How Do I Become a Tour Guide?
Last Updated: February 23, 2026
QUICK LINKS ON HOW TO BECOME A TOUR GUIDE
SHOULD YOU BECOME A TOUR GUIDE? | HOW TO BECOME A TOUR GUIDE | WHAT ARE COMPANIES LOOKING FOR? | WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU GET THE JOB | BECOMING THE BEST TOUR GUIDE
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Traveling the World and Making Money
Since the rise of Instagram and other social network sites, many of us have looked in awe at those living their best life, moving from one dream location to another.
Often, we do this whilst hiding our phones from our boss and pretending not to cry as we look out the office window into the grey, wet abyss outside.
Are you like us and looking for ways to join them?
If so, how?
Is there a way of making money whilst travelling the world, without having to learn trading techniques?
Yes, there are hundreds.
However, this blog concentrates on one of these methods. Today, I'm not going to tell you how to become a tour guide. I'm going to tell you how to become the best tour guide.
How can I claim this?
Simple.
I am a former worldwide number one tour guide for a travel company that specialises in group tours. My previous stomping grounds are the gorgeous sunkissed islands of Indonesia.
Should You Become A Tour Guide?
Before taking the plunge, you need to ask yourself:
Should I become a tour guide? Is it the job for me?
After all, there are, without doubt, easier ways to earn money on the road.
Becoming a tour guide is a drastic and dramatic way of travelling. Furthermore, it's a lifestyle change, not to mention... It's hard, hard work.
Of course, there are pro's and cons if you do decide to become a tour guide.
Pros:
- Incredibly rewarding.
- It's an honour to lead people into their first travel experience.
- You'll get to learn so many interesting things about different places, people and cultures that most people wouldn't get to see.
- You'll learn a lot about yourself, as well as acquire new skills.
Cons:
- Very long hours.
- Sleepless nights.
- Lots of responsibility.
- Not the most flexible way of travelling.
- Guests expect everything from you, and at any time. Essentially, they own you for the duration of the tour.
- You may get very irritating and awkward people on your tour that, usually, in day-to-day life, you'd tell to fuck off, but you can't.
- It can feel like you're babysitting a group of twenty-somethings who have forgotten how to use their brain.
Are you still buzzing? If so, I'll assume you truthfully want to become a tour guide.
How to Become A Tour Guide
Due to the high demand of people wanting the travel the world safely, securely, and with others, group tours, pre covid, were at an all-time high.
Therefore, travel companies who specialised in group tours were looking for new markets across the world. So, consequently, they needed to find guides to run these tours.
You will find adverts on Instagram, TV, Facebook etc. Yet, the best way of finding the right tour guiding job for you is to contact the company directly via their websites.
Since covid, many guides have returned to former lives back home, in search of a reliable income. As a result, once the travel industry is back, there'll be plenty of opportunities for you to become a tour guide.
Get in early.
How do you know which companies to contact?
This one is all about making the job work for you. Ask yourself several questions:
- Which country do you want to see or live in?
- Within that country, which cities interest you?
- What kinds of tours do you want to lead? 18-30's, the over 50's, cultural tours, party tours, the choices are endless.
- Research which companies operate in your chosen cities, and do they run the types of tours you're looking for?
Having answered these questions, you'll find there are a handful of tours that best fit you. Contact the tour companies, and show an interest in them, their mission statement, and their goals on ethics, travel and expectations.
Then it's as simple as applying.
What are companies Looking for?
The travel industry is a very niche business, a tour guide or manager, even more so.
Therefore, to get the role, you will have less competition as it doesn't suit everyone.
For example, a tour guide is not something you apply for if you want to make lots of money. The pay is crap, trust me. Secondly, it's not a role you'd take between jobs or something to fill the time until you find another job.
To be a tour guide means you live and breathe travel. Moreover, you want to pass this passion on to others, where you can encourage those who are unsure of themselves out of their comfort zones and send them on their way to becoming who they want to be. You can change peoples lives, and if you don't or don't want to put 100% into that, then tour guiding is not the job for you.
That is the first thing travel companies are looking for: Passion and a desire to give something to your customers that no one else can.
What do you need to cover in the all-important CV?
Your CV should be full of enthusiasm, and a lot of the time, if you can't meet all of the criteria, that can be the difference between getting a job or not.
- A passion for travel - Yes, I mentioned it again. That's a hint.
- Any travel experience - Tell your tales from the road.
- Leadership skills - Describe previous situations where you've led a team through something that could have ended poorly or how you dealt with a group of people in a confrontational situation. Make sure you cover the key points - What actions did you take? Why did you take the steps you took? How did your actions lead to a satisfactory outcome?
- That you're a people person, show them how you care about others, help those who are shy, and can pick up on when someone needs an arm around the shoulder.
- That you are fun. No one want's a tour leader who is dull as fuck. You need to be the person that can make a funeral procession belly laugh.
- Responsible - Remember, you could be in charge of twenty drunk people in a country they don't know, and it's your job to get them around safely whilst making sure they're having the best time. Yet, at the same time, do not look like you're working or that you're mothering them. And it all has to be done with a smile and a drink in hand.
- Organised - You have to be able to control a large group, stick to timings, book transport, hotels and activities, potentially in another language, all whilst suffering from a stinking hangover. Timing is crucial, and if you're not organised, you won't survive.
