tour leader job profile

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Work as a G Adventures Tour Leader

There’s a reason they get the title ceo.

Become a CEO

We don’t have tour leaders; we have CEOs (Chief Experience Officers). They’re the backbone of our company, leading our customers to adventures. CEOs are the face of G Adventures, helping travellers of all ages connect with our world.

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Why become a CEO

Change people’s lives

As a CEO, you’ll give our travellers memories to last a lifetime, and change people’s lives by connecting remote communities with the economic benefits of the global tourist chain.

Explore the world

Who can say that they get paid to travel the world? Well, you can! Take a group of travelers on life-changing trips and have the time of your life while getting paid. That’s a serious win-win.

Create happiness and community

Meet people from all walks of life, creating happiness and community for them – as well as for yourself! There’s simply no other job in the world like it.

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• Tour Leaders
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Become a Tour Leader.

Our tour leaders    .

Our leaders are the best folk to show you the heart of a destination, they are not only travel experts, but teachers, travel gurus and enthusiastic purveyor of grassroots experiences.  As a local leader with Intrepid you’ll guide our travellers through authentic, experience-rich travel - all with a smile.   

What we look for in our Tour Leaders  

An important part of our customer experience is that they fully immerse themselves in the destination with authentic experiences, so our leaders are true locals. They know the urban legends behind every town square, the shortcuts down timeworn alleys and the traditional dishes you wouldn’t find on the tourist menu.  Our leaders come from strong customer service backgrounds and are incredible at building relationships with a broad range of people.  

But most importantly, our leaders are passionate and love sharing the joy of travel.  

Our Leaders  

Our leaders are the best folk to show you the heart of a destination, they are not only travel experts, but teachers, travel gurus and enthusiastic purveyor of grassroots experiences.  As a local leader with Intrepid you’ll guide our travellers through authentic, experience rich travel - all with a smile.   

What we look for in our Tour Leaders

We work with Local leaders in our destinations, it is an important part of our customer experience that they fully immerse in the destination with authentic experiences, so our leaders are true locals, they know the urban legends behind every town square, the hand shortcuts down timeworn alleys and the traditional dishes you wouldn’t find on the tourist menu.  Our leaders come from strong customer service backgrounds and are incredible at building relationships with a broad range of people. 

But most importantly, our leaders are passionate and love what they do. 

Hend | Cairo, Egypt

How long have you been an Intrepid Tour Leader?

What is one thing travellers must do in Eqypt?

Spend a night under the stars on a felucca on the Nile.

What is the best thing about being a Tour Leader?  

Getting people back travelling and sharing my country’s history and beauty with all my travellers.

Darlene | Nairobi, Kenya

What is one thing travellers must do in Kenya?

Sleep under the stars in the Maasai Mara.

What is the best thing about being a Tour Leader? 

Learning from travellers around the world. I learn so much from them.

Ibrahim | Amman, Jordan

What is one thing travellers must do in Jordan?

Walk through the Siq and visit Petra.

Bringing people together. We’re all one big family at the end of the trip.

Hend | Cairo, Egypt

The world needs intrepid people, global, united, fun .

Our Tour Leaders are Intrepid, they are the heart of our customer experience, and it is because of them, that our travellers have truly authentic experiences, whether that be finding the tastiest mole in Mexico, seeking the best merchants through the bazaars of Morocco, or getting you from A to B like a local.  Tour Leaders are united with their passion for travel and love of their country and region - and our travellers. If you'd like to learn more about our legendary leaders, you can meet some more of them here! 

Benefits of Tour Leading with Intrepid 

At Intrepid, we understand our Leaders are the core of our customer experience, and in return, we offer a range of benefits that vary from destination to destination. You can expect:  

• Variety of work/tours   
• Flexible scheduling  
• Discounts off your own travel with Intrepid  
• E-learning platforms to further develop your skillset  
• Full training is provided before you even begin 
• A wealth of career opportunities throughout our global business  
• High levels of on-ground support   
• Reward & recognition programs with company events 

Become a Tour Leader

If you’d like to become a Leader with us, we’d love to hear from you!  We encourage you to check out our  current opportunities  to look over and apply for any opportunities in your region!  Our recruitment is seasonal and each region has different specific requirements for you to lead with us 

If there are no availabilities in the regions you'd like to lead, you can express your interest below and register to receive updates for when we do start recruiting. 

