Tour guides have been around for a long time. It’s a job that has survived countless shifts in the job market.
This is a career that likely won’t die off anytime soon either. In 2017 it was still considered one of the fastest growing industries.
Do you think you’re right for this job?
You need to be knowledgeable, engaging, and patient. But if you can do these things, then you give your tour group a great time.
So how can you distinguish yourself as a tour guide and give a great tour?
Follow the five tips below to get started.
1. Learn Storytelling
When someone signs up for a tour, they aren’t signing up to only hear about facts. They want to know the story of the place they are visiting.
You need to develop excellent storytelling skills to do this. Developing a story for an area can make it easier for your guests to relate.
2. Get Others Involved
Learning about a location is all well and good, but getting others involved with the tour is a great way to keep them engaged with what’s going on.
You don’t have to make the whole tour about participation, but asking questions here and there is a great way to capture someone’s attention.
3. Learn to Love Your Tour Spots
If all you’re doing is going through the motions, people are going to know. You won’t give off good energy, and it will affect the enthusiasm of the people you are guiding.
Make sure you bring enthusiasm to your tours to show how much you love the spots you are showing.
Enthusiasm is infectious and can help your audience learn to love the location too.
4. Research Other Tours
While coming up with your own style is great, you can also learn from others.
Take a bit of time to go on other tours to see how they operate. You can learn a lot from others who have been in the game for a long time.
Learn about these tours to see how other areas structure things. Even one small thing you can add can make a huge difference.
5. Make Sure You Can Answer Any Questions
You aren’t going to get a crowd that is going to sit back and let you talk the whole time. You’re going to need to make sure you have enough knowledge of your area to answer any question that comes up.
The more you know, the better. But don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know something either.
If that’s the case, then make sure you have resources for your guests to get the information they want to know.
Start Your Journey to Be a Tour Guide Today
What can be better than helping people enjoy their time spent away on vacation? Being a tour guide is one of the most rewarding jobs you can have.
If you decide to down this road, make sure to follow these tips and do the work to give your guests the experience they deserve.
Is being a tour guide only one of the jobs you are looking at taking on? Head over to our blog for more ideas! We have more guides over there that can help explain what you can do to prepare for any job path you want to go down.
