As a tour guide, I receive lots of questions from passionate travelers wondering if the job is right for them. Here are some frequently asked questions…and my answers:

Tour Guide/Tour Leader: Is there any difference?

These job titles are often used interchangeably, though there are some subtle differences between the two. The skills of a tour guide and leader, though are usually required by most companies.

Generally speaking, tour guides are expected to know a city (or country) intimately and offer guests interpretive information such as history and anecdotes on all sites.

While tour leaders also need knowledge of the places they are visiting, they are also responsible for the logistics and planning of a trip, ensuring everything runs smoothly. It is not uncommon for guides and leaders from the same company to work closely together. For simplicity, the term “guides” is used in the rest of this article to refer to both positions.

Photo by Marcin Wichary

I love to travel. This must be the perfect job for me, right?

You’ll certainly be traveling, but your job is to be there for your guests. You may be visiting the same places week after week, but even when you do go somewhere new it’s unlikely you’ll have much time to yourself.

Being good with people, being a great organizer, and possessing a real interest in history and culture are more important traits than just wanting to see the world.

Do I need any qualifications?

Some cities require you to be a licensed guide to lead tours. While a relevant degree– Travel and Tourism, Art, History, Geography, Languages– can be of benefit, very few guides have any kind of formal qualifications.

What skills do I need?

• People skills- You’re spending practically every hour of every day with your guests and not all of them will be nice.

• Logistical management- A lot of aspects go into planning a holiday. Even if you’re not responsible for setting up those details, you’ll be responsible for keeping on top of them all once your group is on the road.

• Organization- You don’t want to get mixed up on where you’re supposed to be going, or what you’re doing.

• Calm under pressure- Anything could happen on a tour, and everyone will look to you when things go wrong.

• Quick learner- From “Where’s the bathroom?” to “When was that built?” you’ll need to have answers at hand.
• Good public speaker- Speaking to your group is more than half the job. You want to make sure they understand you.

• Energetic- You’ll be working almost every waking hour, often for weeks at a time- you need to be in top form at all times.

Photo by mke1963

I don’t speak any languages. Can I still be a guide?

This depends on the company you work for. If you’re looking to work in Italy, for example, it would be difficult to get by without Italian, but very few companies would expect you to speak Vietnamese to lead in Asia, for example.

Is there any job security?

Not really. Most guides work on a tour by tour basis. While you’ll be over-worked during the peak seasons (usually summer), come off-season you’ll probably be looking in the Help Wanted ads. Many guides are on the books of several companies so they can maximise their work opportunities.

Photo by marie-ll

Could I be a guide in a country that I’ve never even visited?

Absolutely. Most companies find it difficult to recruit guides in certain countries and many guides are sent to new regions. While this may sound great, imagine trying to guide 50 people around a city you’ve never even been to. And with a busy schedule, it’s unlikely you’ll get time to explore on you own.

How much do I get paid?

As a qualified city guide you could make several hundred dollars in a single day. If you’re an overland driver you could struggle to make this much in a whole month.

While pay varies hugely, it’s rarely much more than minimum wage. Depending on the guests you have, tips can be generous- if you’ve done a good job, of course.

Are all my expenses paid?

This depends very much on the company, however, most professional companies pay your expenses while you’re working- typically food, accommodation, and any work-related travel.

Photo by marie-ll

Okay, this sounds like the job for me! Where do I sign up?

There are hundreds of companies looking for guides. Some are more professional than others and you should always research any company thoroughly before taking up an offer of work. Just a few to get you started:

www.eftours.co.uk

One of the world’s largest providers of educational travel with coach trips on every continent.

www.backroads.com

One of the market leaders in luxury biking and hiking trips around the world.

www.dragoman.co.uk

Overland adventure company with long duration trips on four continents.

www.trafalgartours.com

One of the world’s most popular coach touring companies.

www.intrepidtravel.com

Guided backpacking trips across the world.

Like any job, different companies look for different traits and tasks from their employees and every position comes with a different job description. These answers are only a general guide and will vary considerably from company to company.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Looking to combine your work and your travels? Take a look at How to Travel the World by Crewing on Yachts, Join the Navy, See the World, or many more in Matador’s Travel and Adventure Jobs Archive!

Feature photo by Micah Sittig. Above photo by Leduardo.

Dallas Fort Worth (Terminal D)

Completed in 2005, DFW is capable of handling up to 37,000 passengers per day with the aid of Skylink- the world’s largest airport train. The first major American airport terminal to be built post 9/11, the terminal features the most advanced security features available with state of the art systems.

