Compared to many industries, tour guiding is mostly low tech. At its heart it’s one person telling another person about the beautiful buildings and impressive events in town. But there is technology in the mix.
Internet for research
The internet has certainly been a major influence on tour guiding. As so many libraries and archives have digitised their collections, it is easier than ever to research. It has the same issue as all abundance, however, it means you’ve got to be even more careful than ever.
From a research perspective, having more sources and more access to those sources is good. When it comes to the internet however there is a growing block of misinformation inside the great sources.
Social media as a lie generator
I’ve seen some videos from TikTok and YouTube about Edinburgh’s history and I can realise when they’ve got their information from a tour guide. This would be fine, we are the custodians of local history in a sense, but some of the tour guides are also getting their stories from YouTubes and TikToks. This creates a vicious spiral where actually original research is required to calm the situation down and determine what actually happened.
One example, which I will need to get into at greater detail at some point, is Bloody Mackenzie, or George Mackenzie. His black tomb is said to be the home of a dreadful poltergeist which has more attested to ghost incidents than almost anywhere else on the planet. But I’ve heard mixed things about the personality of the actual man himself. To listen to some guides, he was the personal administrator of what was basically the blueprint for WWII-era concentration camps. They say he was a sadistic man who tortured for fun and put heads on spikes. Others say for a 17th-century man he was a bit of a progressive who stood up against witch-hunting. Further to this, he wasn’t actually in the country when the horrors given to his name occurred.
This is the sort of story which has expanded and grown past its initial origins. Some tour guide thought making the concentration camp link was pertinent, some internet creator must have taken that, some new tour guide found it when researching and added to it, and before you know it you have an almost Orwellian level villain. Technology speeds up the rate at which history can become mythic in proportion.
The internet for marketing
One thing I am thankful for as a small business operator is how the internet has made marketing a tour so much easier. But one thing I dislike is how it has added a new task.
One story I’ve heard about City of the Dead Tours is that they began life with a box of leaflets and a bit of work. The market is a bit more crowded these days and you need a new level of work. While it is likely possible for tours to be run by completely analogue guides, the marketing process necessarily involves digital. To this end, I’ve developed this website, found a booking platform, and sent out many emails to relevant places. I’ve written almost 30 of these articles to make sure there’s something rewarding for people to find when they aren’t booking tours, so that later when they want tours they think of me. Book here, including for my unique LGBTQ tour and my Meadows one.
Technology has absolutely transformed this part of the job. But it has also made it easier. Using Canva, it is possible to create decent posters. Just from the comfort of home using a computer and an email address it is possible to make this thing work.
The limitations on a technology focused approached
As discussed, the internet can be an internet of lies. In addition, the marketing done on the internet can be also a bit worse at finding people who are the most relevant to see. But technology speeds things up and can make it easier to find what you need. It’s important to mix it with human skills and the confidence that comes from a human centric approach.
The writer of this piece is going to the zoo.
How has technology changed your job?
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