Tour Guides
Overview
Introduction
Tour guides plan and oversee travel arrangements and accommodations for groups of tourists. They assist travelers with questions or problems, and they may provide travelers with itineraries of their proposed travel route and plans. Tour guides research their destinations thoroughly so that they can handle any unforeseen situation that may occur. There are approximately 57,300 tour and travel guides employed in the United States.
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Tour guides may find that they have peak and slack periods of the year that correspond to vacation and travel seasons. Many tour guides, however, work eight months of the year. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that in May 2019, median wages for tour and travel guides ranged from $9.38 per hour to $22.04 per hour (or from $19,500 to $45,850 or more annually), with medium hourly pay of $13.27...
Work Environment
The key word in the tour guide profession is variety. Most tour guides work in offices while they make travel arrangements and handle general business, but once on the road, they experience a wide range of accommodations, conditions, and situations. Tours to distant cities involve maneuvering through busy and confusing airports. Side trips may involve bus rides, train transfers, or private car ...
Outlook
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic caused travel restrictions and lockdowns, reducing the need for travel and tour guides. People are dreaming of traveling, however, and as lockdowns and restrictions are lifted, more people will be taking trips and in need of tour guides. The American Society of Travel Advisors conducted a public opinion survey, "2020 Back to Normal Barometer" study, which found...