Photo by James Cridland.

London Heathrow (Terminal 5)

The world’s newest airport terminal cost £4.3 billion ($8.5 billion USD) and is going to revolutionize air travel with totally redesigned check in and departure procedures.

A state of the art baggage system works in partnership with computers at security, check in and departures, making sure your luggage only boards the plane if you do. So no more delays due to a late passenger’s bag being offloaded.

[Editor's Note: In spite of the airport's promise to revolutionize air travel, the opening of the new terminal was riddled with problems. Before passing through Terminal 5, you might want to check out some of the documented complaints.]

Denver International Airport

The white, peaked, fabric roof of the Jeppesen Terminal minimised the building’s impact on this stunning region with its backdrop of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains. With six de-icing pads- each capable of holding five planes – and with all de-icing fluids collected and recycled – the terminal operates in even the worst conditions.

Beijing Capital International (Terminal 3)

Built to meet the increased demand of the 2008 Olympics, passengers can expect to have their luggage just 4.5 minutes after the plane in unloaded, thanks to a $240 million luggage transfer system. With the dedicated Olympics Hall, passengers can expect a seamless journey.

Photo by Emrank.

Kansai International, Japan

Built on a man-made island in the middle of Osaka Bay, airport engineers had to deal with the high risk of earthquakes, typhoons, storm surges, sinking of the reclaimed land and the construction of a 3km long bridge to link the airport to the mainland.

The airport has sunk 8 meters already, so architects have placed adjustable columns under the terminal to compensate for the shifting land. Despite that sinking feeling, the airport has emerged unscathed from several severe earthquakes that have hit the region in recent years.

Singapore Changi

Stuck in the airport for a while? Why not take advantage of the free Singapore tour that will whisk you into the city to see the sights before your connection departs. Or you can relax in the spa, fitness area or pool, book into the in terminal hotel for a quick sleep or perhaps just wander around one of the nature trails.

If you have the energy, check out the 24 hour shopping, free Internet, and free movie theatre, or perhaps just grab a sunlounger for a nap before your flight.

Photo by Zionorbi.

Incheon International, Seoul

The only airport in Asia to have ILS Cat-IIIb– an instrumental-landing device that allows airline operation when visibility is as low as 50 meters–as well as a host of other incomprehensible software and hardware, Incheon suffers few diversions or cancellations due to extreme weather conditions and is regarded as one of the safest in the world.

East Midlands Airport, England

Named most eco friendly airport in the world, East Midlands has focused its technology on decreasing its carbon footprint. The airport is working towards carbon neutrality by 2012 and has installed ground-heating pumps, wind catchers, water recycling facilities.

Airport planners also hope to include wind turbines to fill up to 10% of its energy needs.

Madrid Barajas International (Terminal 4)

Photo by Philip C..

The world’s largest airport in terms of terminal area– 1 million square meters (11 million sq feet) — its new terminal was designed with a range of environmentally friendly techniques that allow natural light, and the associated heat, to reduce energy needs.

The 1km long wing shaped building is an open plan, allowing light and travellers to move freely from check in to departure.

Hong Kong International

In a city where space is at a premium, an entire mountain was flattened to create the 13km sq island on which this airport stands- increasing the size of the city by 1%.

With an integrated transport centre, the airport is linked not only to central Hong Kong but also to mainland China. The airport is also notable for its partly automated customs and immigration system on site (rather than at the border), to allow smooth passage onto the mainland.

Click here for more information and here for everything you could possibly want (and not want) to know.

Charles de Gaulle Airport / Photo by kulp. Feature photo by xiaming.

Passing through an area of sleep deprived, jet lagged and irate people is never pleasant, especially if you feel the same way yourself. While some airports are spending millions to improve the passenger experience, it’s clear that some airports are falling well behind.

The competition for the worst airport is plentiful, but here– in no particular order– are just a few of the front-runners:

Delhi, India

Overcrowded, dirty and literally falling apart at the seams, Delhi’s terminals are full of flies and mosquitoes with an overwhelming odor of bleach and raw sewage. Add in endless lines and disorganization and you’re guaranteed a long and unpleasant experience.

Delhi International Airport
Photo by saturnism.

Baghdad International

With a high chance of planes being hit by handheld ordinance, pilots land on a ‘corkscrew’ approach. This rapid, twisting loss of altitude is stomach churning at best, but still less nerve wracking than driving the ‘highway of death’ that leads into the city.

