The English for Tourism program organized by GenPeti as part of the Ponggok EdiTour Initiative continued its third week of implementation on Friday, August 22, 2025. This session highlighted the practical use of guiding English expressions to strengthen the communication skills of Umbul Ponggok staff and village officials in providing services for both domestic and international tourists.
In this third session, participants were introduced to English for Guiding, a material designed to improve their ability to interact with tourists in real situations. The training focused on five main aspects: social interaction, giving information, describing location, handling unexpected events, and promoting local businesses.
The session began with role-play activities where participants practiced simple greetings such as “Good morning, welcome to Umbul Ponggok!” and introducing themselves to tourists. They also practiced providing essential information about entrance fees, opening hours, and available tour packages, ensuring that staff can confidently guide visitors in English.
Furthermore, the participants were trained to describe locations and facilities around Umbul Ponggok, for example explaining where restrooms, souvenir shops, or rental booths are located. Handling unexpected events was another key topic, where staff learned useful phrases to remain calm and professional in cases of emergencies, accidents, or lost belongings.
In the last part of the session, the material emphasized promoting local businesses and products, teaching staff how to recommend traditional food, handmade souvenirs, and other unique cultural experiences in English. Through these practices, participants not only improved their language skills but also learned to highlight the uniqueness of Ponggok as a sustainable tourism village.
With this comprehensive approach, the third session successfully equipped Umbul Ponggok staff with practical guiding English that can be directly applied during their daily interactions with tourists. It is expected that these skills will enhance visitor satisfaction, support local business growth, and strengthen the global image of Desa Wisata Ponggok without losing its authentic local values.
