INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XIV November 2025 | Special Issue on Management  
An Integrated Competency Framework for Nature Guides:  
Synthesising Classical, Contemporary, and Sector-Specific Guiding  
Roles  
Mustakim Hashim1,2*, Mohd Hafizal Ismail1, & Mohd Aswad Ramlan1  
1Department of Recreation and Ecotourism, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra  
Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia  
2Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation, Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam, 40450 Shah Alam,  
Selangor, Malaysia.  
Corresponding Author*  
DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.47772/IJRISS.2025.914MG00244  
Received: 05 December 2025; Accepted: 13 December 2025; Published: 25 December 2025  
ABSTRACT  
Nature guiding plays an essential role in shaping visitor experiences, fostering environmental awareness, and  
supporting community well-being; however, guiding theory remains fragmented, with existing models  
addressing leadership, interpretation, environmental stewardship, or economic influence in isolation. Drawing  
on four decades of scholarship, this conceptual article develops an integrated guiding framework that unifies  
classical foundations, contemporary interpretive and behavioural research, and emerging sustainability-  
oriented responsibilities. The proposed Four-Sphere, Eight-Role Model comprises Leadership (Instrumental,  
Social), Mediatory (Instructional, Communicative), Resource Management (Motivator of Responsible  
Behaviour, Environmental Interpreter), and Economy (Promoter, Philanthropy) spheres, offering a holistic  
understanding of the multidimensional competencies required in modern nature-based tourism. By  
synthesising these diverse theoretical strands, the framework advances guiding scholarship through conceptual  
integration, expansion of role theory, and alignment with contemporary sustainability, community  
development, and experience-design paradigms. The article discusses implications for empirical research,  
competency-based training, certification standards, and tourism policy, positioning the integrated framework as  
a timely foundation for strengthening the professionalisation and impact of nature guides in increasingly  
complex tourism environments.  
Keywords:  
Nature  
guiding,  
Guiding  
competencies,  
Integrated  
guiding  
framework,  
Interpretive  
communication, Environmental stewardship  
INTRODUCTION  
Tour guiding has long been recognised as a critical component of nature-based tourism, shaping visitor  
experiences, learning outcomes, and interactions with natural and cultural environments. However, despite  
decades of scholarly attention, the guiding theory remains fragmented, with conceptualisations dispersed  
across multiple disciplinary traditions, including anthropology, interpretive studies, sustainable tourism,  
environmental psychology, and community development. Consequently, current frameworks sometimes  
prioritise one or two aspects of the guide's role, such as leadership, interpretation, or customer service, while  
inadequately addressing other significant responsibilities, such as environmental stewardship or economic  
mediation.  
Classical frameworks, especially Cohen's (1985) typology, helped us recognise that guiding is a complex job  
that includes tasks that are instrumental, social, instructional, and communicative. In the early 1990s, Weiler  
and Davis conducted additional studies that incorporated ecological and behavioural aspects, demonstrating  
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XIV November 2025 | Special Issue on Management  
that guides could serve as environmental interpreters and encourage responsible behaviour in visitors. Pereira  
and Mykletun (2012) made significant contributions to the subject by establishing guiding responsibilities that  
embody economic intermediation, such as promoting local products and encouraging philanthropic  
engagement. These contributions demonstrate that guiding transcends merely operational or interpretive  
functions; it is a multifaceted practice influenced by sociocultural, environmental, and economic factors.  
Although this literature is vibrant, there is still no single framework that encompasses all the different types of  
guiding responsibilities. It is challenging that there is no single model, as nature-based tourism is becoming  
increasingly complex, and guides are expected to enhance the visitors' experience, conservation outcomes, and  
community benefits simultaneously. A comprehensive framework is essential for integrating classical role  
theory, modern empirical research, and sector-specific advancements into a unified understanding of guiding  
practice.  
This article proposes an integrated conceptual framework consisting of four spheres: Leadership, Mediatory,  
Resource Management, and Economy, each comprising two roles that together reflect the full professional  
scope of nature guiding. The framework builds on foundational theory while incorporating contemporary  
research on guiding behaviour, communication, environmental stewardship, and economic influence. The  
framework provides a comprehensive and theoretically robust model that encapsulates the complex  
interactions among different domains, reflecting the multifaceted nature of guidance.  