If you’d like to become a Leader with us, we’d love to hear from you! We encourage you to check out our  current opportunities  to look over and apply for any opportunities in your region!  Our recruitment is seasonal and each region has different specific requirements for you to lead with us 

If you’d like to become a Leader with us, we’d love to hear from you!   We encourage you to check out our  current opportunities  to look over and apply for any opportunities in your region!  Our recruitment is seasonal and each region has different specific requirements for you to lead with us 

we are intrepid

We are intrepid.

Our leaders don't simply read from a guidebook, they share who they are, their passion, their love of their culture and region every single day, and they are as unique as the destinations we visit.  Every single day they create positive change through the joy of travel and every day our local leaders change the way travellers see the world.

We recruit for leaders seasonally, if there is nothing advertised for your region and you'd like to hear from us when we start recruiting, we encourage you to express your interest below.

_________________________________________________________

As an Australian-owned business, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to their Elders past, present and future.

Learn more about Intrepid:  Trips  |  Company  |  Purpose

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Tour manager

As a tour manager you'll use your love of travel to organise and accompany groups of holidaymakers on tours to a variety of UK and overseas locations

Tour managers ensure travel arrangements run as smoothly as possible and provide holidaymakers with practical support throughout their trip. An in-depth knowledge of a particular area or region is essential, and you may act as a tour guide during the tour.

On overseas tours, you'll use your language skills and knowledge, for example of the culture or history of an area, to ensure the tour goes smoothly and that holidaymakers enjoy themselves.

Tour managers are also sometimes known as tour directors.

Responsibilities

As a tour manager, you'll need to:

• accompany groups travelling by coach, or in some cases by car, boat, train or plane
• welcome groups of holidaymakers at their starting point and announce details of travel arrangements and stop-over points
• check tickets and other relevant documents, seat allocations and any special requirements
• help with passport and immigration issues
• assist holidaymakers with check-in and settle them into their accommodation
• communicate a range of information on itineraries, destinations and culture
• inform passengers of arrival and departure times at each destination on the itinerary and ensure that all members of the group are back on the coach before departing from each stop
• develop a specialist area of knowledge
• use professional knowledge to answer questions from holidaymakers and to fulfil their expectations of the tour
• make sure all travel arrangements run according to plan and that accommodation, meals and service are satisfactory
• organise entry to attractions and transport, such as car hire
• ensure that the tour is running smoothly for individual members of the group
• respond to questions and offer help with any problems that arise, ranging from simple matters, such as directing a member of the group to the nearest chemist, to more serious issues, such as tracing lost baggage
• deal with emergencies, such as helping a holidaymaker who is ill or those needing to contact family members urgently
• make contact in advance with places to stay or visit to check details and arrangements
• liaise with hotels, coach companies, restaurants and other clients
• advise about facilities, such as sights, restaurants and shops, at each destination
• occasionally make accommodation bookings on proposed dates
• organise and attend tourism events, conferences, workshops, seminars and exhibitions
• write reports and maintain records
• provide feedback after a tour as part of a debrief session.
• Starting salaries for tour managers in full-time employment typically range from £15,000 to £20,000, plus board and lodging when on tour.
• Experienced tour managers can expect to earn between £25,000 and £30,000.
• Salaries for those at senior level or with extensive experience can be in excess of £30,000.

Pay is usually calculated per day, with rates and expenses varying between companies. Salaries vary considerably depending on the company, location/country visited and type of tour.

Salary may be enhanced by commission and tips; the amount will depend on the clients and the tour. Industry conditions have an impact on salary levels.

The work is often seasonal, with more jobs available during the holiday periods. Tour managers may take on other work to boost their income.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

As tour managers are responsible for holidaymakers throughout their tour, working hours are generally from early morning through until late in the evening, including weekends. You may be on call 24 hours a day, in case of an emergency.