Charles de Gaulle (Terminal 1), Paris

As a gateway to one of the world’s most romantic cities you’d probably expect more than endless queues so disorganized that there is no start and the finish is often at the wrong check-in desk/customs point/boarding gate. This chaos is maintained in the drab interior of a terminal that hasn’t been modernized since the 70s.

JFK, New York

Despite the millions spent on rebuilding and modernization in recent years, the charm school graduates are few and far between in Kennedy. While immigration staff are notorious for their grim demeanor and rude comments even the staff at ‘Information’ has a hard time even looking in your direction without a scowl on their faces.

Lukla, Nepal

With the dubious title of one of the world’s most dangerous airports, Lukla is a domestic airport close to Mount Everest base camp. Carved out of the side of a mountain, the 527-meter runway has an incline of 20% and ends with a 700 meter drop to the valley floor. No space for error here!

Lukla Airport / Photo by chris1h1.

Simon Boliviar, Caracas

An aging terminal situated practically in the middle of the favelas of Caracas. Simply stepping outside has seen hundreds of travelers robbed or mugged and these are just the lucky ones. Kidnapping, stabbings and shootings have all occurred before passengers have even reached the taxi line. For this pleasure, a whopping $53 airport tax is charged.

Léopold Sédar Senghor International, Dakar

After battling through a three hour immigration procedure travelers are faced with an ancient terminal that is full of hawkers, touts, drifters and thieves. So many it seems that there is no space for any seating, or toilets, apart from a few select areas. With the departures area opening only two hours before flights, people leaving the city have little escape from the chaos.

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Voted world’s worst airport to sleep in by a popular website due to huge crime rates, terrible facilities and several travelers witnessing a gang shoot out that killed 7 people.

Security Officer in Ninoy Aquiano Airport / Photo by glenmcbethlaw.

Manila, Philippines

Watch your bags here, as even the airport employees are out to scam, steal or otherwise take your possessions from you. Many travelers talk of security and other airport staff asking for ‘donations’ (read: bribes) to allow you to pass through the airport ‘without incident’. The only positive side to the airport staff is that they are more desirable than many of the other characters who hang around the terminal.

Lagos, Nigeria

The odor of feces and urine abound in this airport, which no doubt attract the hoards of rats, cockroaches and other bugs that scurry around the departures and arrivals area. The stifling heat of an African summer only adds to the problems of a desperately crowded arrivals area with overflowing toilets. Several travelers have escaped the chaos only to be mugged or beaten on the tarmac.

Feature photo by Al_HikesAZ Photo above by: Wolfgang Staudt

1. Be realistic.

If you want to stay on budget, the most important thing you can do is to be realistic about what you’re going to spend.

While there are always those unexpected occurrences and days when you have to let loose, sticking to your daily allowance will see you sail through your journey.

Looking after the pennies, rather than looking at individual ways of saving hundreds, is the key to making your money, and your travels, last.

2. Plan Ahead

From planes, trains, and automobiles, to accommodation and day trips, booking even a few days in advance can save you hundreds.

Always ask if a ticket is cheaper on the following, or previous day; it can sometimes work out cheaper even with the cost of an extra night’s accommodation.

3. Buy an ISIC Card (Under 26 or Teachers Card)

Accommodation, transport, museums and other attractions, restaurants, coffee shops and many more establishments give discounts to the money starved. Check www.isiccard.com.

4. Always ask for discounts

If you’re staying in a hostel for a few nights, or there is a group of you, always ask for a better rate. Bartering is a valuable skill to acquire.

Photo by Wolfgang Staudt

5. Find a good credit card.

If you’re going to resort to credit, get a card with a low (or even better–0%) rate to start you off. If you’re spending a lot if could save you a small fortune in interest repayments. ‘If you find a card with cash back,’ explains money saving expert Martin Lewis, ‘you’re earning a 1% or 2% discount on everything you buy.’

6. Check your bank.

Open a bank account that lets to withdrawal money overseas without a penalty. Many can charge transaction fees of $4 or $5. Think how many times you’ll be taking cash out while you’re abroad (now times that by ten; it’s sadly, much more than you always think) and that’s a lot of Pesos given away for nothing.

7. Use plastic.

Use your ATM card instead of changing currency and you’ll save on commission fees. Credit and ATM cards generally have a better exchange rate than at a money exchange, so you’ll be saving double.

Be careful however as ATM cards are frequently not insured if they are stolen or copied. Check your bank or insurance provider.