This paper aims to introduce and justify this comprehensive competency framework, emphasising its  
theoretical implications and prospective uses in nature guide training, industry standards, destination  
management, and future research attempts. This conceptual study addresses the demand for an updated guiding  
theory that integrates both conventional foundations and new responsibilities in sustainability-oriented tourism.  
Evolution of Tour Guiding Theory  
Tour guiding theory has evolved significantly over the past four decades, mainly in response to the increasing  
complexity of tourism environments and the expanding responsibilities placed on guides. Earlier conceptions  
positioned guides primarily as service providers and information transmitters, but contemporary research  
recognises their broader influence as experience leaders, cultural mediators, environmental stewards, and  
socio-economic intermediaries. This section traces the significant phases in the development of guiding theory  
and highlights how these conceptual shifts collectively support the need for an integrated competency  
framework.  
Classical Foundations: Cohen’s (1985) Typology  
Cohen’s (1985) typology represents the first comprehensive model of guiding roles and continues to shape  
guiding scholarship. He identified four core functions:  
Instrumental (managing safety, logistics, and route coordination)  
Social (fostering group cohesion and interpersonal comfort)  
Instructional (communicating factual and cultural knowledge)  
Communicative (facilitating interaction through adaptive communication)  
This typology was foundational because it demonstrated that guiding is not merely a service task but a  
multidimensional social practice requiring cognitive, interpersonal, and operational expertise. Cohen’s model  
provided the conceptual anchor for subsequent theoretical developments in nature-based and heritage guiding  
contexts.  
The Shift Toward Mediation and Interpretation (1990s–2000s)  
In the 1990s, guiding research expanded beyond information delivery to emphasise mediation, interpretation,  
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and meaning-making. Weiler and Davis (1993) reconceptualised guides as intermediaries who help visitors  
interpret cultural and environmental contexts. During this period, scholars examined how guides structure  
messages, adapt their communication, and employ narrative strategies to enhance visitor understanding and  
engagement.  
Black and Ham (2005) examined guide–visitor interaction, emotional tone, and communication techniques,  
demonstrating the importance of interpretive delivery in shaping visitor experience. Weiler and Black (2015)  
further advanced the field by analysing the communicative and affective dimensions of guiding. Randall and  
Rollins (2009) offered empirical evidence that interpretive and communicative competence strongly influences  
visitor satisfaction, behaviour, and learning in protected-area settings. Together, these contributions established  
the guide as a knowledge broker and cultural translator, extending far beyond the original instructional  
function of Cohen.  
Emergence of Environmental Stewardship and Behaviour-Change Roles  
As nature-based tourism expanded, guiding theory increasingly incorporated environmental and behavioural  
perspectives. Weiler and Davis (1993) introduced two influential roles that later formed the core of the  
Resource Management Sphere:  
Motivator of Responsible Behaviour  
Environmental Interpreter  
These roles emphasise the guide’s responsibility to influence visitor attitudes and behaviour, reduce  
environmental impact, and communicate ecological processes. Empirical studies in ecotourism and wildlife  
tourism reinforce this perspective, showing that guides foster pro-environmental behaviour through modelling,  
persuasive messaging, and contextual explanation (Randall & Rollins, 2009; Kapa et al., 2022). This  
development marked a shift toward viewing guides not only as educators but also as behaviour-change agents  
with direct implications for conservation outcomes.  
Modern Extensions: Economic and Community-Oriented Roles  
Recent scholarship highlights the increasingly recognised economic dimension of guiding. Pereira and  
Mykletun (2012, 2017) introduced the Economy Sphere, positioning guides as intermediaries who influence  
tourist spending, support local enterprises, and facilitate visitor engagement in community or conservation  
initiatives. They conceptualised two roles:  
Promoter - recommending local products, services, and businesses  
Philanthropist - encouraging visitors to contribute to community or conservation projects  
These roles align with broader discussions on sustainability and community-based tourism, which emphasise  
equitable benefit distribution, local empowerment, and responsible consumption. Growing empirical evidence  
suggests that guides significantly influence visitor purchasing decisions, perceptions of authenticity, and  
engagement with local initiatives (Agyeman & Antwi-Bosiako, 2022; Albrecht et al., 2022). Thus, guides now  
function not only as cultural interpreters but also as socio-economic catalysts within destination systems.  