What to expect

• Tour managers involved in the planning and organisation of tours or special-interest holidays may be employed continuously, especially with large tour operators.
• Tour managers are often self-employed, working on a freelance basis, moving from one tour to another.
• The work is often without supervision or an office base and there is usually considerable contact with clients.
• Job levels are affected by the political and economic climate in the UK and overseas.
• Tour managers are always on show during a tour, so your appearance and clothing must be smart and your behaviour exemplary. Most tour managers wear a uniform.

Qualifications

Although this area of work is open to all graduates, the following degree, foundation degree or HND subjects may increase your chances:

• archaeology
• business with languages
• modern languages
• travel, tourism, leisure studies.

Entry without a degree or HND is possible, although it can take time to build up the required level of experience.

A pre-entry postgraduate qualification isn't essential.

Another route into this work is to train as an apprentice in the leisure, travel and tourism sector, for example as an overseas resort representative. Search for a travel apprenticeship .

A good working knowledge of foreign languages is usually required for overseas work. Experience of living and working overseas is also useful.

You'll need to have:

• a pleasant, outgoing and friendly manner with excellent people and verbal communication skills
• the ability to get on well with people of all ages and backgrounds
• a supportive, tactful and approachable manner
• good listening and questioning skills
• excellent planning and organisational skills
• self-confidence and the ability to inspire confidence in others
• good health and physical fitness in order to cope with the demands of the job and the long working hours
• the capacity to make decisions quickly and change arrangements as required
• the ability to work well under pressure and cope with emergencies
• independence
• a flexible approach to work
• energy, stamina and the enthusiasm to cope with different people's needs and demands over long, often irregular, working hours
• health and safety awareness
• an interest in geography and historical sites.

A first aid qualification is also useful.

Work experience

Pre-entry experience, for example as a holiday representative on a tourist resort, is a useful stepping stone into tour management. Specialist knowledge, for example in the archaeology, history or culture of a particular region or country, is important. Experience of dealing with the public, particularly in the tourism sector, in a travel agency or tourist resort, is valuable.

Attending some trade fairs and exhibitions will help you make contacts and get an insight into the industry. The Institute of Travel & Tourism (ITT) organises a variety of formal and informal events for its members, and these are good for networking and gaining knowledge about the industry.

Student membership of key bodies also provides opportunities for networking and training. The International Association of Tour Managers (IATM) offers affiliate membership to graduates of tourism degree courses or if you're new to tour managing.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers of tour managers range from large, national and international tour operators, to small, specialist tour companies organising package tours and specialist trips, such as sports tours, music tours and educational tours.

You can make speculative applications in the autumn, for tours in the following spring/summer.

You can find the contact details of many tour operators through professional bodies, such as:

• Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO)
• European Tour Operators Association (ETOA)
• Guild of British Coach Operators

Competition is keen so be proactive and look at travel brochures and websites for information on different companies. The more experienced tour managers are usually given the more lucrative tours.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Travel Trade Recruitment
• Travel Weekly

Professional development

As a new tour manager you'll usually attend a short induction course provided by your employer. This will include an introduction to the main destinations used and an overview of company policies and procedures. You may also do a 'shadow tour', where you'll accompany a more established manager on a trip.

Once in post, you'll be expected to keep your knowledge up to date. This can include researching the culture and recreational activities of a particular area, so that you can accurately inform holidaymakers when accompanying tours.

Study tours, conferences and courses are offered by private providers and professional bodies, such as the ITT and the IATM.

Active membership of the IATM is open to tour managers with at least one season's experience. One season's experience qualifies tour managers for Silver Badge membership; five seasons' experience qualifies them for Gold Badge membership.

The IATM Certificate of Tour Management (CTM) , awarded by the Institute for Education in the Travel World (IVOR), is a two-day course that recognises the qualifications of experienced tour managers.

