06/12/2023
This ‘Code of Working Ethics’ shall be the guiding principle of every PAATGLI members as professionals.
PAATGLI’S CODE OF WORKING ETHICS
1. To maintain a high standard of proficiency and competence in tour guiding.
2. To “recognize” at all times that a tourist guide represents the country and its people and endeavour to make a good impression of tourists like personality, hygiene and behaviour.
3. The tourist guide must participate in periodic workshops and/or lectures to further enhance their growth and development and in order to ensure high standards of tour guiding as expected by the industry.
4. To keep always inviolate the integrity expected of a tourist guide in handling tours. He must never utter any defamatory or insulting remarks that will embarrass the Philippine government, its people, customs or traditions.
5. To be tactful when encountering problem/s during the tours in fairness to travel agencies or tour operators whom you represent at that time while protecting the interest of the tour guiding profession.
6. To refrain from improper alliances like being a member of another association with which may give rise to the conflict of interest. PAATGLI’s affiliation with different international and local associations whose contributions have enhanced the association and its members on growth and development.
7. To desist from employing improper means just to secure guiding assignments from tour operator and to refrain from promoting one’s image in the industry at the expense of other tourist guide’s reputation.
8. To maintain at all times friendly relations with other tourist guide organizations and in general to act with proper decorum so as to command respect to project professionalism at all times.
9. To always act with tact and diplomacy in dealing with tourist/s, travel agents, colleagues and other persons connected with the industry to project congeniality as ambassadors of good will.
10. It will be unethical and violative for any tourist guide to transfer thru persuasion, misinterpretation or coercion, tourists – whether FITs or Group, and or account from one agency to another without the express consent of the agency or operator or even manipulates the tour by himself.
11. To always honour “confirmed” tour guiding assignments and not to accept conflicting schedules.
12. It shall be unethical and violative of this code for any tourist guide to report or perform their duties when under the influence of drugs and offer the same to the tourist/s.
13. The tourist guide should not fraternize with the clients except for social invitations: PROVIDED that such social invitations are never conducted in the confines of the tourist’s or escort’s hotel rooms.
14. The tourists guide must never take advantage of the ignorance of the tourist who rely on them for guidance, but should be prepared to attend the client’s needs to make sure their short visit to this country a very pleasant experience.
15. Tourist guides must not accept fees lower than the standard fees as prescribed officially and agreed by the Association and Travel Agencies. Remember too that ‘gratuity’ is given voluntarily and not asked.
16. The tourist guide member of PAATGLI, must never allow himself to be used by scrupulous organizations who would take advantage of the said member, spy and report on the activities of the organization whereby causing irreparable damage to the association. Neither to indulge himself in this bad practice.