Limitations of Existing Frameworks  
Despite substantial theoretical progress, guiding scholarship remains fragmented, with most models focusing  
on only one domain of guiding practice. Cohen (1985) emphasised leadership and interpersonal roles; Weiler  
and Davis (1993) highlighted mediation and interpretation; environmental behaviour studies concentrated on  
stewardship and behavioural influence; and Pereira and Mykletun (2012, 2017) developed economic-oriented  
roles. These frameworks evolved largely independently, resulting in:  
conceptual silos,  
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inconsistent terminology across studies,  
limited cross-domain integration, and  
a lack of unified competency models.  
Because guiding practice requires simultaneous leadership, communication, environmental sensibility, and  
economic facilitation, the absence of a holistic framework limits both theoretical development and applied  
practice in areas such as training, certification, and performance evaluation.  
Need for an Integrated Conceptual Framework  
The historical evolution of guiding responsibilities demonstrates a clear need for a comprehensive model that:  
synthesises classical and contemporary role theories,  
recognises guiding as a multidimensional and relational profession,  
responds to sustainability and community-oriented priorities, and  
provides a structured foundation for competency development.  
The integrated framework proposed in this article organises guiding competencies into four interrelated  
spheres: Leadership, Mediatory, Resource Management, and Economy, each containing two theoretically  
grounded roles. This structure bridges decades of guiding scholarship, offering a holistic model that reflects the  
complexity of guiding in contemporary tourism environments.  
Conceptualisation of the Four Spheres  
Building on the evolution of guiding theory, this section introduces the Extended Model of Modern Tour Guide  
(Table 3.1). The model organises the full range of guiding competencies into four interconnected spheres:  
Leadership, Mediatory, Resource Management, and Economy, each comprising two distinct roles grounded in  
classical scholarship and expanded through contemporary research. Together, these spheres capture the  
multidimensional and holistic nature of guiding practice in modern nature-based tourism.  
Table 3.1  
The Extended Model of Modern Tour Guide  
Outer-directed (resourced from  
outside the group  
Inner-directed (resources from  
inside the group)  
Leadership sphere (focus on group)  
*
Instrumental  
Instructional  
Motivator  
Social  
Mediatory sphere (focus on  
individual) *  
Communicative  
Resource management sphere  
(focus on environment) **  
Environmental interpreter  
Economic sphere***  
Promoter  
Philanthropy  
*Adapted from Cohen (1985); **Extended by Weiler & Davis (1993); **Further developed by Pereira &  
Mykletun (2012, 2017).  
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Leadership Sphere  
The Leadership Sphere reflects the guide’s responsibility for managing group movement, safety, logistics, and  
interpersonal dynamics. It is strongly aligned with the earliest foundations of guiding scholarship, particularly  
Cohen’s (1985) typology, and continues to be emphasised in modern adventure and nature-based tourism  
research.  
Instrumental Role  
The Instrumental Role encompasses the operational and logistical aspects of guiding, including navigation,  
scheduling, coordination of activities, and responding to unexpected circumstances. Guides serve as safety  
managers and problem solvers, ensuring that tours proceed smoothly and efficiently. This role remains central  
in contemporary studies on adventure leadership, risk management, and visitor safety (Rokenes et al., 2015).  
Social Role  
The Social Role involves fostering group cohesion, managing interpersonal relations, and creating an  
environment in which visitors feel comfortable and emotionally supported. Articulated initially by Cohen  
(1985), this role is widely recognised as essential to enhancing visitor satisfaction, building trust, and shaping  
group dynamics. Recent research highlights the guide’s ability to foster positive emotional climates and  
promote social connection among participants.  
Together, the Instrumental and Social roles constitute the foundational leadership competencies necessary for  
effective guiding across diverse contexts.  
Mediatory Sphere  
Mediatory Sphere captures the interpretive and communicative dimensions of guiding. It reflects the guide’s  
responsibility to translate cultural, historical, and ecological meanings in ways that are relevant, accessible, and  
engaging. This sphere integrates theoretical insights from Cohen (1985), Weiler and Davis (1993), and  
extensive research on interpretive communication.  