Career prospects

You'll typically get experience in a related role, such as a tour representative or tour guide, before moving into a tour manager role. Work is often seasonal, so you may need to take on other work to boost your income. As you gain more experience, you're likely to be given the more lucrative tours.

If you work for a large tour operator you may be able to progress to the position of tour manager, leader or supervisor, working solely on tour development or in other office-based managerial positions within the company.

You could also move into other areas of tourism, working for travel agencies, tourist boards or offices, and tourist information centres.

It may be possible to set up your own tour operation business, either independently or through a franchise opportunity. Having a particular country or specialist area of interest, may be particularly useful in these cases.

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• Job Descriptions
• Hospitality and Tourism Job Descriptions

Tour Guide Job Description

Tour guides familiarize people with the history, functions, and customs of a particular region or establishment. Though customers typically include foreigners on vacation, virtually any person can attend a tour.

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Tour Guide Job Description Template

We are searching for a vibrant tour guide to join our established company. The tour guide's responsibilities include planning travel itineraries, familiarizing customers with the locality by vehicle or foot, and ensuring that the group remains safe at all times. You should also stay up-to-date with new attractions that may be of interest to customers.

To ensure success as a tour guide, you should be an excellent storyteller with a knack for customer service. An outstanding tour guide will perform minor alterations to each itinerary to suit the unique interests of each group.

Tour Guide Responsibilities:

• Greeting and welcoming customers to the tour.
• Informing customers about the itinerary for each tour.
• Planning itineraries in accordance with weather forecasts and the length of each tour.
• Scheduling visits and purchasing tickets to museums, galleries, protected parks, and other attractions ahead of time, if required.
• Planning alternate activities in the event that cancellations, closures, or weather prohibit you from attending scheduled events.
• Gathering and maintaining the requisite equipment for each tour.
• Familiarizing yourself with the layout and history of the region or establishment in which you will be working.
• Familiarizing customers with each region or establishment.
• Encouraging guests to apply sunscreen regularly and to remain hydrated, if applicable.
• Directing customers to other, noncompeting services that might be of interest to them.

Tour Guide Requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Prior experience as a tour guide is advantageous.
• Capacity to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Adherence to prescribed safety codes.
• Excellent conversational skills with a knack for storytelling.
• Personable, humorous disposition.
• Outstanding organizational, time management, and improvisational skills.
• Passionate about traveling.
• Ability to work during evenings and on weekends.

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Tour Leader or Manager

A tour manager or tour leader plans and accompanies a group of holidaymakers on a tour, within the UK or abroad, making sure everything runs to plan. The tour, lasting days or weeks, is usually by coach, but sometimes includes travel by train, plane or boat.

You could be:

• designing tours and booking all aspects, such as accommodation and meals
• making deals with hotels and theatres to provide meals, accommodation and entertainment
• assisting with meal preparation and buying supplies on some types of tours
• welcoming groups at the starting point and making sure that everyone has arrived
• pointing out and explaining tourist attractions during the trip
• answering questions and giving advice on language and currency
• making sure travel arrangements and stopovers run smoothly and changing routes or arrangements as necessary
• handling passport or visa problems, emergencies, illness, accidents, lost luggage and any complaints.

The figures below are only a guide. Income for tour managers or tour leaders varies considerably, depending on:

• where you work
• the size of the company or organisation you work for
• the demand for the job.

Most tour managers or tour leaders are self-employed and work for tour operators on a freelance basis, charging a fee for each tour.

Starting pay can be between £15,000 and £20,000 a year, which can rise up to around £30,000 with experience. In addition you may get, for the duration of each tour, a daily allowance plus free board and lodgings, plus other relevant expenses.

• You work long hours including early mornings, evenings, and weekends; you are usually on duty day and night for the tour's duration, which can be for a few weeks at a time.
• You work both indoors and outdoors.
• You are away from home, sometimes abroad, for days, weeks or even months at a time.
• Depending on the type of tour you lead, your accommodation could be anything from a hotel or hostel to a tent.
• You might have to wear a uniform.
• The work is seasonal, but it is possible to work all year round if you are prepared to work in different countries.
• Some tour managers are self-employed.

