In-service training seminars from the perspective of their effects on the tourism marketing role of profesional tour guides

This study has focused on determining whether or not the seminars supporting marketing function of guides have been take part in the in-service training seminar programs for Turkish professional tourist guides. It has been also investigated that how the given seminars have effect the attitudes composing marketing function of guides.Seminar topics of in-service training programs have been elicited by content analysis and It has been determined whether there have been seminar topics related with marketing. A questionnaire has been developed and conducted to the professional tourist guides to get data about their demographics, their expectations and satisfaction levels from in-service training seminars. Questionnaire has also aimed to investigate that there are meaningful satisfaction level differences between or among the guides in respect to their various qualifications. Unstructured interview and participant observation methods have also been conducted.Tourist guides have been effective actors on the success of tourism industry on both national and organizational level. Because of this importance, appropriate education of tour guides has been a fragile issue. Turkish tourist guides are coming from different education levels. Using in-service training programs can be seen as a solution opportunity to provide improvement in the tourist guides? capability of playing the marketing role for destination and national level tourism products. Tourist guides get place in the marketing mix elements and play an important role in tourism marketing. The research findings shows there are meaningful differences between the attitudes of marketing function of guides who are not attended and attended to marketing related seminars. Being uninformed about marketing, guides will not conduct their marketing missions consciously and professionally. Therefore, seminar topics related with marketing should be placed in every in-service training seminars programKeywords: Tourism, Tourism Marketing, Professional Tourist Guides, Education, In-service training