- Good communicator - You're going to be leading large groups around some of the wildest places on earth. Trust me, their eyes will avert to something other than you. Their ears will be twitching at the new surroundings, and their mind already thinking about who they want to go home with that evening. You must be able to converse with the group clearly and get your point across. You have to prove you can captivate your team and stop them from drifting into their own world.
Hopefully, you're super hyped now you've got your CV filled out.
Get it sent to a couple of the companies you've chosen and wait for the good news.
What to Expect Once You Become A Tour Guide
Ok, so you've got the job - Awesome!
However, you may still be a little unsure about what to expect.
Don't worry. I'll cover that for you now.
Firstly, the majority of the tour companies, especially those based in Asia or South America, will expect you to pay for your flights. At first, this may appear unfair and can be off-putting, paying hundreds of pounds to get to a job.
However, having lived the life and seen multiple tour guides not cut the mustard, I now understand why. No company is going to want to pay a few hundred pounds on getting you to the likes of Bali, only for you not to show up. Similarly, they don't want to fork out that money for you to run one tour and bugger off or not meet their standards. Sadly, it's fair.
Secondly, before writing to the government of your intended destination for a working visa, complete with your new employers address, speak to the company. They will tell you what they need you to do. However, make sure you're clear on what they are telling you.
Thirdly, learn the local language; it's the best way to deal with the locals, and you will gain a lot more respect from them, your colleagues, and your guests. Both Charlie and I have used Duolingo for this - you can find it on our best backpacking apps blog.
Similarly, learn about the tour and any information you will need to share with your future customers. The sooner you can reel off the information without a book in front of you, the better. It adds to that overall feeling of looking like you know what you're doing. Your boss and your guests will pick up on this quickly.
Finally, pack wisely, and get your ass down to the airport. Sink the obligatory airport pint and wait to be called to your gate.
Becoming the best Tour Guide
Ok, so that's the easy part done. Now you want to be the best.
If you don't, you're in the wrong job, my friend.
Admittedly, there is no exact science to being the best tour guide or tour manager. Yet, if you follow the below rules, you'll be in with a shout.
- Firstly, the second you arrive at your local airport, you're representing your new company. I didn't realise it at the time, but some of my first clients were on the same flight as me to Bali. You don't want them to see you causing a scene or being inappropriate. It's not cool, and you want to make a great first impression.
- Next, work hard. It sounds obvious, but as Arnie says, "hard work works". The more you put in, the better you'll be at tour guiding. Consequently, the easier the job will become, and the more you'll enjoy it. Customers will pick up on your vibes, and if you're happy, relaxed, and enjoying it, they will too. The aim is for things to run seamlessly and for it to look like you're not working. You should be calm, chilled, laughing and smoothly transition between one of the group, and the group leader. Lots of people on my tour groups said it felt like I was one of the group. Only, one who knew where we were going.
- Furthermore, understand that to be part of the group, you must be fun. No one wants a dull bastard showing them places. We have teachers for that. Your clients don't care that you've done the tour ten times or that you've done back to back tours. Similarly, they don't want to hear that you're not drinking with them because the last group were wild and you need sleep. They want you on top form as if this was your first and best tour.
- Learn from your colleagues. They have been there, done it, and know the information. Join them on their tours, where possible, and take note of how they deal with situations. Also, listen to how they deal with people and what exciting facts and information they dish out. It's all good learning. Watch for when they lose the interest of group members. You learn more from what doesn't work than what does.
- Quickly learn how to be a parent or a life councillor. But also, know when to back away and let people make a mistake or flourish without you.
- Finally, loosen up. I found this the hardest thing to master out of everything. I'm a well-organised person who has morals and a need to improve things, even if it means disadvantaging myself. I had to learn that not everyone lives by my standards, and that's hard to take. My biggest annoyance is lateness, be on time. For me, learning that twenty people with hangovers, on holiday, don't care about timeliness is something you will have to learn too. Loosen up - people don't live by your rules, and you have to accept that. If you don't, you will crumble.
Obviously, there are many other things that you can do to be the best. But by following these fundamental principles, you'll be a great tour guide.
My Final Thought
Whilst this final bit of advice isn't a rule. It is something you should consider, and think carefully about if you want to become the best tour guide.
Do you remember your very first tentative steps into travelling? You're first time away from home and being able to go anywhere, do anything, and meet the most amazing people. I bet the answer is yes. I also expect you can recall a list of names that you met on this journey. Likewise, I expect you have that one person you can remember above all others who made your travel experience what it was.
When you think of travelling, you think of them, and when you think of them, you smile. Be that person to every single person on your tour.
You can change a life in this job, make sure it's for the better.
Honestly, I saw people grow, going home a different person within a short 10-day tour, and there is no better reward than that. Be that person that people immediately think of when they think of travelling.
Leave a comment
Good luck to all of you who read this blog, and I wish you every success in becoming a tour guide and, of course, being the best.
Hopefully, this blog has set you up nicely to succeed in the role. However, if at any point you get a little stuck, drop us a comment below, or message me on Instagram. I will do my best to help you out in any circumstances that I can.
Plus, it would be nice to hear from you if I've helped you achieve your dream of being able to earn money as you travel.