Tour Guides Training, Operating Environment and Guided Tourist Experience:
| dc.contributor.author | Akol, Conrad | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-23T08:28:51Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-23T08:28:51Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-09-10 | |
| dc.description | This is a master's thesis. | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study examined the relationship between tour guide training, the operating environment, and guided tourist experience in Uganda. The study was motivated by the increasing demand for high-quality tourist experiences and the limited empirical evidence on how tour guide training and the tourism operating environment influence guided tourist experiences in developing countries, particularly Uganda. A cross-sectional correlational survey design employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted. The study targeted 420 tour guides registered with the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) and working with tour companies in Kampala and Entebbe. Using the Krejcie and Morgan sample size table, a sample of 201 tour guides was selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and document review. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS Version 19.0 through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed significant positive relationships among all the study variables. Tour guide training was positively associated with the operating environment (r = .451, p < .01) and guided tourist experience (r = .453, p < .01), while the operating environment was also positively associated with guided tourist experience (r = .443, p < .01). Regression analysis further showed that both tour guide training (β = .323, p < .01) and the operating environment (β = .306, p < .01) significantly predicted guided tourist experience. The study established that effective communication, appropriate language use, professionalism, respect for clients, knowledge of tourism products, quality accommodation, accessibility, reliable transport, and well-designed tour itineraries were critical determinants of a memorable guided tourist experience. The study concludes that improving tour guide training and strengthening the tourism operating environment significantly enhance guided tourist experiences in Uganda. It recommends strengthening professional tour guide training, introducing certification and licensing systems, improving tourism infrastructure and service quality, and promoting collaboration among tourism stakeholders to enhance destination competitiveness and visitor satisfaction. These findings provide valuable guidance for policymakers, tour operators, tourism associations, and researchers seeking to improve Uganda's tourism sector. [Ai Generated] | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Assoc. Prof. Manyisa Wilber Ahebwa (Makerere University Business School) & Mr. Aporu John Paul (Makerere University Business School) | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Akol, C. (2021). Tour Guides Training, Operating Environment and Guided Tourist Experience: A Case of Uganda. (Unpublished master’s dissertation). Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12282/6138 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Makerere University Business School | |
| dc.rights | Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States | en |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ | |
| dc.title | Tour Guides Training, Operating Environment and Guided Tourist Experience: | |
| dc.title.alternative | A Case of Uganda. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |