All About Tour Guides and Escorts
Career Description Escort individuals or groups on sightseeing tours or through places of interest, such as industrial establishments, public buildings, and art galleries.
What Do Tour Guides and Escorts Do On a Daily Basis?
- Assemble and check the required supplies and equipment prior to departure.
- Train other guides and volunteers.
- Speak foreign languages to communicate with foreign visitors.
- Solicit tour patronage and sell souvenirs.
- Conduct educational activities for school children.
- Provide for physical safety of groups, performing such activities as providing first aid or directing emergency evacuations.
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What Every Tour Guide or Escort Should Know
These are the skills Tour Guides and Escorts say are the most useful in their careers:
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Other Tour Guide or Escort Job Titles
- Museum Docent
- Tour Guide
- Mountain Guide
- Licensed Guide
- Interpreter
Is There Job Demand for Tour Guides and Escorts?
In the United States, there were 45,800 jobs for Tour Guide or Escort in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 10.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 4,800 new jobs for Tour Guide or Escort by 2026. The BLS estimates 8,700 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Tour Guide or Escort are Utah, Florida, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in West Virginia, North Dakota, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What Tools do Tour Guides and Escorts Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Tour Guides and Escorts may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- SmugMug Flickr
- Global positioning system GPS software
How to Become a Tour Guide or Escort
What kind of Tour Guide or Escort requirements are there?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Tour Guide or Escort?

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being a Tour Guide or Escort may also be interested in:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
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