Instructional Role  
The Instructional Role highlights the guide’s responsibility to convey accurate and meaningful information  
about cultural heritage, natural processes, and local histories. This includes simplifying complex subjects,  
providing contextual explanations, and supporting visitor learning. Research on interpretive practice  
emphasises message relevance, thematic structure, and cognitive engagement as critical components of  
instructional quality.  
Communicative Role  
The Communicative Role concerns how information is delivered. It encompasses verbal clarity, body  
language, emotional tone, audience adaptation, and the use of stories, metaphors, and other interpretive tools to  
enhance the meaning-making process. Studies by Black and Ham (2005), and Walter (2013) demonstrate that  
communicative skills are central to guiding effectiveness, shaping both cognitive understanding and emotional  
engagement.  
Together, the Instructional and Communicative roles position guides as mediators who translate place-based  
knowledge into meaningful visitor experiences.  
Resource Management Sphere  
The Resource Management Sphere encompasses guiding roles that promote environmental stewardship and  
responsible visitor behaviour. Originating from the work of Weiler and Davis (1993) and reinforced through  
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ecotourism and conservation psychology research, this sphere recognises the guide as both educator and  
behavioural influencer.  
Motivator of Responsible Behaviour  
This role emphasises the guide’s capacity to encourage low-impact practices by modelling appropriate  
behaviour, reinforcing social norms, and providing persuasive explanations. Research shows that guides can  
significantly influence pro-environmental behaviour in nature-based settings through situational leadership and  
behavioural cues (Randall & Rollins, 2009; Kapa et al., 2022).  
Environmental Interpreter  
The Environmental Interpreter role focuses on communicating ecological processes, explaining environmental  
issues, and fostering environmental awareness. This role aligns with interpretive frameworks that highlight  
thematic coherence, emotional resonance, and experiential engagement (Black & Ham, 2005; Poponi et al.,  
2020; Walter, 2013). By contextualising environmental challenges, guides enhance visitor understanding and  
cultivate stewardship attitudes.  
Together, these two roles position guides as key actors in promoting conservation outcomes, particularly in  
ecologically sensitive environments.  
Economy Sphere  
The Economy Sphere, introduced by Pereira and Mykletun (2012, 2017), highlights the economic and  
community-oriented dimensions of guiding. It recognises that guides play an important role in influencing  
visitor spending patterns, supporting local enterprises, and facilitating community-benefiting interactions.  
Promoter Role  
The Promoter Role involves drawing attention to local products, artisans, services, and community-based  
initiatives. Through strategic recommendations and storytelling, guides can help direct visitor spending toward  
small-scale producers and locally owned businesses, thereby enhancing the economic resilience of host  
communities.  
Philanthropy Role  
The Philanthropy Role extends the guide’s influence into the realm of community support and conservation  
funding. Guides encourage voluntary contributions, connect visitors with reputable NGOs, and share narratives  
that highlight the value and impact of community or conservation-oriented giving (Pereira & Mykletun, 2012).  
Together, these roles reflect the socio-economic contributions of guiding and aligning the profession with  
broader principles of sustainable tourism and community empowerment.  
Integrative Rationale for the Four-Sphere Framework  
Although each sphere emerges from a distinct theoretical tradition, the roles are deeply interconnected in  
practice. Leadership behaviours provide the foundation for effective communication, environmental influence,  
and economic engagement. Mediatory competencies underpin both environmental interpretation and the  
storytelling strategies that support local economic benefit. Resource Management roles rely on leadership and  
communication to shape behaviour. Economic roles depend on the trust, credibility, and narrative skill  
developed through the other spheres.  
This interdependence demonstrates that guidance is a multidimensional and relational profession that requires  
simultaneous engagement across multiple domains. The Four-Sphere Framework provides a cohesive and  
theoretically grounded structure that encompasses the full scope of guiding activities, supporting applications  
in guide training, certification, performance evaluation, and tourism policy development.  
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The Eight-Role Integrated Model  
The integrated framework proposed in this article synthesises four decades of guiding scholarship into a  
coherent structure comprising eight roles organised across four interdependent spheres: Leadership, Mediatory,  
Resource Management, and Economy (Figure 1). This model reflects the multidimensional nature of guiding  
in contemporary nature-based tourism, positioning guides simultaneously as leaders, communicators,  
environmental stewards, and socio-economic intermediaries.  
