Last Updated On 22 May, 2020

How to Become a Tourist Guide

About Tourist Guide

A tourist guide is a person who checks and plans all the accommodation facilities and travel arrangements for a group of tourists. The job of a tourist guide is both challenging and interesting. He is like a storyteller who shares information such as the history of a particular place, the culture and other interesting things with the tourists. He is the one responsible for conducting guided tours of a place or an area and also ensures that he answers guests' queries. Some of the major duties of a tourist guide are monitoring the safety of guests, reciting and memorizing the tour scripts, handling customer service interactions, such as transaction and payment and guiding directions and areas to the guests. 

Candidates who have good knowledge and an interest in exploring the tourist attractions along with good communication skills can choose a career as a tourist guide. In addition to this, he must have social etiquettes. Tourist guides are hired by tour and travel agencies, for the management related tasks of various tourist attractions and travel-related websites.

Eligibility to become Tourist Guide

Candidates should satisfy the minimum eligibility requirements decided below in order to work as a tourist guide

Education: The eligibility criteria for a tourist guide will depend upon the type of industry in which the candidate would like to work. There are some positions for tourist guides that require a high school diploma or a bachelor degree for qualification. Some of the companies prefer candidates who hold a bachelor's degree or certification in tourism and travel.

Experience: Tourist guides must be experienced enough to handle all the queries raised by the tourists. There are some profiles where a minimum work experience of 1 year is required. Candidates can also look for a part-time job as a tourist guide to gain some experience in the tourism industry. 

Skills: Apart from the academic requirements, a tourist guide must have a set of other skills, which are as follows:

  • Excellent Communication Skills
  • Outgoing Personality
  • Good Memory
  • Good Decision-Making Skills
  • Friendly Nature
  • Patient
  • Enthusiastic 
  • Punctual
  • Passionate
  • Good sense of humour
  • Organised

Types of Job Roles Tourist Guide

There are many different roles available in different industries for a tourist guide. Some of the job roles are listed below:

  • Educational Tour Guide
  • Cave Tour Guide
  • Zipline Tour Guide
  • Tour Operators
  • Corporate Travel Consultant
  • Stadium Tour Guide
  • Travel Agents
  • Tour Coordinator 
  • Wildlife Tour Guide
  • Tour Executive

Employment Opportunities for Tourist Guide

There are a plethora of employment opportunities for a tourist guide. Some are mentioned below:

  • Hotels
  • Tourism industries
  • Wildlife centuries
  • Museums
  • Historical monuments
  • Transportation

Top Recruiting Agencies for Tourist Guide

Some of the major recruiting companies hiring tourist guides are

  • Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Limited
  • Make My Trip
  • Goibibo
  • Cox and Kings
  • SOTC
  • Cleartrip
  • Yatra
  • Thomas Cook
  • Ezeego1
  • Expedia 

Planning to choose Tourist Guide as your career?

Pay Scale/Salary of Tourist Guide

Salary of a tourist guide is not fixed. His annual salary will depend on his experience as well as knowledge about the destinations. Candidates who have good knowledge and experience will earn more. The salary structure is also given below:

Profile

Starting Salary per annum (in INR)

Mid Level Salary per annum (in INR)

Senior Level Salary per annum (INR)

Tourist Guide

1,11,000

2,97,000

5,09,000

Books & Study Material to Become Tourist Guide

If you are looking for a successful career as a tourist guide then you must have a good knowledge of your field. For eg: If you are working at any historical monument then you must know the history of that monument and on the other hand, if you are working with any tourism industry then you must be experienced enough to suggest the best destinations and also have an idea regarding the expenses. You can also go through some book recommendations below:

  • Enjoying India: The Essential Handbook by J.D. Viharini
  • DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur
  • Lonely Planet India by Sarina Singh
  • Fodor's Essential India: with Delhi, Rajasthan, Mumbai & Kerala
  • Chennai & Tamil Nadu Focus Guide by David Stott
  • 5 Page Travel Guides for the Corporate Traveler: Bangalore, India
  • Love Delhi by Fiona Caulfield

Pros of becoming a Tourist Guide

  • You get to explore beautiful holiday destinations and get paid for it
  • You get to learn the history and also some amazing facts about many tourist destinations
  • You get to explore different industries.
  • If you have good communication and presentation skills then the chances of getting good pay are high
  • You come across people from different countries and cultures which can be very interesting
  • You do not have to sit in front of the laptop for long hours

Cons of becoming a Tourist Guide

  • Your salary is not fixed. It totally depends on the number of guests you attend to
  • You must have a good knowledge of various tourist spots and destinations
  • Your employment may vary depending upon the season.
  • You will have to deal with different types of guests and some may be difficult to deal with. 

Do you think this is the right career choice for you?

Take our test and find out if it suits your strengths.

news_cta

Confused on what to choose as your career?

Top