High School

If you are considering the business end of travel—working in a brokerage, planning tours, or eventually owning your own tour-packaging business—you should start taking business courses while still in high school. Accounting, computer science, mathematics or any other business-related course will give you a good start. Classes in geography, geology, social studies, and history might also help you understand and discuss the locations you may be dealing with. It is important to take a foreign language, a study you will probably need to continue throughout your career. Photography classes will be useful—especially if you plan to operate a firm that specializes in nature photography expeditions. Finally, classes in English or speech are always good choices for helping you develop the ability and confidence to deal with people.

If you are more interested in the fieldwork aspect of adventure travel, you will need to take classes that help you understand how the earth’s environment and ecosystem work. Because tour guides often explain the natural history of a location or educate tour groups on local wildlife and plant life, classes in earth science, biology, and geology are excellent choices. Classes that teach you about the social history of various places, such as social studies or anthropology, might also be beneficial.

Postsecondary Education

There are several different approaches you can take to prepare for a career in adventure travel. While it may not be necessary for all jobs, a college degree will likely give you a competitive edge in most employment situations. If you choose to obtain a college degree, some options for majors might be earth science, biology, geology, natural history, or environmental affairs. If you hope to become involved with an intensely physical form of adventure travel, a degree in health, physical education, or recreation may be a good choice.

If you are more interested in the planning and reservations end of adventure travel, a college degree in business is a good choice. Some adventure travel brokers suggest that attending one of the many travel agent schools also provides a good background for the administrative aspects of the business.

It may be possible to find a job in adventure travel without college training, if you happen to be very experienced and skilled in some form of adventure activity. If you choose this path, you should spend as much time as possible developing whatever skill interests you. There are classes, clubs, and groups that can teach you anything from beginning diving to advanced rock climbing.

Certification

The International Ecotourism Society offers the Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Management. The self-managed program, which can be completed online, awards three certificates: TIES Green Certificate, TIES Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Management, and TIES Master Certificate in Sustainable Tourism. Visit https://www.ecotourism.org for more information.

Other Education or Training

The Travel Institute offers educational programs such as sales skills development courses and destination specialist courses, which provide a detailed knowledge of various geographic regions of the world. The Outdoor Industry Association offers the Skip Yowell Future Leadership Academy, a six-month “immersive leadership experience for the next generation of outdoor industry ambassadors and game-changers.” Two education tracks are available: Individual Focused Learning and Outdoor Industry Focused Learning.

Certification or Licensing

The Travel Institute offers the designations of certified travel associate, certified travel counselor, and certified travel industry executive to applicants who complete education and experience requirements. While such certification is not required, it may be helpful to those running their own travel businesses. Many employers do require employees to have certification in certain areas, such as CPR and first aid. Also, depending on the job, you may need special certification or licensing, such as scuba certification so that you can lead diving activities, or licensing as a commercial driver so that you can transport clients in a company van or other vehicle. If you plan to open your own adventure tour operation, you will need to apply for a business license. Check with your local government offices for details on how to obtain one. Some employers may have minimum age requirements for those in certain positions.

Aspiring adventure travel specialists should try to obtain experience working or volunteering at an adventure travel company.

Adventure travel tour guides need to have a passion for sharing their love of nature and their knowledge with others. Also, because of the nature of this job, you should be in good physical shape. Other important qualities to have are maturity, responsibility, and common sense, especially when leading groups of travelers into the relative unknown.

Adventure travel professionals who work in an office developing and selling tours need some different personal qualities than those who work in the field. While being an active, outdoorsy person may help you sell tours, it is not a requirement for working in this branch of adventure travel. Good work ethics, attention to detail, and good organizational skills are more significant.