CTP Safety & Risk Management in Tours 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A participant on a walking tour suddenly collapses. After calling 911, the guide should:
- Continue the tour with remaining guests while one staff member stays
- Begin CPR if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally (Correct answer)
- Wait for paramedics without touching the participant
- Move the participant to a shaded area before assessing
Correct answer: Begin CPR if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally
If the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, initiating CPR immediately significantly improves survival outcomes.
Question 2: What is the recommended guide-to-participant ratio for a whitewater rafting tour involving novice participants?
- 1 guide per 20 participants
- 1 guide per raft, with additional safety kayakers on the river (Correct answer)
- 1 guide for every 15 participants on shore
- 2 guides total regardless of group size
Correct answer: 1 guide per raft, with additional safety kayakers on the river
Industry safety standards for whitewater rafting call for a qualified guide per raft and additional safety personnel in the water.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of a 'near miss' in tour risk management?
- A participant slips and sprains an ankle on a trail
- A participant nearly slips on a wet boardwalk but catches the railing (Correct answer)
- A guide fails to give a safety briefing but no incidents occur
- A vehicle breakdown causes a two-hour tour delay
Correct answer: A participant nearly slips on a wet boardwalk but catches the railing
A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury but had the potential to do so, and should be documented and reviewed.
Question 4: Why is it important for tour operators to conduct post-incident debriefs after any emergency?
- To assign blame to the responsible staff member
- To identify what went wrong and improve future safety protocols (Correct answer)
- To satisfy insurance company reporting requirements only
- To reassure guests that the operator accepts liability
Correct answer: To identify what went wrong and improve future safety protocols
Post-incident debriefs are a proactive quality improvement tool to prevent recurrence and strengthen safety systems.
Question 5: When evaluating a new tour route for safety, which factor should be assessed FIRST?
- Cost of permits and access fees
- Scenic photographic opportunities
- Known hazards and potential risks along the route (Correct answer)
- Distance from the nearest hotel accommodations
Correct answer: Known hazards and potential risks along the route
Identifying known hazards is the foundational step in route safety assessment before planning logistics or amenities.
Question 6: A tour guide notices a participant showing signs of altitude sickness at 12,000 feet. The correct action is to:
- Encourage the participant to drink more water and push through
- Immediately descend with the affected participant to a lower elevation (Correct answer)
- Administer oxygen from the tour vehicle and continue
- Have the participant rest for 30 minutes and reassess
Correct answer: Immediately descend with the affected participant to a lower elevation
Descent is the definitive treatment for altitude sickness; continued elevation exposure can lead to life-threatening conditions.
Question 7: What should a tour operator's emergency action plan (EAP) include at minimum?
- Marketing contacts and social media protocols
- Emergency contacts, evacuation routes, and staff roles during a crisis (Correct answer)
- Guest satisfaction survey procedures
- Refund and cancellation policy details
Correct answer: Emergency contacts, evacuation routes, and staff roles during a crisis
An effective EAP must specify who to call, how to evacuate, and the specific responsibilities of each team member during emergencies.
CTP Safety & Risk Management in Tours 3
A participant on a walking tour suddenly collapses.
After calling 911, the guide should: