The Challenges of Tour Guiding in Digital Era: A Lesson from Yogyakarta's Tour Guides

In this digital era, advanced information technology may diminish the role of tour agencies in the tourism industry. Digital marketing in this industry has grown significantly in recent years. Therefore, tourists can easily arrange their travel plans through mobile applications and gain deeper information about tourist attractions via the internet. These activities also seem to reduce the role of tour guides. However, technology cannot replace them in terms of enhancing tourist satisfaction. Due to the importance of communication and connectivity with tourists, tour guides still play a crucial role in providing exceptional experiences. This study aims to elucidate the skills that tour guides must have to balance with the development of technology in the tourism industry. This study employed a qualitative approach. The data was collected through in-depth interviews with five professional tour guides in Yogyakarta. Atlas I version 8 was used to analyze the data. The study shows that communication skills, high order thinking skills, and self-control are the skills that tour guides must-have