Do You Want to Get Paid to Travel? Here’s What You Should Know

Travel may be expensive for most people, but there are jobs where you get paid to travel instead of paying. Travel and tour management careers give you a chance to travel to foreign countries and exotic destinations – and get paid to do it. If you enjoy travel and adventure, there are many jobs within the travel and tourism industry that might fit your interests – but are they the right jobs for you? These questions can help you decide if a job where you get paid to travel is a good fit for you.

Do You Love to Travel?

Most people think that tour guides jobs are ideal for people who love to travel, but there are other traits that are far more important. Travel guides and adventure guides are there for their guests, not for themselves. You won’t have a lot of time for yourself, and you will probably be visiting the same places week after week after week. In fact, in some travel careers, you’ll basically be making your home in another city and guiding others around it.

So What Traits Do You Need?

The most important trait for travel guides is being good with people, because you’ll be dealing with people all the time. In addition, it’s a real bonus if you have a real interest in learning the history and cultures of various cities and areas of the world.

Are There Any Qualifications for Tour Guides Jobs?

You may need a license to lead tours in some cities, but there’s no formal course of study for tour guide jobs and training is mostly on the job. A relevant degree may help you land a job, but in most cases, it’s more important to know your way around the travel and tourism industry. There are a number of companies that offer travel training that can help you find travel guides or adventure guides jobs.

What Skills Are Important for Tour Guides to Know?

Besides people skills, there are a few other important skills to know and things you should know how to do.

Logistics

There are a lot of aspects involved in planning tours for a group of people. While tour guides don’t usually do the planning and make the contacts, they do have to keep track of all the details and know where everyone – and their luggage and supplies – are supposed to be once the tour group gets on the road.

A Cool Head in an Emergency

From lost wallets to tour bus accidents, just about anything can happen on a tour. When emergencies occur, the tour guides need to know how to deal with them. If you can keep your head when dealing with unexpected events, you may do well in travel careers.

In addition, tour guides need to be energetic, hard-working and quick to learn about new cities and cultures. If you possess these traits, a tour guides job or another job where you get paid to travel might be a great choice for you.