Workforce Employment Status

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Useful Subjects

• Mandarin (Simplified)
• Mandarin (Traditional)
• Modern Languages
• SfW Travel and Tourism
• Skills and personality are more important than formal qualifications, but a good general education is useful.
• Fluency in a foreign language is usually necessary, especially if working abroad.
• You should have knowledge of and interest in the history and geography of the area you want to work in.
• You should be in good physical condition if the tour involves adventure activities, for example trekking or kayaking.
• A driving licence may be an advantage, particularly a PCV licence as some jobs involve being a driver/tour manager.
• If working as a driver tour leader, you usually need to be at least 25 years of age for insurance purposes.

Vacancies appear in trade journals such as Travel Weekly, Travel Trade Gazette and on websites which advertise travel jobs such as traveljobsearch.com. Once you have relevant experience you can register with a travel related employment agency such as New Frontiers.

Workforce Education Levels (UK)

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Job Outlook Scotland

Job outlook scotland and uk.

What Does it Take?

You need to be:

• able to communicate with a wide range of people
• able to deal with problems and emergencies in a calm manner
• good at solving problems
• responsible and able to make decisions
• tolerant and resilient.

You need to have:

• leadership skills
• a smart appearance
• awareness of safety issues and first aid
• excellent organisation and time management skills
• a knowledge of foreign languages
• lots of energy and a sense of humour
• good knowledge of the history, culture and geography of the countries you are based in.
• New tour managers or tour leaders usually attend an induction course covering main destinations, company policies and health and safety. Courses can last a few weeks.
• You may accompany an experienced tour manager for your first few trips.
• You are expected to keep your knowledge of routes, places of interest and accommodation up-to-date.
• The International Association of Tour Managers (IATM) offers two certificates to its active members, The European Tours Managers Certificate and The Tour Manager/Tour Guide's Certificate (TMC/TGC), which identifies you as a professional tour manager. To gain the certificate you must be a member and pass a written and oral exam. The association also organises educational tours and programmes aimed at developing your skills.

You may move on to manage a number of tour leaders.

Courtesy of Travel Editions

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.

Springboard Tel: 020 7921 0420 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.careerscope.uk.net Website (2): http://springboard.uk.net/ Twitter: @Springboard_UK Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpringboardUKCharity/ Springboard UK promotes career opportunities in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries.

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Tour Leader Resume Samples

The guide to resume tailoring.

Guide the recruiter to the conclusion that you are the best candidate for the tour leader job. It’s actually very simple. Tailor your resume by picking relevant responsibilities from the examples below and then add your accomplishments. This way, you can position yourself in the best way to get hired.

Craft your perfect resume by picking job responsibilities written by professional recruiters

Pick from the thousands of curated job responsibilities used by the leading companies, tailor your resume & cover letter with wording that best fits for each job you apply.

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• Maintain communication with management and the office
• Make and/or confirm reservations for accommodation, transportation and activities
• Consistently deliver a high level of customer service and traveller satisfaction
• Lead camp setup and breakdown
• Continually increase your knowledge about the visited country, its culture, religion, current affairs, environment, etc
• Maintain a valid passport and visa. It is the responsibility of the Leader to stay up to date on any travel restrictions based on his/her nationality
• Keep vaccinations and preventive medication up to date
• Perform all necessary trip paperwork, in a timely manner
• Use exceptional teamwork to partner with your co-CEO and deliver a life changing trip
• Provide leadership for our travelers and be responsible for their well-being
• Act as day-to-day guide, manager, and driver (see driving section below)
• Ensure gear and equipment is in excellent working condition
• Provide a report for each trip in the requested format, if requested
• Act as day-to-day guide, interpreter and manager of the group
• Provide assistance to the regional office when requested
• Maintain the established itinerary as closely as possible
• Provide leadership for our travellers and be responsible for their well-being
• Be mindful of potential opportunities for G Adventures, such as new destinations, new CEOs, new markets or ways to improve itineraries
• Act as day-to-day guide, interpreter, manager, and organizer of the group
• Train new CEOs as selected, passing on all relevant information
• Keep trip notes updated in a standardized format

