Apply For Specific Travel Jobs

Applying for a tour manager or tour guide job is a process that takes time, but to ensure that you have the best possible chance of securing an interview with a tour company, make sure that your cover letter and resume are accurate and specific to the position you are applying for.

Take the time to mention any experience you have had and what your responsibilities were. If you have not led tours before professionally, mention volunteer touring and any job you have that demonstrated leadership skills and people skills.

Before you start applying for any jobs, first call tour companies and ask them if they have positions open and who you should send your application and resume to. Sometimes tour guide operations work through a human resources department or have a jobline that you can contact. Make sure that you read and understand all the job details and requirements that are asked for, and really assess whether you are suited to the position or not before applying. Also, do a little research about the company you are applying to so that you understand them. When you get called for an interview this is also an important part of the interview process to make them aware that you know who they are. Read more about this in the Research Employers section.

Sample Job Listing That You Could Apply For

Following are some examples of tour manager and tour guide jobs that are typical of what’s posted online. Take note of the skills that they ask for and make sure that you go the company website to research as much about them as you can. Any and all small details can help your application process:

Job Title: Travel and Tour Manager

As a travel and tour manager, 10 to 15 years of relevant tourism experience in required for this position. You also need vast experience in tour operations, package tours, air ticketing, and plenty of exposure to inbound and outbound tourism. You need to be proficient at maintaining financial records, managing budgets, and have excellent communication with transport providers and tourism agencies. The job involves liaising with airlines and hotels, managing bookings and planning schedules, and communicating with travel partners.

Skills Required

• Travel and Tourism management experience
• Proven sales and marketing abilities
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Customer service skills
• Financial management skills
• Organizational skills
• Human resource management skills
• Years of retail sales experience is required with increasing levels of responsibility
• Marketing and selling skills
• Research skills
• Second language
• Strong team building and leadership skills
• Time and risk management skills an asset

Job Title: Tourist Guide

Salary: $42,000 per year

Summary: The tour guide will be responsible for leading and organizing tours and educating visitors about the places to visit in Dallas, Texas.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Will create itineraries based on the desired route of the clients.
• Will make necessary arrangements for the tour including transportation, travel kit, food on route etc.
• Will conduct orientation regarding the route, travel time and regulations.
• Will escort the group to the destinations on the itinerary.
• Will provide information about the places visited including history and significant facts.
• Will entertain and answer questions.
• Offer translation and communication assistance, especially to foreigners.

Additional Responsibilities:

• When necessary prior reservations are to be made at the various travel destinations.
• You are required to make brochures or travel booklets as part of the tour kit.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements:

• High school graduate with excellent oral communication skills.
• Good interpersonal skills are required.
• Good spatial intelligence skills are required, specifically in dealing with directions.
• Broad knowledge on culture, history, and other significant facts about the destinations will be required.

Searching the Web for Land Tour Jobs

The internet is the best way of finding land tour jobs, ranging from cruise tour guides, to sightseeing tour guides, as well as step-on tour guides.

Step-on tour guide jobs are also easy to find if you ask your local business or visitor’s bureau. They can give you a list of tour companies to contact. Travel agencies, chamber of commerce, and state tourism agencies all have lists of tour companies and tour operators who you can contact.

The Internet offers hundreds of job websites like JobMonkey that list tour guide and tour manager jobs. You can become members of these websites or just bookmark them and check for new listings every day. When you want to apply for a position you found online, first find a contact name and number, or email. Make contact and ask the company if you need to get an application form from them, or find out how long your resume should be, unless this has already been mentioned in the advert. Making contact either over the phone or via email with someone is important and gives a better impression, than just sending through your resume.

Attending tourism conferences and travel guide seminars is another excellent way of making contacts and finding out if there are any job openings that you can apply for.

Quick Fact: JobMonkey’s job search database offers plenty of current land tour job openings that you can apply for.

Once you have all your skills and qualifications, you just need to keep applying for jobs, networking, and be patient. Eventually the right job opportunity will come along, and you will soon be travelling to your heart’s content.