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Every year Explore honours its best tour leaders, and this time Katherine Lawrey helped with the judging process.
Every year Explore customers have the opportunity to vote for their favourite tour leaders. Nominees are put forward for the operator’s tour leaders awards, with the aim of rewarding the best.
Last week I joined a panel of judges at Explore’s HQ in Farnborough to choose an overall winner.
The company employs 650 guides around the world and about 50% of these were nominated by at least one customer. The final 12 were shorlisted internally, and then it was up to me and my fellow judges to pick a winner and three runners-up.
The judges included Glenn Wright, manager, Travel Club Elite; Explore customer Peter Woo-Ming, who has taken part in 61 trips; and Explore managing director Ashley Toft. The winner receives a cash prize of £1,500, of which half is given to a charity of the guide’s choice. They and the three runners-up all get a trip to the UK.
Operations manager Yvonne Ramsay has been organising the awards for the past eight years.
“There’s a lot of friendly competition among the leaders to get the accolade,” she says. “When we train them, we instill in them the importance of our Explore values, and it’s wonderful to see these standards reflected in the customer feedback, when they really connect with our leaders.”
Abhishek Chordia (India)
What he says:
“My life as a tour leader revolves around my passengers. Many people come to India with preconceived notions about what to expect, what they’ll see, what they’ll eat...
My objective is to make them shed all such notions and be receptive to whatever comes their way, like a blank canvas.”
Operations feedback:
“Abhi is always looking to suggest improvements to the tours. On several occasions he has suggested better transport methods, including less arduous train journeys. He regularly updates the tour notes and additional information that will help manage customer’s expectations.”
Customer feedback:
“I have been on many tours with Explore and other companies and Abhi is the best tour leader I have had over the past 20 years. He is not just knowledgeable but he’s caring and patient. He considered every person on the trip with equal care and sensitivity. He has a great sense of humour but also takes the important things seriously. Even though this was my fourth trip to India, I still learned new and interesting things about the country.”
And:
“Abhi showed us things other tour leaders would not have done. He was as excited to see the tour as we were and did not seem like he had done it a million times already (which, from his knowledge, he has). He is a real star.”
Winner’s charity:
Abhishek is donating blankets and warm clothes to poor and homeless people in Udaipur.
Chris Siviter (Belize)
Customer feedback:
“Chris was an energetic and inspiring team leader sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm of Belize culture, the environment and the wider ecosystem with energy and humour. We were particularly impressed with his ability to relate to our children and answer their questions in an open, engaging and genuine manner.”
And:
“It was a busy tour and we had limited time in each place but Chris’ knowledge of local restaurants, shops and events ensured we got the most out of every minute of the day. We came to call him Chrisipedia as none of our questions fazed him.”
Agust Sigurjon Hardarson (Iceland)
Customer feedback:
“When the weather proved the worst in decades causing the itinerary to be abandoned, Gusti went well beyond the call of duty to ensure we had a fantastic trip. He begged favours of family and friends, thought of many interesting and fun ideas, and never stopped working – and smiled throughout. It turned out to be one of the best trips I have ever done.”
And:
“We all had complete confidence in him. He made my holiday a magical memory and I have a real urge to go back.”
Win Zar Zar Min (Burma)
Customer feedback:
"We have travelled 5 or 6 times with Explore and another 10 times with other companies and she was undoubtedly the best guide. She is friendly, funny, well-informed and everything went like clockwork. She was good with a member of the group who fell ill... and created an atmosphere where we all became friends."