Each sphere encompasses two complementary roles that together represent the comprehensive professional  
scope of guidance. These roles integrate classical theory, contemporary empirical research, and sector-specific  
developments, offering a holistic conceptualisation with direct application to academic research, training, and  
destination management.  
Figure 4.1  
The proposed Integrated Guiding Competency Framework.  
Integrated Guiding  
Competency Framework  
Mediatory  
Sphere  
(Meaning focused)  
Resource Management  
Sphere (Environment-  
focused)  
Economy  
Sphere (Community  
focused)  
Leadership Sphere  
(Group focused)  
Motivator of  
responsible  
behavior  
Environmental  
Interpreter  
Instrumental  
Social  
Promoter  
Philanthropy  
Instructional  
Communicative  
Leadership Sphere  
The Leadership Sphere encompasses the competencies that support safe, coordinated, and socially cohesive  
visitor experiences. It includes two foundational roles from Cohen’s (1985) typology: the Instrumental and  
Social roles.  
Instrumental Role  
The Instrumental Role involves operational leadership functions such as organising logistics, managing time,  
navigating routes, overseeing safety, and responding effectively to unexpected conditions. These  
responsibilities require anticipatory and responsive decision-making and remain central in research related to  
adventure leadership, risk management, and visitor safety (Rokenes et al., 2015).  
Social Role  
The Social Role involves creating a positive, inclusive, and harmonious group environment. It requires  
emotional intelligence, interpersonal sensitivity, and group facilitation skills. This role influences visitor  
comfort, trust, and satisfaction, forming the interpersonal foundation upon which deeper interpretive,  
environmental, or economic engagement can occur.  
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Together, these roles provide the structural and emotional conditions necessary for effective guiding across all  
subsequent spheres.  
Mediatory Sphere  
The Mediatory Sphere positions the guide as an interpreter and communicator who bridges visitors’ prior  
knowledge with the cultural, historical, and ecological significance of place. It comprises two roles that extend  
Cohen’s original instructional dimension through contemporary interpretive theory.  
Instructional Role  
The Instructional Role focuses on structuring and conveying knowledge in ways that are accessible, relevant,  
and contextually grounded. Guides help visitors make sense of natural phenomena, cultural practices, social  
histories, and local norms. This role aligns with interpretive pedagogy, emphasising message relevance,  
organisation, and cognitive engagement.  
Communicative Role  
The Communicative Role concerns the delivery of information. It includes clarity of speech, non-verbal  
communication, emotional tone, and adaptive messaging tailored to diverse audiences. It also involves the use  
of stories, metaphors, and narrative framing to support meaning-making (Black & Ham, 2005; Chen et al.,  
2018; Walter, 2013). Guides operating in this role function as storytellers who translate complex ideas into  
memorable visitor experiences.  
Together, the mediatory roles form the cognitive and communicative foundation through which visitors  
develop cultural understanding and environmental awareness.  
Resource Management Sphere  
The Resource Management Sphere reflects the guide’s responsibilities as an environmental steward. Rooted in  
the work of Weiler and Davis (1993) and expanded through ecotourism and conservation psychology, this  
sphere emphasises behavioural influence and environmental interpretation.  
Motivator of Responsible Behaviour  
This role positions guides as behaviour-change agents who encourage low-impact practices, manage visitor  
impacts, and reinforce conservation norms. Guides model responsible actions and use persuasive  
communication to shape visitor decision-making (Randall & Rollins, 2009; Kapa et al., 2022).  
Environmental Interpreter  
The Environmental Interpreter role involves translating ecological processes, environmental challenges, and  
conservation issues into meaningful narratives (Black & Ham, 2005; Poponi et al., 2020; Walter, 2013).  
Practical environmental interpretation fosters emotional engagement, contextual awareness, and ecological  
literacy, enabling visitors to understand the significance and fragility of natural environments.  
Together, these two roles highlight the guide’s contribution to environmental protection and the conservation-  
oriented learning of visitors.  
Economy Sphere  
The Economy Sphere reflects the expanded role of guides as economic intermediaries within tourism  
destinations, particularly in community-based, rural, and sustainability-focused contexts. This sphere is  
grounded in the work of Pereira and Mykletun (2012, 2017).  
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Promoter Role  
The Promoter Role involves drawing attention to local products, artisans, and community-based services.  
Through informed recommendations and storytelling, guides help direct visitor spending toward locally owned  
enterprises, thereby strengthening economic resilience and community livelihoods.  
