TOUR2002 Visitor Management
Individual Assignment (25%)

Name: Agatha Tanubrata
Student ID: 3151978
Lecturer: Kevin Phun

1.0 Introduction
Tourism is a competitive and dynamic industry that entails the ability to continuously adjust to customers' varying needs and desires, as the customer’s enjoyment, safety and satisfaction are mainly the focus of tourism industries (Normandin, 2013).

This report will focus on visiting and experiencing an organized tourism program of the Peranakan Museum as a participant and be able to create critical consciousness as well as to use chosen concepts and theories to evaluate the helpfulness of the tour guide after the visit.

The Peranakan Museum installed in the previous Tao Nan Chinese School (constructed in 1912) sightsees the culture of Peranakan societies in Southeast Asia. The best and most inclusive assortments of Peranakan objects are owned by the museum. Peranakans’ distinctive visual arts and cultural traditions are shown on the three floor galleries of the museum (Peranakan Museum, 2011).

Whilst signifying the living culture of the Peranakan community in Singapore, the Peranakan Museum gives a stimulating and educational experience for all. The museum is a constituent of the Asian Civilisations Museum that runs under the National Heritage Board (Peranakan Museum, 2011). Throughout experiencing the tourism program, the activity’s description and rationale; analytical awareness of the association between leadership, recreation, risk and tourism; and applicable concepts and theories to appraise the helpfulness of service provider will be further discussed depth in this report. The last section of this report compromises conclusion for future research directions.

2.0 Activity’s Description And Rationale
Peranakan Muesum’s tour guide lead the visitors to various galleries in the museum with different themes such as origins, wedding, language and fashion, religion, public life and food and feasting. She explained and elaborated on each of the artefacts and the unique Peranakan culture. The duration of the tourism activity in the Peranakan Museum took approximately one hour. The rationale for choosing this activity is to better comprehend the Peranakan culture, from its dispersed ancestries in the 1700s and 1800s through to the ways in which Peranakans have attuned to the modernizing impacts of the 20th and 21st centuries (Peranakan Museum, 2011). Thus, creating appreciativeness and mindfulness of the ancestral cultures of Singapore as well as their connections to the world and Southeast Asia within individuals.

3.0 Critical Review
3.1 The role of tour guides in tourism activity
Tour guides have been defined as entertainers, mediators, pathfinders, sources of knowledge, mentors, culture brokers, information givers, leaders and surrogate parents (McKean, 1976; Nettekoven, 1979; DeKadt, 1979; Schuchat, 1983; Cohen, 1985). Tour guides assist tourists to comprehend the places they visit (Pond, 1993). They escort a group of people around the town, museum and significant venue. The tour guide in the Peranakan Museum is qualified and she interprets as well as gives full information of the Peranakans’ culture and heritage of the artefacts. The facts spoken by the tour guide about the Peranakans and the use of each artefacts were fairly accurate. The activity was passive rather that interactive as the tour guide only explain about the artefacts and there was not any further discussion between the tour guide, tourists and other tourists. Before the tour started, there was not any shortcoming on the duration of the tour as it precisely ended after one hour. Moreover, the fees to enter the museum were discounted for students and are free for Singaporeans and permanent residents.

According to Cohen (1985), tour guides perform four main roles: communicative, social, instrumental and interactionary. Professionals are the types of guides that perform the communicative rile and who are appropriate for the tour guide in museum. In the Peranakan Museum, the professional tour guide performs four components of communicative role: (1) selection of the program (what to and not to see as well as experience). For instance, the section of funerals for Peranakans might not be suitable for children (refer to Appendix III, Picture 1); (2) transmitting detailed and corrects information (i.e. explaining and telling to tourists how to behave, what; where and why to look); (3) interpreting every single artefacts and different themes in the museum and enhancing tourists’ experiences; (4) fabrication – presenting mock information as if it were genuine (Cohen, 1985). For example, the artificial foods that Peranakans used for wedding exchange that are displayed in the museum (refer to Appendix III, picture 2).

