Life As a Travel Guide

Travel Guide Example Plan, organize, and conduct long distance travel, tours, and expeditions for individuals and groups.

Life As a Travel Guide

• Lead individuals or groups to tour site locations and describe points of interest.
• Give advice on sightseeing and shopping.
• Set up camps, and prepare meals for tour group members.
• Pay bills and record checks issued.
• Administer first aid to injured group participants.
• Plan tour itineraries, applying knowledge of travel routes and destination sites.

Qualities of a Travel Guide

These are the skills Travel Guides say are the most useful in their careers:

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.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Other Travel Guide Job Titles

• Tour Coordinator
• River Guide
• Mountain Bike Guide
• Data Wrangler
• Tour Director

Is There Job Demand for Travel Guides?

In the United States, there were 3,600 jobs for Travel Guide in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 200 new jobs for Travel Guide by 2026. The BLS estimates 600 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Travel Guide are Maryland, Utah, and Iowa. Watch out if you plan on working in North Carolina, Washington, or District of Columbia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What Tools & Technology do Travel Guides Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Travel Guides may use on a daily basis:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• Web browser software
• Microsoft Access
• Word processing software
• Data visualization software
• Facebook
• Tableau
• Global Positioning System GPS software
• Financial accounting software
• Customer information databases
• Travel Agent CMS

How do I Become a Travel Guide?

What kind of Travel Guide requirements are there?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Similar Careers

Those thinking about becoming a Travel Guide might also be interested in the following careers:

• Lodging Managers
• Door-To-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers
• Residential Advisors

Are you already one of the many Travel Guide in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

• Photographers
• Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: Bblackpsu via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

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