Home to many cultures from all over the world, Berlin is one of the lovely cities of Europe! Being a walking tour guide is one of the best things you can do to give visitors from around the world the chance to experience the rich history and culture and the beauty of landmarks. But keeping yourself and your tour participants safe should be a priority. This is why in this article we’ll focus on the most important safety tips every Berlin walking tour guide should take into account.
- Plan and Prepare
To lead a walking tour before you should plan and prepare well. Learn where you are, do some research on the historical sites and come up with an itinerary that will guarantee a safe and clean trip for everyone.
Know Your Route
Look at the route you will be taking, and study the way that is presented to you to find any problems or anything you will have to be prepared for. Get yourself to the side of the sidewalks, road crossings, and busy intersections that get the most traffic. Know that there will be construction zones or limited visibility. This will also help you know what to tell your tour group about the city.
Weather Conditions
Before each tour, make sure that you check the weather forecast. Since you never know what the weather will bring in Berlin, make sure you and your participants dress appropriately. Make sure you come prepared with rain, heat, wind, or cold and that everyone is comfortable and well protected from the elements.
- Keep Your Group Together
Cohesive mean so organising the walking tour to make sure the group is so. It can be a stress Producing thing to lose site of participants in unfamiliar surroundings. Here are some strategies to keep your group together:
Establish Meeting Points
Meet up points to regroup throughout the tour and make sure everyone’s there. Select landmarks which are well known and you can see from some distance. Initially, let your participants know where exactly these locations are.
Use a Flag or Umbrella
Make yourself easily identifiable to your group by either carrying a distinctive flag or holding a large umbrella. This visual marker will allow your presence to be instantly recognized, in crowded areas or when crossing busy streets.
- Be Aware of your Environment
Your group’s safety is no different, it depends on being vigilant and being aware of your surroundings. When you are a walking tour guide, it means that you can see what potential risk might threaten and you can take the preventive measures. Here are a few tips:
Beware of Traffic
It also means being aware when you’re crossing streets, or leading your group through busy areas. If participants are from countries where driving is on the left, make sure they know Berlin has right hand drive, or to be precise, that cars drive on the right side of the road. Whenever possible do so, and encourage your group to do the same, through the use of pedestrian crossings and traffic lights.
Avoid Distractions
Providing information to your group and making it easy to have fun by sharing fascinating stories and insights is a wonderful thing to do, but don’t get so caught up with giving information that your group loses interest. But avoid putting safety on the back burner to tell a story. Check for uneven pavement, curbs, or debris that might be trip hazards and have your group say, “Hey, watch out for this or that,” when any are spotted.
- Be First Aid Ready
It never hurts to prepare for accidents and have basic first aid knowledge and supplies of basic first aid, if you’re a walking tour guide.
First Aid Training
Getting certified in basic first aid and CPR might be something you may want to consider. We’ll teach you the skills you need to prepare and handle minor injuries or medical emergencies that may occur while on tour. If the incident is more serious, that’s when knowing how to handle the emergency until help from the professionals arrives, can make a huge difference.
Carry a First Aid Kit
During your tours, carry a well stocked first aid kit at all times. Just a bandage, a few antiseptic wipes, some painkillers, whatever personal medications you may feel necessary to take with you are just a few of the items you’ll want to stick in your bag. Make the kit available when needed.
- Share Rules and Guidelines
Make sure you tell your tour participants clear rules and guidelines, so people can enjoy the ride in a safe and fun way.
Emergency Contact Information
At the start of the tour, inform your group of your contact information and local emergency number. Have participants save this information on their phones, and make sure to explain to them what to do if they’re separated from the rest of the group.
Set Behavior Expectations
State the behavior and rules expectations to your group. Tell participants to stay in a group, listen and follow instructions and to be considerate of other pedestrians and residents. Show that once you are out on the tour it is not the time to explore unsafe places or go into restricted zone.
Wrapping Up
With these safety tips, you can also be sure to enjoy a safe and fun walking tour in Berlin. Remember, preparation, communication and vigilance will help keep your participants safe and enjoy the success of your tour. Following the guidelines given you can steer your group through the wonderful Berlin streets safely, with lasting memories to boot.