3.2 The concept of interpretation in tourism activity
Interpretation is defines as the process of communicating to people the importance of an object or place so that they comprehend their heritage and surrounding better, enjoy it more and progress a positive manner toward conservation (Moscardo, 1996). This definition shows that, Peranakan Museum’s tour guide has to make known as well as interpret a precise importance of the artefacts before the visitors can comprehend and enjoy their experience. Some of the challenges that the tour guide faced were memorizing every single name of the Peranakans’ ancestors (which she forgot while conducting the tour) and answering different questions asked by the visitors.

Ap and Wong (2001) suppose tour guides’ interpretive job plays a fundamental role in augmenting tourists’ understanding and experience of a destination and its culture. With the tour guide’s knowledge, communication skills and understanding of Peranakans as well as their culture, she delivers the experience well by altering tourists’ visits from tours into experiences. Moreover, she managed to interpret each artefacts in a way that it become meaningful and enable the visitors to be mindful.

There are three fundamental ways that interpretation can provide to the quality of visitors’ experience (Robinson, 1930). First of all, the information on options and alternatives of joining the free tour guide with a professional that takes about one hour or exploring the museum by oneself was given clearly. That way the visitors can make the best choices about where they go and what they do and it encourages enjoyment that derives from a decent match between what the destination offers and what the visitor wants. Secondly, Peranakan Museum provides information to encourage safety and comfort by putting warning signs i.e. ‘Please do not touch objects on display’; ‘Food and beverages are not allowed in the galleries’; ‘Flash photography is not allowed in the galleries’; ‘Smoking is not permitted in the museum’ so tourists know how to better cope encountered problems and comprehend the messages given by the warning signs (Peranakan Museum, 2011). Lastly, while visiting the Peranakan Museum, the tour guide was able to create thrilling and fun experience for visitors to be able to be interactive and participate. She achieved that by telling funny stories/jokes about the Peranakans so that visitors will be engrossed and not wearied listening to the prolonged history of Peranakan. She also told her own perspectives of the Peranakans culture and rituals that make the tourists wonder and ask more questions. In other words, interpretation of information can give tourists’ new perceptions and comprehension of the museum, the Peranakans’ culture and environment they experience. It contributes to sustainable tourism and reassures more knowledge of surrounding and mindfulness of conservation matters and morals (Moscardo, 1998).

Peranakan Museum used various interpretation techniques such as verbal information; audio-visuals; displays and exhibits; website; guided tours (that aims to educate visitors about Peranakan communities); and brochures. Visitor guide brochures are printed by Peranakan Museum that indicates the floor plan of the museum, visitor information as well as museum etiquette. The ability of brochures to be inexpensively translated into foreign languages makes them a beneficial technique for educating international visitors (Wearing, et al, 2007). These are the effective techniques that Peranakan Museum used in interpretation.

3.3 Skill levels and level of satisfaction
Skill levels of visitors greatly influence their experience while engaging in tourism activity hence, affecting their level of satisfaction. If the challenge exceeds the level of skill, reduction of participation thus dissatisfaction result. In contrast, if the skill exceeds the challenge, tedium in participation therefore resulted in boredom (Carmichael, 2012). In order to improve visitors’ skill level while visiting the museum, they have to have basic knowledge of Singapore’s history and the origin of Peranakans. The skill levels that are required while visiting Peranakan Museum vary depending on each characterization and motivational identity of the visitor such as facilitator, experience seeker, professional/hobbiest or explorer (Patrick, 2010). For instance, explorers visit the museum as it interests them and appeals to their curiosity. They do not have definite learning ambitions, but they like to recognize new things. Therefore, the skill level required need not be high in order to achieve satisfaction as long as their main goal to satisfy a curiosity is fulfilled. On the other hand, professional/hobbiest (includes artists, educators, teachers and museum professionals) that visit the museum required high skill levels. For example, art educator has to know well the meaning behind each artefacts and the origin of Peranakans in order to plan and conduct a lesson (Patrick, 2010).

Skill levels clearly influences visitors’ satisfaction level. Satisfaction is related to the difference between a tourist’s pre-experience and perceptions of service performance (Carmichael, 2012). Skill levels clearly influences visitors’ satisfaction level to the extent that it develops three likely satisfaction results such as satisfied, neutral feeling and dissatisfied when the service provided by the Peranakan Museum exceeded, is the same and fall below visitors’ expectations respectively (Bowie & Chang, 2005). In order to satisfy their visitors, Peranakan Museum provides an excellent customer service such as meeting and greeting visitors as they enter the museum sites; value-added interpretation i.e. free-guided tours; written information that includes signs, floor plans to the sites and their facilities; and educational services for all ages including families, adults and schools community groups (Peranakan Museum, 2011).

