Guide development is about people. So is Ascent.
Ascent Solutions exists to help experienced tour guides become more exceptional at what they do through practical, human-centered guide development. We believe guides don’t simply deliver the product. They are part of it.
Why Ascent Exists
Ascent Solutions was founded out of a deep respect for the craft of guiding.
Over the years, I have seen guides create extraordinary experiences for guests through their professionalism, communication, adaptability and ability to connect with people. I have also seen talented guides with enormous potential who simply lacked opportunities for structured development.
I believe guide development strengthens more than individual careers. It improves guest experiences, strengthens tourism businesses and contributes to the quality and reputation of destinations.
I also recognized a gap within the industry. There are guide schools that help people become guides and there are generic training providers that work across multiple industries. Very few organizations focus specifically on helping experienced guides continue developing their craft.
Ascent Solutions was created to help fill that gap.
Meet Johan Burger
Johan Burger has worked in tourism operations, product quality, guide support, guide recruitment and guide development since 2008.
Beginning with Hylton Ross Tours, Johan developed a strong understanding of tourism operations before moving into guide support and product quality roles with Grand Circle Corporation.
Since 2018, much of his work has focused on guide recruitment, guide evaluation, performance improvement and guide development. This role included extensive travel with tour groups, observing guides in live operating environments and identifying opportunities for performance improvement.
Johan has delivered guide development programs in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Tanzania and has worked across tour operator, DMC and international tourism environments.
In addition to guide development, Johan qualified as a tour guide and actively operates tours himself, providing a direct understanding of the realities and challenges guides face in the field.
Tourism Experience from Multiple Perspectives
Effective guide development requires more than guiding experience alone. It requires an understanding of operations, guest expectations, performance standards and the realities tourism businesses face every day.
Ascent Solutions draws on experience gained across multiple parts of the tourism industry, providing a broader perspective on guide performance, guest experience and operational reality.
Operations
- Tourism Operations Management
- Guide Scheduling & Logistics
- DMC Operations
- International Tour Operations
Guide Development
- Guide Recruitment & Selection
- Guide Training & Development
- Guide Performance Assessment
Product & Quality
- Tour Product Quality Assurance
- Tour Sales & Itinerary Design
What Makes Ascent Different?
We Speak The Language Of Tourism
Ascent is not a generic training business applying corporate training models to tourism.
We understand the realities of guiding because we have worked with guides, assessed guides, recruited guides, trained guides and guided ourselves.
We understand the realities of tourism operations because we have lived them too. From tour operations and itinerary development to guide support, product quality and guest experience management, we have experienced the pressures and challenges faced by tourism businesses from multiple perspectives.
This allows Ascent to bridge the gap between what guides need, what guests experience and what tourism organisations require.
We don’t simply understand training. We understand tourism.
What We Believe
Guides Are Part Of The Product
Exceptional itineraries matter. Beautiful destinations matter. Quality accommodation matters.
But guides are often the people who transform those elements into the experience guests ultimately remember.
We Develop People, Not Scripts
Great guides are not created by memorizing scripts.
The goal of guide development is not to create identical guides. It is to help guides communicate more effectively, connect more naturally and become more confident in their own style.
Excellence Requires Continuous Development
The best guides never stop improving.
Just as destinations evolve, guest expectations change and the tourism industry develops, guides must continue refining their skills, knowledge and approach throughout their careers.
Innovation & Development
Ascent Solutions is committed to advancing the professional development of experienced tour guides through practical frameworks, development systems and new thinking focused specifically on guiding.
We believe guide development deserves the same level of attention, structure and continuous improvement as any other professional discipline.
Johan is also currently writing The Experience Architect, a book exploring how guides create meaningful and memorable guest experiences through communication, storytelling, human behavior and experience design.
Let’s Discuss Your Guides
Whether you’re developing an individual guide, an entire team or guiding standards across a destination, we’d love to hear about your goals, challenges and development priorities.
Let’s start the conversation.
