The life of a Tour Leader is enough to make most people envious. From travelling the world and getting paid for it to controlling your schedule, time off and earning potential, it’s the dream job! If you’re built for it, that is. It’s true that most Tour Leading skills can be taught, and you can, without a doubt, dig up any information you need about a destination. But what really makes a Tour Leader successful is the temperament!
Read on for the TourCademy breakdown of what it takes to be a Tour Leader.
Tour Leaders aren’t the typical type of people you’d find in an office job. They tend to love squeezing every last bit out of life! While it’s not to say that Tour Leaders can’t adhere to a schedule (now and then), they usually crave freedom from the restraints of routine and monotony. It’s a common misconception that all it takes to be a Tour Leader is a love of travel. Consider that myth squashed! Millions of people love travelling, yet there’s always a demand for Tour Leaders… that’s because there’s a bit more to it.
Escape the office in exchange for the freedom of travel if you are:
- Passionate about people
- Skilled at organising
- A born leader
- Adept at accounting
- Prone to research
- Proficient in English
- A team player
- A history and culture buff
To boil it down, Tour Leaders aren’t just those people who love to travel. They’re the ones who love sharing their travels with people. They’re not the ones with favourite destinations but rather the trailblazers who seek out new ones!
Beyond the temperament, Tour Leaders simply have to be good at certain things. And while a lot of it can be taught, it sure helps if you have a natural knack for:
Organisation & PlanningAs you’ll be overseeing pretty much every element of the tour except for marketing and driving, having a fair share of experience in planning and organisation will take you far! Between itinerary pages, vendor details, passenger dietary restrictions, travel documents and more, you’ll have to be able to juggle a lot at any given moment. If you can also really juggle, that might score you some extra tips from bored passengers on longer drives! But more on that later.
Budgeting & Accounting
Sure, the tour has been booked and paid for long before you meet your passengers. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be handling money matters, and lots of them. From keeping track of spending to keeping customers’ cash organised for on-tour experiences, money will certainly be flowing in and out of your hands on a daily basis and you must be able to keep track of it all.
Diplomacy & Professionalism
On tour, everybody usually gets along quite well as they already share a common interest in travel and the destinations they’re visiting. But sometimes, tensions can rise as personalities, worldviews, religions and cultures clash. It’s your job as the Tour Leader to be able to handle these situations diplomatically and professionally, getting the tension resolved while positively representing yourself and your company.
As a Tour Leader, you’ll get to experience the cultures, destinations and people of the world while you enjoy a flexible schedule where you choose when to work. This means you’re in control of how much you earn and how much downtime you have.
It’s an opportunity unlike any other to connect with a variety of people, cultures and countries daily. If that’s already your passion, this will make tour leading a wildly fulfilling career. You’re given the gift to take part in creating happiness for all types of people all over the world!
You’ll live an undeniably dynamic life travelling to the most incredible places and working in an ever-evolving industry with endless potential for growth since you’re your own boss. If you work hard and become one of the best, you can vastly increase your earning potential and achieve financial freedom.
Entertainment & EducationOn the road, you’re the one in front, with a mic, meaning eyes are on you! Sometimes, the roads get long, so you have to be prepared to entertain your passengers with games, fun facts, or even juggling!
Cash Management & Bookkeeping
As mentioned, a lot of the on-the-road experiences require cash, and you’re the one who has to manage it. As in, collect it, pay for what’s necessary, and keep detailed notes about cash in and cash out.
Caretaking & Emergency Assistance
The team behind you will do what they can to ensure everything runs smoothly from the moment you depart until the moment you return. But, once you depart, it’s basically in your hands to deal with unforeseen circumstances like schedule changes or emergencies swiftly and tactfully.
Manage Expectations vs Reality
Travelling, for some, can often be a humbling experience. When the attractions they’ve dreamed of seeing for years aren’t as big as they imagined, or the waterfall excursion they were holding out for is cancelled due to weather. As a Tour Leader, it’s your responsibility to keep the passengers happy, even when they’re disappointed. This often requires managing their expectations beforehand.
Be Calm & Collected
Last but certainly not least, no matter what happens on the road, you cannot panic. You’re the one in charge, so panicked people will look to you for solace and peace if they need to. Stay calm in any situation, exciting or otherwise, and you should be sorted!