15 Tour Leader resume templates

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• G Adventures is the number one small group adventure travel company in the world!
• Comprehensive training including driving, commercial licensing, trip planning & execution, group dynamic management, crisis and conflict management, public speaking, budgeting and more
• An incredible work environment with fantastic support, resources and culture
• Join a GLOBAL community of like-minded, passionate people who are all in love with what they do
• Make an impact. G Adventures focuses on sustainable and responsible travel. Everything we do globally reflects our core values, and through tourism we make a difference. We change lives
• Competitive pay. Many of our CEO's spend their offseason traveling the world
• Opportunities for internal advancement: G Adventures maintains operational offices in San Jose (Costa Rica), Quito, Lima, Cusco, Buenos Aires, Rio De Janeiro, London, Delhi, Cairo, Nairobi, Capetown, Bangkok and Beijing. We also have sales staff in Western and Eastern Canada, the United States, the UK and Australia. The Toronto head office is divided into Sales, Marketing/E-commerce, Planeterra, Accounting, I.T. and Operations/Product. Many of the current staff, especially those in Operation, began their careers leading groups in some corner of the globe
• *QUALIFIED APPLICANTS MUST HOLD APPROPRIATE CITIZENSHIP OR DOCUMENTS PERMITTING THEM TO RESIDE AND WORK IN CANADA***
• ** Please note: This is not an active hiring season for Canada. Your application will remain on file but you may not hear from us until recruitment is opened up again. The active recruitment season for Canada is in January****
• A Love for Adventure Travel: Previous experience living, travelling, studying or working abroad is an essential requirement for this position
• Bilingualism and language skills: A good command of the English language is required, it is mandatory to speak fluent Spanish to lead tours for us in Central America
• Excellent Leadership and Communication Skills: We look for people who have experience in leadership roles, with a proven ability to communicate effectively in a wide range of contexts
• Resourcefulness: We need CEOs who have a good head on their shoulders, who can remain calm and collected under unpredictable and stressful circumstances
• Awareness of and Commitment to Sustainable Tourism: Our CEOs need to be committed to environmentally and culturally responsible tourism, and be an inspiring example to the travellers
• Regional Commitment: G Adventures hires CEOs for 18-month contracts in Central America. It takes time and effort to learn the skills that make a good leader, and once you are ready we want to have you around for a while!
• Good Health and High Energy Level: Whether it’s a 13-hour bus ride, a long day's trek with a difficult group of travellers, or an included rafting adventure, you need to be the friendly, happy, helpful face of G Adventures - even when it's raining and you've got diarrhea!!
• First Aid/CPR Certification: CEOs must be prepared to act in case of emergency
• Background in basic accounting/budgeting: Experience working with budgets or developing a personal budget is an asset
• Computer literacy: A working knowledge of the Internet, E-mail, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel is essential
• Deal directly with your traveller’s issues and concerns
• Make and confirm reservations for accommodation, transport and activities as required
• Maintain daily expenditure accounts, retain receipts and keep expenses within trip budget
• Train new CEOs as required, passing on all relevant information
• Advise travellers on suitable restaurants, additional transport requirements, souvenirs, etc
• Continually increase knowledge about region’s culture, religion, current affairs, environment
• Have detailed knowledge of hotels, sights, restaurants, transport, souvenirs, prices, etc. Develop information sources and contacts that can be of assistance when required
• Maintain a valid passport and visa. It is the responsibility of the CEO to stay up to dates on any travel restrictions based on their nationality
• Keep vaccinations and preventative medication up to date
• Learn about and understand Planeterra and it’s relationship with G Adventures
• ** Please note: This is not an active hiring season for Africa. Your application will remain on file but you may not hear from us until recruitment is opened up again. The active recruitment season for Africa is in December****
• Additional Information: After receiving your online application, we will need to receive your driving record, and possibly other information. We cannot proceed with hiring until we have a driving record
• Online video interview: You will be asked pre-recorded video questions and have an opportunity to record answers. This allows you to give us a better understanding of your personality, communication style, and what makes you tick
• Formal Interview(s): The formal interview(s) will be via Skype and allow us to understand why you want this job, what you bring to the table, and what your career goals are. It will also be a chance to get your burning questions answered
• Informal interview: purpose is to assess culture fit
• Training: If you successfully complete the hiring process, you will be invited to attend training at our San Francisco Headquarters in the Spring of 2017. We are looking forward to welcoming you to our team!
• *QUALIFIED APPLICANTS MUST HOLD APPROPRIATE CITIZENSHIP OR DOCUMENTS PERMITTING THEM TO RESIDE AND WORK IN THE USA***

