Sound quality and range are crucial

EuroBus in conversation with Gürsan Acar, CEO of tonwelt and an expert in visitor guidance technologies

(EB) Those who want to share interesting facts during their trips are increasingly turning to tour guide systems. This allows the group to always have their tour guide right in their ear. This is the best way to convey information about the rest of the itinerary – even to the person at the back of the group. But which system on the market is best suited for a particular application? In an interview with EuroBus, Gürsan Acar, Managing Director of tonwelt, explains what group tour operators should look for when choosing a group tour guide system. tonwelt’s tour guide systems are in use in many locations – the Papal Palace and the world-famous bridge in Avignon, the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, the State Museums in Berlin, as well as on cruise ships and with bus tour operators.

Mr. Acar, what should group tour operators look for when purchasing a tour guide system?

Gürsan Acar: “Group tour operators want to provide their bus passengers with a wealth of information about the sights they’re visiting and therefore rely on the technical tools offered by tour guide systems. After all, it’s well known that when it comes to knowledge retention, 10% is retained through reading, 20% through listening, and when sight and hearing are combined, over 50% of the information can be retained. When purchasing a group tour guide system, one should therefore focus not only on price but, above all, on aspects such as sound quality, range, and interference-free transmission. Whether one opts for an analog or digital system is of secondary importance. It’s also important to decide whether the system will be used on the move during guided tours or stationary on the bus to provide information while traveling.”

Are coach tour operators already using tonwelt’s products?

Gürsan Acar: “Well-known coach tour operators throughout Europe are already using our products successfully, such as Wörlitz Touristik. Whether as a fixed installation in the tour bus or as a mobile system – though mobile systems are currently in the highest demand.”

Are there any specific requirements for a tour guide system that should be considered when making a purchase?

Gürsan Acar: “Absolutely. On river cruises, for example, an additional requirement is that groups mix when disembarking and must first use the tour guide system’s various channels to find their respective groups. On Segway city tours, on the other hand, the distance between the tour guide and the group constantly changes and can sometimes become very large, especially for the last person in the line. Here, interference-free transmission and a long range are essential. Given the wide range of possible requirements in practical use, tonwelt first analyzes the requirements profile in detail and then recommends the appropriate product from an extensive portfolio covering all areas of application.”

How do analog and digital systems differ?

Gürsan Acar: “Analog systems offer good sound quality and a long range. There is no time delay whatsoever in the transmission of speech; it occurs directly and simultaneously. Digital systems always have a slight time lag, known as latency. Depending on the quality of the system, this lag can be longer or shorter. Latency describes the time delay between what is spoken and what is heard, and some listeners find it irritating or disruptive when it exceeds 35 milliseconds. All of our digital systems are below the 35-ms threshold and also offer other advantages, such as the ability to quickly configure channels on devices within a group using a so-called sync kit.”

Are there specialized solutions for specific applications?

Gürsan Acar: “With the tourGuide TG-48, tonwelt offers a premium analog system that operates with digital processors. This enables a very high sound quality combined with a long range of up to 200 m outdoors. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the bus can absorb radio waves, and obstacles can limit the range.”

The tourGuide TG-48 features a large number of channels; in Europe, up to 48 can be used simultaneously during guided tours. Of course, tonwelt always offers specialized solutions or custom-tailored systems, which are particularly in demand among bus tour operators. We see ourselves as partners and work together with our customers to find the best solutions. That’s why we provide detailed advice on the available technologies and discuss various financing options – from purchase and rental to financing and leasing. There are even cases where we develop new products or solutions from scratch or customize them based on specific requirements. The most important thing is that travelers and guests are thrilled, share their experiences, and thus become positive advocates.

tonwelt recently equipped several cruise ships with tour guide systems as part of a customized rental agreement. What is the current market situation: Are more systems being rented or purchased – what are the respective advantages, and how flexible is tonwelt when it comes to one-time rentals, multiple rentals, or long-term projects?

Gürsan Acar: “Currently, the purchase of flexible systems is the norm. The sets are typically in use for 4–5 years, and some even significantly longer. But the market is changing, and new models and products are altering the landscape. For those who need to cater to different groups or changing requirements, renting may be the better option. This allows for a more precise response to group sizes and the nature of group leadership. For example, for a group that places a strong emphasis on communication and interaction, bidirectional tourGuides can be used. This allows the guide and group members to engage in dialogue. In other cases, a very simple, robust device may be the better choice. Then there are also group tours organized by companies and industrial firms, where branding can be of great importance. Some of our customers first test the devices and use cases through a rental arrangement and then decide to purchase them. For these reasons, we maintain a broad product portfolio that allows us to address a variety of needs. The more precisely we understand the use case, the better tailored our offering will be for our customers.”

Mr. Acar, thank you for the interview.

This text was originally written in German. The version published here is an AI-assisted translation.