4.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, the relevant theories and concepts mentioned above are essential to determine and enhance the service quality provided by Peranakan Museum. The professional tour guide is knowledgeable, well trained and perform her role well by giving full information hence she successfully deliver a pleasant tour around the museum. As interpretation affects visitors’ experience in the museum. In order for the visitors to enjoy their experience, Peranakan Museum’s tour guide make known and interprets an accurate importance of the artefacts. Various interpretation techniques provided by Peranakan Museum are useful as it aids the tour guide to interpret the artefacts meaningfully. On top of that, Peranakan Museum considers the skill levels of different visitors and creates acceptable surrounding of the museum so that everyone can enjoy it. The higher the skill levels of visitors, the challenge or excitement that Peranakan Museum has to provide is more as to achieve high level of satisfaction. By providing excellent customer service, most visitors should be satisfied and enjoyed their experience in visiting Peranakan Museum. Therefore, the role of tour guide, the concept of interpretation as well as skill levels greatly influenced visitors’ experience and level of satisfaction.

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5.0 Bibliography
Bowie, D. & Chang, J.C. (2005). Tourist satisfaction: A view from a mixed international guided package tour. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 11(4), 303-322.

Carmichael, B. (2012). Linking Quality Tourism Experiences, Residents’ Quality of Life, and Quality Experiences for Tourists. Chapter 7. Quality Tourism Experiences (G. Jennings & N. Nickerson (Eds). Taylor and Francis: Hoboken.

Dilenschneider, C. (2009). 10 reasons to visit a museum. Retrieved October 17, 2013, from http://colleendilen.com/2009/07/31/10-reasons-to-visit-a-museum/

Interpretation, information and marketing. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2013, from http://www.tba.co.nz/kete/PDF_files/ITP502_interpretation.pdf

Moscardo, G. (1998). Interpretation and Sustainable Tourism: Functions, examples and principles. Journal of Tourism Studies, 9(1), 2-13.

Moscardo, G., & Woods, B. (1998). Managing tourism and the experience of visitors on Skyrail. In E. Laws, B. Faulkner, & G. Moscardo (Eds), Embracing and managing change in tourism (pp. 307-823). London: Routledge.

Moscardo, G. (1996). Mindful visitors: Heritage and tourism. Journal of Annals of Tourism Research, 23, 376-397.

Peranakan Museum [image] (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2013, from http://www.peranakanmuseum.org.sg/img/themuseum/abtmuseum.jpg

Peranakan Museum logo [image] (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2013, from http://www.peranakanmuseum.org.sg/resources/image/TPM_Logo.jpg

Peranakan Museum (2011). Retrieved October 16, 2013, from http://www.peranakanmuseum.org.sg/themuseum/abtperanakanmuseum.html

Patrick, J. (2010). Why do we go to museum? Retrieved October 15, 2013, from http://blogs.walkerart.org/ecp/2010/01/19/why-do-we-go-to-museums/

Quong, J. (2007). The Asian Civilisations Museum takes the Peranakan legacy regional. Retrieved October 16, 2013, from http://www.acm.org.sg/pressrelease_docs/12_doc1_Press_Release__ACM_Takes_the_Peranakan_Legacy_Regional.pdf

Reisinger, Y. & C. Steiner, C. (2006). Reconceptualising Interpretation: The Role of Tour Guides in Authentic Tourism. Journal of Current Issues in Tourism, 9(6), 481-498.

Robinson, E.S. (1930). Psychological problems of the science museum. Museum News, 8, 9-11.

Singapore Art (2013). Peranakan Museum. Retrieved October 16, 2013, from http://singart.com/peranakan-museum/

Wearing, S., Archer, D., Moscardo,G., & Schweinsberg, S. (2007). Best practice interpretation research for sustainable tourism. CRC for Sustainable Tourism Pty.

6.0 Appendixes
Appendix I – The Peranakan Museum floor plan

Appendix II – Evidence of participation in a program

Appendix III – Supporting material

Picture 1 Picture 2