Road trips are great. You get to see the world, go to awesome places, and explore other cool places along the way. Did you know that you could get paid for doing just that?
It’s true. Imagine getting paid to lead tours around your college campus, town, Alaska, London, or even getting an all expense paid trip around the world as a tour guide. It’s a sweet career for anyone interested in seeing the world and making money.
In today’s modern world, more and more people are traveling and want to see the sights with a professional guide. That guide could easily be you. Guide jobs are tough to get, but well worth the effort. A highly qualified, personable tour guide can really enhance the experience of a tourist’s trip. It wouldn’t be surprising if you end up with a tip in your hand at the end of a successful tour. How do you get a tour guide job for the summer and what’s the work like? Read on to find out.
Tour guides are need all over the world, especially during the busy tourist times. That makes it ideal for college students on summer or yearlong breaks. You may ride on a double-decker bus around Los Angeles pointing out the sites, work on a train across Canada, point out wildlife in an Alaska State Park, show students the sights and buildings at the University of Colorado, meet people at the Buenos Aires airport and show them around Argentina, organize a bike trip across the Alps – the options are limitless.
The job isn’t all just travel and fun. You’ll be with your tour group from start to finish. You may meet them at the airport and be with them until they depart. You’ll have to be on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your trip could be several hours or it could last several weeks. You get to help with all aspects of trip coordination – from pickups to meals to activities to hotel rooms to emergencies. If you’re in a foreign country you’ll need to be fluent in that language. Being a tour guide is lots of work, but the rewards are great. You’ll make around $150 a day plus tips.
As a tour guide, your trip is paid for. You get to meet and network with other adventurous people that you lead – often making connections that will last a lifetime. You also will get to play lots of different roles – some more fun than others – troubleshooter, entertainer, travel coordinator, friend, translator, and much more.
Successful tour guides are knowledgeable, professional, personable people who have a knack at making their clients enjoy themselves and their trip. As long as you do your job well, people will love you and you’ll get to see the world without spending a dime.