Interpersonal Communication Strategies of Tour Leader in Enhancing Tourist Loyalty

Abstract

The development of the Indonesian tourism industry encourages the importance of improving service quality, especially through the strategic role of tour leaders in building effective interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication characterized by empathy, openness, and active participation is key to creating a tourism experience that is not only informative, but also emotional, and significantly impacts tourist loyalty. This study aims to identify and analyze interpersonal communication strategies implemented by tour leaders in increasing customer loyalty, as well as providing practical recommendations for improving communication competencies in accordance with customer-oriented tourism industry standards. The method used is a literature study (library research) with a qualitative approach, which examines more than 30 scientific literature from indexed journals and relevant academic publications for the period 2019–2024. The analysis was carried out thematically through data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The results of the study show that successful interpersonal communication strategies include verbal approaches (such as storytelling and friendly language), nonverbal (facial expressions, eye contact, positive gestures), and relational (personal attention and empathy). Tour leaders who are able to create emotional closeness with tourists have been shown to increase customer engagement and encourage long-term loyalty. Recommendations in this study include empathy training, stress management, field simulations, and the creation of a digital curriculum based on customer experience to form sustainable communication competencies.