Philanthropy Role  
The Philanthropy Role positions guides as facilitators of visitor engagement in community or conservation  
initiatives. This includes framing community needs, explaining the significance of support, and connecting  
visitors with credible organisations without engaging in direct solicitation. Through this role, guides can foster  
more equitable and sustainable tourism outcomes.  
Together, these roles demonstrate how guides contribute to local economic vitality and community well-being  
beyond traditional interpretive or service-oriented functions.  
The Interconnected Nature of the Eight Roles  
Although each of the eight roles is conceptually distinct, guiding practice is inherently integrative. The spheres  
reinforce one another in several ways:  
Leadership provides the structure, safety, and trust necessary for effective mediation, environmental  
influence, and economic facilitation.  
Mediatory skills enhance both environmental interpretation and the storytelling that supports local  
economic engagement.  
Resource Management roles depend on leadership authority and communicative credibility to shape  
visitor behaviour.  
Economic roles require trust, authenticity, and meaningful communication, all of which are  
underpinned by strong leadership and mediation competencies.  
In practice, these roles combine dynamically during a single tour. A guide may simultaneously coordinate  
logistics (Instrumental), foster group cohesion (Social), deliver interpretive messages (Communicative),  
encourage low-impact behaviour (Motivator), and recommend local products (Promoter).  
The Integrated Eight-Role Model thus represents a holistic and relational conceptualisation of guiding,  
capturing the complex expectations placed on guides in contemporary nature-based tourism.  
Theoretical Contribution and Implications  
The integrated four-sphere, eight-role guiding framework proposed in this article makes a substantial  
contribution to tourism scholarship by offering a comprehensive and multidimensional conceptualisation of  
nature guiding. Although existing guiding theories provide valuable insights into specific aspects of guiding  
practice, no single model has previously unified leadership, mediation, environmental stewardship, and  
economic facilitation within a coherent structure. This framework advances theoretical understanding in three  
key ways: by integrating previously fragmented domains, expanding role theory, and aligning guiding  
scholarship with contemporary tourism paradigms.  
Integrating Fragmented Guiding Theory  
One of the primary contributions of this framework is its synthesis of guiding research that has traditionally  
evolved along separate disciplinary lines. Earlier studies focused on operational and interpersonal leadership  
(Cohen, 1985), while subsequent work emphasised interpretive communication and meaning-making (Black &  
Ham, 2005; Weiler & Black, 2015). Parallel streams in conservation psychology and ecotourism have  
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highlighted guides as environmental stewards and behaviour-change agents (Randall & Rollins, 2009). More  
recent scholarship in sustainable and community-based tourism has identified their influence as economic  
facilitators and community intermediaries (Pereira & Mykletun, 2012, 2017).  
The integrated model unifies these previously isolated domains, demonstrating that guiding is not a collection  
of independent tasks but a relational and interconnected practice involving leadership, communication,  
environmental influence, and economic engagement. This consolidation provides a comprehensive conceptual  
framework that reflects the multidimensional reality of guiding and strengthens theoretical coherence across  
the field.  
Expanding Role Theory in Guiding  
By articulating eight interdependent roles, the framework also expands guiding role theory beyond earlier  
typologies. Cohen’s (1985) four-role model remains foundational. However, the addition of the Resource  
Management and Economy spheres reflects contemporary expectations for guides to contribute to conservation  
outcomes and support community well-being.  
The framework advances role theory by:  
incorporating behavioural influence and environmental learning as central guiding responsibilities,  
recognising economic facilitation and philanthropic mediation as legitimate and measurable  
components of guiding,  
distinguishing instructional from communicative dimensions of interpretation, and  
situating leadership competencies within a broader and more integrated competency system.  
This expanded role structure equips scholars with a more nuanced vocabulary and analytical lens for  
examining guiding behaviour across diverse contexts.  
Aligning Guiding Theory with Contemporary Tourism Paradigms  
The integrated framework also aligns guiding scholarship with several significant trends in contemporary  
tourism research and practice.  
Sustainability and Conservation  
The Resource Management Sphere reflects global priorities for sustainable tourism and protected-area  
management, positioning guides as frontline actors capable of shaping visitor behaviour and fostering  
conservation outcomes.  
