Last Updated On 22 May, 2020
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.
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:
There are many different roles available in different industries for a tourist guide. Some of the job roles are listed below:
There are a plethora of employment opportunities for a tourist guide. Some are mentioned below:
Some of the major recruiting companies hiring tourist guides are
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 |
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:
Take our test and find out if it suits your strengths.