appropriate ways of interpreting the value, history, and interesting facts about a travel destination. The objectives of this study are thus to identify whether the professionalism of a tour guide influences tourists' involvement and satisfaction and to examine the effect of tourists' prior knowledge on involvement. The results supported that the more tourists learn and understand the background of heritage sites through the professional tour guide, the more their involvement and satisfaction increase. The implications of these findings are discussed.