Community-Based Tourism and Local Empowerment  
The Economy Sphere supports agendas that emphasise local benefits, equitable distribution of tourism  
revenue, and responsible consumption, recognising guides as intermediaries who connect visitors with  
community enterprises and philanthropic opportunities.  
Experience Design and Transformative Tourism  
The Mediatory Sphere aligns with research on experiential and transformative tourism by emphasising how  
guides shape cognitive, emotional, and cultural dimensions of visitor experience.  
Professionalisation and Competency Standards  
The Leadership Sphere informs efforts to standardise guiding practice by articulating the operational and  
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interpersonal competencies foundational to professional guiding.  
Together, these alignments position the integrated framework as a theoretically robust model that reflects  
contemporary realities in tourism and scholarly directions.  
Implications for Research, Training, and Policy  
The integrated guiding framework has wide-ranging implications for research, training, and tourism policy.  
From a research perspective, the eight-role model offers a robust conceptual foundation for empirical  
investigations that aim to examine the structure of guiding competencies using quantitative, qualitative, or  
mixed-methods approaches. It also supports the development of validated assessment instruments and enables  
comparative studies across cultural, geographic, and sectoral contexts. Moreover, the integrative nature of the  
model encourages research into cross-role interactions, opening opportunities to explore how leadership,  
mediation, environmental stewardship, and economic facilitation jointly influence visitor experiences and  
destination outcomes.  
In terms of training and professional development, the framework can be translated into competency clusters  
that guide the design of training curricula. Programmes may focus on skill areas such as operational leadership,  
interpretive communication, conservation messaging, and economic facilitation, ensuring that guides are  
equipped for the diverse demands of contemporary tourism. The framework also provides a basis for structured  
assessment and certification systems, enabling training institutions and accrediting bodies to evaluate guides'  
performance using clear, multidimensional standards.  
For tourism policy and destination management, the framework offers a strategic tool for aligning guiding  
standards with sustainability objectives. Destination authorities can incorporate the roles into guiding  
guidelines and policy documents to ensure visitor safety, high-quality experiences, and responsible behaviour.  
Protected area managers may draw on the Resource Management Sphere to strengthen conservation-oriented  
guiding strategies. At the same time, community tourism initiatives can use the Economy Sphere to enhance  
local empowerment and economic resilience. Overall, the integrated framework provides a theoretically  
grounded and flexible instrument that supports both academic advancement and practical implementation.  
FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS  
The integrated four-sphere guiding framework presented in this article provides a solid foundation for  
advancing scholarly inquiry into nature-guiding. As a conceptual model that synthesises classical, mediatory,  
environmental, and economic dimensions of guiding, it highlights multiple directions for empirical testing,  
refinement, and application across diverse tourism settings. Several areas of future research are proposed  
below.  
Empirical Validation of the Framework  
Although conceptually robust, the framework requires empirical validation to examine how the proposed  
spheres and roles operate in practice. Future studies could employ:  
Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to test the structural validity of the four spheres and eight  
roles.  
Survey-based measurement instruments to assess how guides perceive and operationalise each role.  
Cross-contextual replication to determine whether the eight-role structure is consistent across different  
cultural, geographic, and organisational settings.  
Such empirical testing would assess the reliability, dimensionality, and practical coherence of the conceptual  
distinctions proposed in this model.  
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Role Interaction and Hierarchical Relationships  
Although the eight roles are presented as distinct conceptual units, guiding practice often involves overlapping  
behaviours. Future research could explore:  
how leadership competencies enable or constrain mediatory, environmental, or economic roles;  
whether mediatory skills such as communication clarity, narrative competence, and emotional  
engagement mediate the effectiveness of environmental interpretation or promotional activities;  
whether certain roles become dominant in specific contexts, such as adventure tourism, wildlife  
tourism, heritage settings, or community-based tourism.  
Understanding these inter-role dynamics would deepen theoretical insight into the relational and integrative  
nature of guiding.  
Cross-Cultural and Cross-Sector Comparisons  
Cultural norms, governance systems, and destination-specific conditions shape guiding practices. Comparative  
research across countries and tourism sectors could investigate:  
variations in the prominence of specific roles (e.g., Philanthropy Role in community-based tourism;  
Environmental Interpreter in national parks),  
cultural differences in visitor expectations and guide–visitor relational norms,  
the influence of regulatory frameworks, licensing systems, and organisational structures on role  
performance.  