Tour Leader / Naturalist Guide Resume Examples & Samples

• Provide a report for each trip in the required format, if requested
• Have detailed knowledge of hotels, sights, restaurants, transport, souvenirs, prices, etc
• Develop information sources and contacts that can be of assistance when required
• Learn about and understand Planeterra, G Adventures’ non-profit foundation, and it’s relationship with G Adventures

Related Job Titles

Apply to become an Expat Explore Tour Leader

If you're a passionate traveller, a quick thinker, and enjoy meeting diverse people from all over the world, a career as a Tour Leader could be your perfect fit!

Tour Leader applications for 2024 have closed. Submit your CV in the meantime using the form below, and we'll contact you if 2024 vacancies arise and when 2025 recruitment starts.

Send Us Your CV

Comments from our co-founders.

Dear Explorer,

Thank you for your interest in Expat Explore, and welcome to our recruitment page.

As the founders of Expat Explore, we are confident that you will find working as a tour leader and becoming a part of the Expat Explore family to be a rewarding experience. As a tour leader, you will be the face of the company, giving our passengers the time of their lives.

What you will experience when tour leading for Expat Explore is a direct result of the work that ourselves and our hardworking team have put into designing and operating every tour. Every day, we aim to improve the tours and surprise the clients with the standard of service that they receive on tour.

We hope to see you on board with us very soon!

Carl Cronje & Jakes Maritz

Bid the 9-to-5 adieu and make the world your office!

• Ensure the tour is well organised and runs according to the itinerary
• Book or confirm all meals and accommodation required by the company
• Providing passengers with a detailed programme for the day every morning and/or evening
• Proactive planning for days ahead and upcoming tours
• Responsible for your own mobile phone budget and keeping spend within this budget
• Reconfirming hotels and suppliers before arrival
• Provide expert, informative commentaries on countries, cities and sights visited
• Stimulate the social aspect of the tour by organising activities and competitions
• Encourage groups to mingle wherever possible
• Deal with a wide variety of people and situations diplomatically and professionally as the tour leader and a representative of Expat Explore
• Facilitate a harmonious relationship between passengers, staff and service providers
• Always be polite and friendly towards passengers     
• Sharing your knowledge in a professional and informative manner
• Develop your knowledge of cities, sights and countries
• Keeping your knowledge up to date and recent
• As the tour leader, it's your responsibility to know the answer to every possible question Learning basic language skills of the countries you are visiting
• Complete a neat, balanced, receipted set of accounts at the end of each tour
• Pay all tour bills, accommodation, parking, city/road taxes, etc.
• Plan expenditure in advance so that you always have money available for expenses
• Collect money for optional excursions and make a payment for the services
• To be aware of passenger safety at all times
• To educate passengers to ensure their personal and property safety
• To deal with emergency situations that arise such as ill health, accidents and loss of property
• Liaise with the London office
• To facilitate quick and efficient professional help such as doctors, lawyers and ambulances when needed
• Exceeding customer expectations on a daily basis
• Make it easy for passengers to talk to you
• Understand what passengers want
• Maintain a one-on-one relationship with passengers
• Make the tour a true representation of the tours offered online
• Be upfront, direct and honest
• Clearly communicate what you can and cannot do as well as what the company does and does not offer
• Explain how you go about your work and what can be expected of you

Who should become a tour leader?

