Day in the life of
Tour Leader – Brighde Reed
I’m a Tour Leader (and co-founder) of our own travel company (high-end niche group vegan travel). We run a few trips a year, but from 2000 – 2005 I worked full time as a tour leader for a big company although it was a different style of travel).
France
My Typical Day
When we are on tour, days are fun but long and the day will be different depending on the itinerary for that day.
We wake up very early and we are there at the start of breakfast to make sure that breakfast is set up correctly and that all the food is correct. As people come down for breakfast, it is time to check in with them, make sure that they are feeling good, chat with them and answer any questions they have. While having breakfast you have your eye on everything else. Is the service okay, do people have everything they need and making sure that everything is ready for the next part of the day. If there are some people who have not been seen at breakfast about 30 minutes before leaving time, it is a good idea to check and make sure they are awake (it’s easy to forget to set your alarm when traveling). If we are leaving the hotel so we need to make sure that the bill has been paid (which means checking it very carefully as it is very easy for mistakes to be made) and that the bus is close by and ready to go and that the bags are safe. Travelers are encouraged to check out in plenty of time and settle any bills they have and be on the bus on time. We always make sure that we say a big thank you to all the staff and check in with them. Developing and maintaining relationships with local operators is very important.
Assuming we are traveling to another place for that evening, we might need a long travel day. We try to break this long travel day with some significant stops so it doesn’t feel like they are in a bus all day without anything fun to show for it. It might mean a guided visit of a town, a visit to a sanctuary, or perhaps a winery visit depending on the trip. All of these activities are organized ahead of time so as you are getting close to check-in, share your live location and make sure that no one (like the guide) is going to be caught by surprise or inadvertently meet in the wrong place. We also will have lunch at a previously organized place. All while this is going on you are assessing and reassessing the timetable and adjusting as need be. You don’t want to be late for anything, but you don’t want to (and can’t rush a group of 25 people) who don’t want to feel rushed so time is constantly being evaluated. For any stop, we need to make sure that all bills are paid and that we connect with our local operators and make them feel appreciated and valued.
Cu Chi tunnels in Vietnam
While on the bus and at meals and during activities, a tour leader is constantly checking in on the group individually and making sure that everyone feels included and appreciated. We might try to organize some fun activities on the bus (like a round or two of trivia) or taking some time to genuinely get to know someone. This is especially true for those who are traveling alone who might otherwise feel left out.
As you get towards your hotel for the night/s you call the hotel and ask if everything is ready for group check-in. Check-in as a group can be a bit of a challenge so systems should be set up that allow it is as quick as possible. This might require sending passport and visa information ahead of time and making notes and communicating and special needs. Ideally, you just want people to have to pick up their keys and go straight to their rooms.
Arriving at the hotel, you get on to the bus microphone and let people know what will be happening next. People have a tendency to scatter once they have their keys. You explain the check-in procedures and what time to meet for drinks and dinner and what information they might need (orientation of the hotel). We like to oversee the check-in and be there with all our records and make sure everything is in order. Once everyone is checked in, we (my partner and I) check in to the hotel room and if needed, quickly have a shower and get changed for dinner. We don’t have much time to relax, instead, we might be putting out any little fires that have come out in the day or perhaps heading to a pharmacy to pick something up for a client who needs something.
If we are meeting for pre-dinner drinks, one of us will be there for the beginning to welcome people who arrive first and to check on the food and the service and then we head on over to dinner where the other person has gone to see if everything looks good and if we haven’t been there before we introduce ourselves. Dinner (like all meals) is a time to relax a little bit although we are constantly monitoring service and if people are getting served promptly. A big job is to be a connector and to help others get to know each other a little bit. Most people join a group trip because they are social and friendly, but others might find this hard. We try to make sure we make the effort to get to know every single person because they are valued.
Over dessert, we will hand out the itinerary for the next day and as quickly as possible go through it while anticipating any possible questions. If there is a group of people who like to stay up and party a little bit, we like to join in as well. This is a great opportunity to get to know them more and to connect on a deeper level. It’s always a lot of fun too!
We usually fall into bed at about midnight and then we get up and do it all again!
Pros
When we are on tour things are pretty intense. While we have done this job full time (for five years) in the past, these days we just run a few trips a year. When doing this job full time, you need to understand that while this is a fantastic opportunity to travel, you are not the customer and most of your focus needs to be on your clients and making sure they are happy. It can also mean doing the same trip over and over. This is not actually a negative thing though. It means you get to know the place and the people on a much deeper level than you would if you were just passing through just one time. Also, doing a trip more than once is better because the quality of the trip will be much higher as you will know what to expect. Being a tour leader is a little like swimming like a duck. From the outside, everything must look like it is under control and even if things go wrong you don’t want your travelers to know but underneath, you are frantically swimming and making sure everything is lined up for the next thing.
Cons
It can be rather strange socially. You can develop strong bonds with your travelers over the trip and then after the trip, they are gone from your life. If you are doing this job full time you might not have a home base. This can be great for saving money but this can have a toll as well. Eating well and getting exercise and having a life outside of work can also be very challenging or impossible if you are tour leading full time.
Good tips can really make a big difference to your salary and you will learn a lot of emotional intelligence.
Advice to aspiring Tour Leaders
Please note, that I am talking about becoming a tour LEADER rather than a tour guide. A tour guide must undergo a particular type of study and pass exams in their country. It is not necessarily the case with tour leaders. Sometimes a tour leader will be called something different. E.g.: Contiki calls them tour managers.
If you are interested in becoming a tour leader you should check the requirements on the type of company that you wish to work for, but certainly, you might need: travel experience, some accounting skills and a lot of ‘soft skills’ some of which can be learned through a university program or in your personal life or current job. Some examples of soft skills are problem-solving, high emotional intelligence, time management, and excellent communication skills. You should also be passionate about traveling and have traveled before. Companies will be looking for people who they think will cope well with living away from home in another country so you might consider spending a semester or year abroad. For some niche tour companies, they might have language or knowledge in certain subjects (e.g. art history).
What should you think about before considering to becoming one?
- If you are able to meet the passport requirements. Most tour companies are reluctant to sponsor the candidate for work permits in other countries for this relatively unskilled job.
- Are you ready to work really long hours for quite low pay?
- Are you okay with going back to the same place time and again?
- Are you passionate about customer service and be on-call 24/7 while on tour?
- Can you live for long periods of time without having a home base and perhaps working for several weeks without a day off?
- Can you live out of a suitcase?