Photo by Fort Photo

8. Go overnight

Travelling on overnight buses or trains can be a lot cheaper and you’ll also save on the cost of accommodation and if you’re on a tight schedule you won’t loose out on a day’s sightseeing.

www.sleepinginairports.net gives invaluable advice if you’re looking for a cheap night before you jet off.

9. Camp out.

If you want to enjoy the delights of Paris a tent isn’t the most appropriate choice, but if you’re out of the city it can be a life saver. A campsite costs next to nothing (and actually nothing if you make your own) and you don’t have to worry about curfews.

www.camptheworld.com is a good start if you’re looking to escape the city life.

10. Volunteer.

Give up some of your time and you could enjoy free food and accommodation. Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is one such organisation; it works in dozens of countries and asks for a days work in return for full board and lodging (this may be in a barn though). Check our First Timer’s Guide to WWOOFing.

11. Shop around.

Whatever you’re buying, from flights and insurance to a new backpack, have a look at a few options before you hand over you hard-earned cash (or not so hard-earned credit).

12. Take a book, leave a book.

No backpack would be complete without a good novel, but buying the latest bestseller before every long journey quickly adds up. Look out for book swaps at hostels and you could have free reading for the rest of your trip.

Join www.bookcrossing.com and you can even find out where your latest read has got to.

13. Get Online.

Not only do you need to email home occasionally but the internet is one of the easiest and cheapest places to book your tickets and accommodation, as well as do research on your next destination.

Visit local libraries or other places with free access, and you won’t even have to pay for the time.

14. Avoid airport shops.

That goes for shops in bus and train station, hostels and hotels and while you’re on board; the prices are inevitably marked up. Buy your snacks from a local shop and it will probably taste better as well.

If you’re changing foreign currency, head into the city and avoid the airport banks.

Photo by Trey Ratcliff

15. Get inclusive ticktets to multiple events.

Many big cities offer some kind of combo ticket; either on transport, to the attractions or both. If you’re looking to see a lot in a city ticket prices can soon mount up.

‘When I was in New York’ explains Lina Vilus, an English Teacher in Colombia, ‘it cost me $50 to get into 4 museums, the Empire State Building, and on a cruise round Manhattan. I also brought a one day pass for the subway and saved well over $40.’

16. Get air miles.

Or a frequent flyer card. Not so good if you’re inter-railing but if you’re on a round-the-world ticket you’ll have more than enough miles for a weekend in Rome when you get back.

Collect Freenites points from YHA youth hostels and you can also get free accommodation while you’re there. Many hotel chains also have similar schemes.

17. Look after your money.

There’s no better way to lose all your money, than to actually lose it or have it taken from you. To avoid carrying wads of cash, rely on travellers cheques and ATM/credit cards. Carry a second wallet / security pouch to keep some of your cash and cards separate, so if the worse does happen, you won’t be totally stuck, or skint.

18. Double Up

If you’re in a group it can often be cheaper to get a hotel room between you than a few hostel beds. A rental car can often cost less than the price of a few tickets on a bus or train and you should never catch a cab alone.

Some day trips/ tours also offer discounts if you book together, so start chatting up the person next to you!

19. Avoid peak season.

Travelling at certain times can be considerably more expensive than others. Avoid travelling the day before a weekend (in many countries this isn’t a Friday) or public holidays.

When you’re flying avoid the beginning and end of the school holiday season. If you’re booking a round the world ticket consider when you want to leave; ‘Waiting just two weeks after the Christmas holidays could save you almost $500’says Jenna from STA: ‘A ticket worth $1, 680 for a departure at the beginning of January drops to $1, 110 after the 15th.’

20. Look up old friends.

Drop in on friends and relatives that live in those far-flung places and take up those offers of ‘you must come and stay.’ Just make sure you return the favour.

21. Have fun.

: A realistic budget it there so you can get the most out of your money, but don’t take it too seriously, if you want to treat yourself occasionally, go for it.

‘I spent my first month in Europe eating super noodles and never going out’ explains Marcelo Vidales. ‘It wasn’t exactly the highlight of my trip. You’ve got to remember why you came away in the first place.’

Better to have six months of fun filled, action packed adventure, than 18 months of low points and boredom.

Feature photo and photo above by Matt Scott.

Abattoir Worker

Among the various options for a fulfilling career on the US J1 visa programme, perhaps the worst is working along the ‘intestine route’: sorting innards for various other uses.

