Free Walking Tours: Analysis of tour concept, freelance tour guides and tourist behavior at these tours
Author
Gedvilaite, Sandra
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2018
Submitted on
2018-02-28
Pages
69
Abstract
This thesis examines the concept of Free Walking Tours, how and why it differs from pre-paid tours, and what attracts tourists, viewed from the perspective of freelance tour guides. Using an exploratory qualitative design, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with freelance Free Tour guides and observations of several Free Walking Tours. The analysis indicates that the most salient difference is the payment model and how guides earn income through voluntary guest contributions, which ties earnings directly to guest satisfaction. Guides emphasize experience creation, entertainment, and relationship-building as core to Free Tours, and they shoulder many responsibilities—often more than on pre-paid tours—because they must craft quality experiences, engage participants, and build rapport on the spot. Price flexibility is a key reason tourists choose these tours, though some attend because they expect high-quality guiding. Overall, the research offers an overview of Free Tours, their freelance guides, and guest behavior, and provides a foundation for future studies.
Dette speciale undersøger fænomenet Free Walking Tours, hvordan og hvorfor formatet adskiller sig fra forudbetalte ture, og hvad der tiltrækker turister, set fra freelanceguiders perspektiv. Med en eksplorativ, kvalitativ tilgang bygger undersøgelsen på semistrukturerede interviews med freelance Free Tour-guider samt observationer af flere Free Walking Tours. Analysen viser, at den mest markante forskel er betalingsmodellen og måden, guiderne tjener penge på via frivillige bidrag, hvilket gør gæstetilfredshed direkte afgørende for indtægten. Guiderne fremhæver oplevelsesskabelse, underholdning og relationsarbejde som centrale for Free Tours, og de påtager sig mange opgaver—ofte flere end på forudbetalte ture—fordi de både skal skabe kvalitet, engagere deltagere og opbygge tillid på stedet. Prisfleksibilitet er en vigtig grund til, at turister vælger disse ture, men nogle kommer også på baggrund af en forventning om høj kvalitet. Studiet giver et overblik over Free Tours, deres freelanceguider og gæsternes adfærd og fungerer som et udgangspunkt for videre forskning.
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