Video 2 v. Mette Zartov, servicechef i Bravo Tours

Summary — key points, tips and practices from Mette Zartov (servicechef, Bravo Tours)

Main service strategy

Close contact with guests is central: more engagement yields better guest satisfaction. Promote excursions and integrate them into the on-site community experience (charter travel focus).

• Emphasis on visible, proactive staff presence to build relationships and improve guest experience.
• Excursions are presented as part of the destination community offering, not just add-ons.

Communication & guest engagement (practical steps)

• Pre-departure phone calls: staff call each guest 2–3 days before departure to build a personal relationship and answer questions.
• Welcome meetings and “islander” sessions upon arrival to inform and involve guests.
• Use SMS alerts and a destination website so guests always know what’s happening.
• Train tour guides to be where guests are (e.g., at the pool) rather than only at reception — visible, approachable, pop-up presence.

Operational structure & responsibilities

• Destination managers run each location like a small business: budgets, reporting, logistics (sending boxes/statements), hotel selection and quality checks, guest and staff welfare.
• Large-scale coordination is required (contacting roughly 175,000 guests pre-trip), but this is considered worthwhile for the improved guest experience.

Recruitment, training & team culture

• No single personality “type” is required—diversity is encouraged. Teams are built from complementary skills: detail-oriented people, communicators, organizers, and team players.
• Emphasis on harmony and contribution from everyone.
• Employment requirement: completion of guide school (five-week course).
• Ongoing training programs and follow-up support are provided, especially for young staff.

What the job offers (rewards & challenges)

• The tour guide role is framed as a top life-learning experience: large responsibility, exposure to a wide range of situations (joyful moments and serious incidents), and close encounters with guests’ life events (e.g., first Christmas away, illness, sometimes deaths).
• Young people often perform impressively even with limited prior experience.

Notable names, places and figures

• Speaker: Mette Zartov (service manager, Bravo Tours)
• Examples/teams: Team Gran Canaria; “Laura” (tour leader on Gran Canaria)
• Destinations mentioned: Gran Canaria, Tenerife (Tenarif)
• Scale: ~175,000 guests contacted pre-trip