Toilet Cleaner

Never pleasant, but especially bad for Hans Dowwen, who works in the Swedish Constipation Clinic. I’ll leave it to your imagination what happens when the dam bursts……

Wrestling Opponent

Watching two guys jump on one another is a popular sport in much of Central and South America. Many bars, clubs or other arenas that have wrestling matches will offer cash to anyone who dares climb in the ring with one of the masked heroes.

Barnyard Masturbator

When you signed up for WWOOFing you imagined just a bit of picking and weeding, perhaps? In the cattle industry, nothing can be left to chance so artificial insemination is the way to go. Sadly, nature isn’t allowed to do its thing, so you have to.

Photo by Matt Scott.

Taxi Driver (in Antarctica)

The McMurdo science station in Antarctica is the continent’s largest and someone has to shuttle everyone from station to station. Marty Gilligan spent six months driving a giant people mover around the station. Unfortunately for Gilligan, there was no meter, so nobody tipped.

Bungee Jump Master

Start your day off with terror and screams by assisting those jumping into the void. AJ Hackett, the world’s largest bungee company, has many job opportunities available, but if you don’t like heights you can always help to fish people out of the river below.

Chicken Sexer

Especially popular among volunteers on Israeli Kibbutz. Seal the fate of thousands of male chicks by sorting each new hatchling onto the relevant conveyor belt. Expect to handle several hundred chicks an hour in some places.

Medical Research

Earn perhaps several hundreds dollars a day for taking a pill (or perhaps agreeing to a minor operation). Sounds like easy money until you sign a waiver that’s an inch and a half thick- they’re not really sure what that pill will do and you’re the guinea pig. If you’re lucky, you may just get the placebo.

Sex Shop Cleaner

The highlight of a summer in New York, Tony Holland worked for minimum wage mopping the floor of video booths in a sex shop close to Times Square. He made sure he had waiting and bar experience before he returned!

Sensory Deprivation Research Subject

Want to escape from it all for a while? Always wanted to earn great money for doing nothing? NASA, the CIA and various other scientific intuitions are on the look out for people to lock into a dark, soundproof box for a few days, a few weeks or even a few months, just to see what happens.

Disney World Character

The wonders of the Magic Kingdom soon wear thin when during the middle of summer you are put into a huge suit of itchy, un-breathable fabric and are then asked to act chirpy while children, high on sugar, get to meet their favourite character.

Photo by lensfodder.

Sheep Skin Factory

New Zealand is the perfect spot for a gap year if you’re into farming or the outdoors. Jasper thought just that but ended up spending his days scraping residue carcass from skins, then stretching and drying them in a small factory. The smell was almost as bad as the ‘matter’ that found its way into every part of his body.

Bollywood Extra

Wander around Mumbai for a day or two and you’re sure to be approached by a film scout. Bollywood often looks for foreigners to play tourists in street scenes, but occasionally, a more challenging position comes up, like playing a dead body or pretending to be an international film star.

Adult Video Star

A popular Australian website often recruits from hostels and backpacker bars for girls to take their clothes off ‘and perhaps more’. Pay is generous but you probably wouldn’t want to show your mum these holiday snaps.

Sewer Tour Guide

Imagine wandering around Paris translating for a professional tour guide. Sounds wonderful, right? Except that the guide is an ex-sewer worker who is giving a tour of the egouts – Paris’s sewer system. How many other translation jobs would you have to get turned down from before taking this one, I wonder?

Photo by Maxime Wojtczak.

Statue

Emma Thomas has travelled the world standing still. Dressed in starched clothes hung with price tags, she picks a busy spot and pretends to be a shop mannequin, busking for tips while kids, families and drunken stag parties all try to make her twitch or laugh.

Busboy (at an S&M Club)

One backpacker (who wishes to remain anonymous) worked at an adults only club in Jaffa, Israel. He describes clearing tables as clients were whipped, spanked, sat on and numerous other things. Tipping was good apparently, as clients were keen to get him out of their way.

Assistant at the Travelling Circus

What better way to discover a country than to go with a bunch of clowns! As well as feeding the animals, assisting with the set up and take down of the event space, there are great opportunities to meet the locals.

Portaloo Operative

Many travellers to the UK find work in hotels, restaurants or bars, but Mike Davis was hired to collect, empty and clean portable toilets from sites all over South East England. Reclaiming toilets after a weekend music festival finally made him quit.

‘Slime Line’ Worker

Fishing is big business in Alaska and teams of workers are brought in for the summer season to slice, gut, fillet, pack, clean and carry out any other general processing job. You’ll never eat sushi again!

community connection

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