Tour Guide Career Overview
Being a tour guide can be a great career option for people who love to travel, enjoy being in front of a crowd, and are masters of multitasking. To do it well, you must be a good communicator, a people person, entertaining, and fun to listen to.
Pros and Cons of Being a Tour Guide
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Pros:
- Broaden your social horizons.
- Master the dreaded art of public speaking.
- Various interesting experiences and interactions that lead to beautiful journeys.
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Cons:
- Tour guides often have to work on weekends.
- Your schedule can change without prior notice.
- Tour guides don’t make much money.
Tour Guide Salary Insights
- Entry Salary (US$45k)
- Average Salary: $40k per year
- Potential Earnings: Experienced tour guides can earn upwards of $60,000 per year.
- The best Tour Guide jobs can pay up to $81,000 per year.
Qualifications for Tour Guides
You’ll need:
- Customer service skills
- Excellent verbal communication skills
- Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- Sensitivity and understanding
- An interest and knowledge of history
- A good memory
Is Tour Guide a Fun Job?
- The tourism industry within Australia can be considered a thriving sector, with 9.4 million international tourists visiting the country in 2019.
- Working as a tour guide offers a fantastic opportunity for those who love an adventure and meeting new people.
Can you Make a Living as a Tour Guide?
- According to Job Monkey, guides in high-tourist areas could earn around $50-$150 per day.
- Most entry-level tour guides only earn about $8-$15 per hour.
- There is an estimated addition of $18K each year in bonuses, commissions, profit sharing, and tour guide tips from clients.
Reasons to Become a Tour Guide
If you have experience in the travel industry, or are prepared to do a little bit of training, then working from home as a travel agent could be your next side hustle idea!
Is Being a Tour Guide a Good Job?
- Rewarding Aspects: Tour guides have rewarding and fun careers, as they’re in a position to educate and entertain the tour’s participants.
- Challenges: Being a tour guide is a challenging job that requires charisma and flexibility.
Tour Guide Job Description
Tour guides have an awesome job where they get to share their passion for cool places with other people who are keen to learn.