English For Tour Guide

   When I first received the information about my guests, Martin, Anke and Lilian, I thought they were Singaporean, because their flight from Singapore. I did not know much about them because I was only assigned as their tour guide for their journey in Sumatra. I received the job from a travel agent in Sumatra, and my responsibility was to take care of their trip during their time here. Their journey was a five-day, four-night trip covering Medan, Bukit Lawang, Berastagi and Samosir Island. The program included jungle trekking in Bukit Lawang, visiting Batak villages, enjoying the scenery around Lake Toba and exploring several places in Samosir. When I finally met them, I noticed that their faces looked a little mixed. I became curious and intentionally asked whether they had Indonesian ancestry. My guess was right. They told me that they have German-Indonesian heritage. I still did not know exactly where their family originally came from. For me, it was not really important a...

    NINNA.ID -The Batak is the name for a group of sub-societies that live in the rugged highlands and plains around Lake Toba in northern Sumatra. The word Batak is believed to have originally been a derogatory term meaning “primitive” used by lowland Muslims to describe highland people. Today there is little stigma attached to the word. [Source: “Encyclopedia of World Cultures, East and Southeast Asia” edited by Paul Hockings (G.K. Hall & Company, 1993) Living in a beautiful part of North Sumatra around Lake Toba, the Batak people are divided into six main cultures, each with its language and traditions. [caption id="attachment_3459" align="alignnone" width="600"]  The view that can be seen if you visit Bukit Burung[/caption] Although geographically isolated, the Bataks have a history of regular contact with the outside world. Trade between the highlands and other regions saw the exchange of goods such as salt, cloth and iron for gold, rice, and cass...

  NINNA.ID - On the evening of May 4, 2026, Kualanamu Airport was still busy as I waited for three very special guests from Slovakia and the Czech Republic. As a tour guide who has spent years guiding travelers around Lake Toba and Sumatra, I know every journey begins with a first impression. Their flight arrived around 8:40 PM, and the warm Medan air welcomed them that night. I still clearly remember seeing Maria, Pavla, and Hana walking out of the arrival gate with large suitcases and tired faces after their long journey. We immediately took a photo together. It became the first photo of our eleven-day journey full of stories and unforgettable moments. [caption id="attachment_37297" align="alignnone" width="1280"]  Picking up Maria, Pavla, and Hana at Kualanamu Airport was not only the beginning of a journey, but also the start of eleven days filled with stories, laughter, and new friendships growing in Sumatra. (Photo © Damayanti)[/caption] That night, ...

  NINNA.ID -Industri pariwisata merupakan salah satu sektor yang terus berkembang dan menjadi sumber pendapatan utama di banyak negara, termasuk Indonesia. Dengan semakin meningkatnya jumlah wisatawan mancanegara yang datang, para pelaku pariwisata harus siap memberikan pelayanan terbaik. Salah satu keterampilan yang sangat penting dimiliki oleh para pekerja di industri ini, terutama pemandu wisata (tour guide), adalah penguasaan bahasa Inggris . Bahasa Inggris sebagai Bahasa Universal Pariwisata Sebagai bahasa internasional, bahasa Inggris digunakan oleh wisatawan dari berbagai negara yang berkunjung ke suatu destinasi. Dengan menguasai bahasa ini, para pelaku pariwisata dapat berkomunikasi lebih efektif dengan wisatawan, menjelaskan informasi dengan jelas, serta membangun hubungan yang lebih baik dengan pelanggan. Meningkatkan Kualitas Pelayanan Pelayanan yang baik adalah kunci utama dalam industri pariwisata. Wisatawan asing akan merasa lebih nyaman dan dihargai jika mereka b...