Lainey Colleen
what should i major in if i want to be a tour guide?
#tourguide # #major #majors
3 answers
Cassidy Lester
Cassidy’s Answer
I am a current tour guide and have done a variety of different types of tour guiding, it depends on what you are looking to do. There are all different types of tours- Educational tours, Adventure tours, Travel tours, Vip Tours.
My degree is in Communication and Business, but I did not go to school with the intention of being a tour guide. Being a tour guide requires having a well rounded personality but doesn't necessarily require a degree (depending on the type of tour guide you are trying to be).
If you want to be an educational tour guide where you teach people about a specific subject then it would make sense to at least have a minor in that subject. Most jobs will train you on what they want their tour to be like but you want to have background knowledge in order to answer your guests questions successfully.
I would also recommend studying a second language (or a third!). Many successful touring companies will attract guests from all over the world and you are more likely to get hired if you can communicate with more than one type of guest.
As previously stated, a club like Toastmasters would be very beneficial, you need to be very comfortable public speaking to both large and small groups and able to comprehend and answer questions quickly. Look for an opportunity to be a campus tour guide if your school does that, as that would look great on your resume when applying.
As the previous commenter stated, being a tour guide is a very fun job! But it is not always financially stable and is very tiring both mentally and physically, depending on the type of tour you are giving. Go in with an open mind and good luck!
Kim Igleheart
Kim’s Answer
I think back on the various tour guides I've known, and the good ones were all very personable, with a little bit of knowledge about everything! They knew how to get people involved, keep the conversation light, etc. So, I think a lot depends on what type of tour guide you want to be. For example, if you want to work at NASA, you'd probably want a science background, whereas if you wanted to work in areas known for their role in Colonial American History, you'd probably want a history background. But, if you plan on leading a charter bus into various cities, those busses often visit a variety of places. In San Antonio, you would have to know about the Alamo, but you would definitely need to be able to carry on a little about our San Antonio Spurs Basketball team! In a museum, you'd need more specific knowledge about early settlers, how they cooked, their tools, clothing, etc.
I do not know if you need a degree or not for this type of job. Over 50% of those in this field do not have a degree. https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Tour%20Guides%20and%20Escorts&onetcode=39701100&location=UNITED%20STATES
75% of people in this field earn less than $16/hr, which would make it difficult to pay back student loans.
I think being a tour guide would be exciting, at first, but you would want to explore opportunities to keep it fresh rather than giving the same tour for five years. I taught the same class twice a week for 8 years and it was not easy to keep it lively! I also think you should try to get into it right now. Possibly an employer would have a tuition assistance program. Other fields I think would be beneficial include psychology, sociology, public relations, communications, hospitality. The most important skill you want to work on right now is Customer Service: for example, waiting tables helps you to develop that connection with people. Also your speaking skills. Learn to use your voice, keep it pleasant, etc. If you have stage fright, look into joining Toastmasters/Toastmistresses to work on public speaking.
Bottom line: Because of the salaries, use caution in getting more than an Associates degree prior to entering the field, unless you have a highly specialized tour you want to work for.
I think this is a cool career choice, and I hope you can make it work for you!!
Kim