Tour leader applications are open to anyone with:

• Excellent customer service skills
• Good organisational skills
• Previous tour leader experience (beneficial, not required)
• Good leadership skills
• Good accounting foundations
• The ability to research each destination in depth
• High English proficiency (other languages will be greatly advantageous)
• The ability to work well in a team and on your own

If you have a passion for working with people, See tour leading as a career, Have a diplomatic mindset, And are proven to deal with groups confidently,

YOU should become a tour leader!

Will it be a worthwhile career?

Being a Tour Leader is not only worthwhile but rewarding! Take a look at just some of the benefits:

• Living expenses are covered during a tour (accommodation, breakfast and most dinners)
• It is an incredible opportunity to explore and learn about Europe
• Competitive commission structure & daily wages
• Meet new people from around the world
• Be part of the best road crew in Europe (uniform supplied)
• Enjoy all breakfasts and some dinners/lunches with the travellers on tour
• Accommodation in single rooms on tour and the night before a tour begins
• Supplied daily allowance for calls, texts and data
• One complimentary excursion/entrance per tour
• Access to computers and tour library between tours
• Discounts on personal travel

Will you receive any training?

Trainees will attend our Training Programmes for up to 4 weeks. The exact programme and training manual will be provided to successful applicants before the training commences.

Only the most skilled trainees will make it through the Training Programme and become established Expat Explore Tour Leaders. If you are lucky enough to get invited to our Training Programme, you will need to start practising and researching immediately.

Before the training begins, trainees must prepare themselves extensively – practising country and city spiels and walking tours. Depending on knowledge and previous experience, this phase might take up to 4-5 months.

The Expat Explore Training Programme consists of:

1. Online assignments prior to the start of training. 2. Classroom training for 3 days, mainly in our London office, where your progress will be monitored. No accommodation, meals or compensation will be provided at this stage. 3. Training tour, which will last up to 4 weeks. 4. Shadow tour of up to 2 weeks. 5. Final preparation in the office before you start your tour.

What does the application entail?

If your profile matches our requirements, we will invite you to the first interview – either via Skype, in our London office or we will ask you to complete a short video interview. During this interview, we evaluate your experience, personality and knowledge of our tours.

The second interview will be a performance interview where we will ask you to present different spiels. We’ll assess your reaction to different scenarios and your commitment to the role. We expect you to know everything about the company by now.

If your interviews are successful, we will invite you to attend our Training Programme. Please note that we might ask you to attend a third interview.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes we do! Scroll back up to see what's included in our training programme.

Expat Explore will cover expenses during the training tour such as accommodation, breakfasts and some dinners (as per tour itinerary). Expenses during the classroom training will not be covered.

Expat Explore have tours throughout the year with our busiest periods being April to September and during the festive period.

Most Tour Leaders will know their exact schedule up to a week before the following month. During the busy season, Tour Leaders are on the road for around 25 days of each month.

This is completely up to you. One of the great things about being a tour leader is that the time between tours is completely yours.

All our Tour Leaders will need training on how to lead tours for Expat Explore, but the training for experienced tour leaders will be tailor-made and might not follow our Training Programme strictly.

Expat Explore groups can be up to 52 passengers plus the tour leader and the driver.

Most tour leaders will be training on the Europe Escape tour, as this is our most popular itinerary (in Europe). Within a few months, Tour Leaders are trained to lead different itineraries, and there are plenty of possibilities to develop further when leading tours for several seasons.

Yes! We are very flexible with time off, and we do our utmost to make sure the tour leaders get gaps to re-energise.

What's it like on our tours?

As an Expat Explore Tour Leader, you'll conduct coach tours that include transport on comfortable coaches or minibuses, depending on which tour you're going on.

On our European tours, passengers travel in our full-size coaches. In North America, South America, the Middle East and Asia, passengers will travel either on a full-size coach or a slightly smaller vehicle.

Coach selection depends on how big the group is, and which roads we'll take on tour. Whichever option, we ensure comfort and convenience.