Such research would help assess the universality and adaptability of the integrated model across global guiding  
contexts.  
Visitor Outcomes and Behavioural Responses  
Future studies can examine how different spheres of guiding influence visitor outcomes, including:  
cognitive outcomes such as knowledge gain,  
affective responses such as emotional engagement or connection to place,  
trust, satisfaction, and overall experience quality,  
pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour change,  
visitor spending patterns and support for local enterprises,  
philanthropic intentions or participation in community initiatives.  
Exploring these relationships could position the eight-role framework as a predictive model in visitor studies,  
environmental psychology, and tourism economics.  
Integration with Sustainability and Community Development Frameworks  
As sustainable tourism becomes increasingly central to global tourism policy, future research could explore  
how the guiding roles intersect with:  
conservation and protected-area management frameworks,  
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community empowerment and participatory tourism models,  
sustainable livelihood strategies,  
destination stewardship and governance systems.  
Such studies would clarify how guiding competencies contribute to broader social, environmental, and  
economic goals, and where role-specific interventions may yield the most significant impact.  
Application in Training, Certification, and Workforce Professionalisation  
The integrated framework provides a structured basis for enhancing professionalisation in the guiding sector  
by informing:  
curriculum development for guide training programmes,  
certification and licensing standards,  
competency-based assessment tools,  
performance evaluation frameworks used by operators and destination managers.  
Future research could involve collaborative action-research projects with training institutions, tour operators,  
community organisations, or protected area agencies to:  
design and test competency-based training modules,  
evaluate guide performance using the eight-role model,  
develop standardised rubrics and practical assessment tools.  
Such work would bridge the gap between conceptual theory and practical application, thereby strengthening  
the operational relevance of the framework across the tourism industry.  
CONCLUSION  
This conceptual investigation has developed a comprehensive and multidimensional framework for  
understanding the contemporary roles of nature guides. Synthesising four decades of guiding scholarship from  
Cohen’s (1985) foundational typology to recent developments in interpretation, environmental stewardship,  
and community-based tourism, the framework identifies eight key guiding roles organised within four  
interdependent spheres: Leadership, Mediatory, Resource Management, and Economy. Together, these spheres  
capture the full professional scope of guiding as it is practised in modern nature-based tourism.  
The integration achieved through this framework addresses a long-standing gap in guiding scholarship.  
Previous studies have predominantly examined isolated dimensions of guiding, such as interpretation,  
communication, customer service, or environmental behaviour influence, without articulating how these  
components interact within a single professional practice. By combining these functions into a unified  
structure, the framework demonstrates that guiding is inherently relational, multidimensional, and positioned at  
the nexus of visitor experience, conservation objectives, and community well-being.  
The model also aligns guiding theory with contemporary priorities in sustainable tourism. The Resource  
Management and Economy spheres reflect the expanding expectations that guide contributions directly to  
environmental protection, community empowerment, and equitable economic participation. At the same time,  
the Leadership and Mediatory spheres highlight the foundational competencies required to ensure safety, foster  
learning, support communication, and shape meaningful visitor experiences, core elements of transformative  
and responsible tourism.  
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This integrated framework provides a foundation for both future research and practical implementation.  
Scholars may empirically test the model across different cultural and organisational contexts. At the same time,  
training institutions and certification bodies can draw upon the eight roles to develop competency-based  
curricula, assessment systems, and professional development programmes. By bridging classical guiding  
theory with contemporary practice, the framework offers a versatile, theoretically grounded tool for enhancing  
guide training, policy formulation, and destination management.  
In increasingly complex tourism settings, nature guides serve as leaders, communicators, educators,  
environmental custodians, and socio-economic intermediaries. The integrated framework acknowledges this  
complexity and offers a holistic perspective for understanding guiding as a profession essential to visitor  
experience, environmental sustainability, and community resilience. It represents a timely conceptual  
advancement for guiding scholarship and a meaningful step toward strengthening the professionalisation and  
recognition of nature guides worldwide.  
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Ethical Approval:  
Approval was granted by the UPM Human Ethics Committee (JKEUPM), with the approval number/reference  
number JKEUPM-2025-332.  
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Conflict of Interest:  
There are no conflicts of interest related to the current research.  
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