| In survey after survey, when people are asked | | | | directors or travel the world on cruise ships. |
| what they would do if they had more time and | | | | There isn't a single career path that leads to |
| additional financial resources, the top answer is | | | | becoming a good tour director; indeed, it is tour |
| "travel." Unfortunately, for most people, the | | | | guide training that makes all the difference. |
| dream of seeing exotic locales and exploring the | | | | Finding the Right Tour Guide Training |
| sights and sounds of distant places remains just | | | | While some community colleges and universities |
| that - a dream. But some people choose to | | | | offer tour guide training, you can also earn a |
| transform their travel dreams into reality by | | | | certificate as a tour director through online |
| receiving tour guide training and becoming a tour | | | | courses. The best online courses offer the option |
| director or getting any one of a number of other | | | | of getting credit for the course through an |
| travel jobs. | | | | accredited college or university in your community. |
| Types of Tour Guide Jobs | | | | When looking at travel and tourism training |
| Travel and tourism training paves the way for | | | | options, look into the background of the instructor. |
| any number of tour guide jobs. Leading tours can | | | | Ideally, you will find someone with over a decade |
| mean sightseeing and bus tours, adventure tours, | | | | of extensive travel experience throughout the |
| sporting tours, and cruise ship excursions either | | | | world as a cruise host and international tour |
| near your home, within the United States, or | | | | director. He or she should also have considerable |
| internationally. With tour director training, you can | | | | tour guide training experience. |
| find work as varied as being a cruise host to | | | | A reputable tour director training course should |
| assuming a management position with a tour | | | | last about six weeks. It should cover the |
| company. The companies you can work for | | | | expectations, requirements, and procedures |
| include tour operators, destination management | | | | involved in tour directing and guiding, as well as |
| companies, and event planners. | | | | techniques for group management, creating and |
| Who Makes a Good Tour Director? | | | | delivering interesting narration, and handling |
| One of the wonderful things about the travel and | | | | challenges that arise. The course should also go |
| hospitality industry is that it encompasses a | | | | into depth about pre-tour planning, multi-day tours, |
| diverse array of jobs and draws people from a | | | | facing emergencies anywhere in the world, and |
| variety of backgrounds. In order to succeed in | | | | governmental regulations and procedures. Finally, a |
| the field, you simply need to love travel, enjoy | | | | good tour guide training course will explore the |
| working with people, and have the right travel and | | | | career opportunities available for a tour director, |
| tourism training. Some tour guides have extensive | | | | which opportunities are a good fit for your needs |
| travel experience prior to starting, while others | | | | and interests, and how to best write a resume, |
| just have natural curiosity and the desire to travel. | | | | network, and interview for travel jobs. |
| Many take tour guide jobs on a part-time basis, | | | | Getting paid to travel is a dream job. And, with |
| either during vacations from school, after | | | | the right tour guide training, you can make that |
| retirement, or during the "down time" of seasonal | | | | dream come true! |
| careers. Others work locally as full-time tour | | | | |