Becoming a tour guide is one of the most exciting and rewarding jobs that people often wish they’d discovered earlier in their lives. It rewards creativity, passion, flexibility, and affords you a life of learning, exploration, and being out in the world interacting with others.

Our online program takes you step by step through the process of learning about the industry, how to create a tour, lead that tour, and make a career of tour guiding!

Why should I train as a tour guide?
Tour guiding allows you to live a life outside of office walls, transforming travelers’ understanding of your home by showing them your passion and knowledge.

Guiding connects you to people in both a fun and deep way!

You’re your own boss, and the kinds of tours you can lead are limitless!

 

Is this for me?
Do you need the professional training to realize your dream of creating and leading local tours and experiences?

Are you interested in understanding the travel industry better, and whether guiding is the right career for you?

 

14
modules
132
videos
40
hours of content
4
week average completion time

Course Outline
The most content anywhere. One course, 14 modules, 40+ hours of video content.

Introduction to Guiding and the Industry
Learn the ins and outs of the industry and the job you’re getting yourself into.

Module 1 The Many Jobs and qualities of a Tour Guide
We look at the history of the tours & experiences industry, job requirements, and what separates a good guide from a great one.

Module 2 The Lay of the Land: Types of Guided Tours
We’ll dive deep into the varieties of tour guide jobs out there, to help you decide what’s right for you.

Designing Your Tour Experience
Tour design is a fine art. You’ll master the craft, from research to timing to storytelling.

Module 3 Researching your Tour
You’re only as good as the knowledge you have. We’ll break down websites, books, and phone apps that can help your research, and then how to organizing and map your notes.

Module 4 Designing your Tour Experience: From Start to Finish
What makes a tour an experience? We’ll dive into strategies for designing a memorable and enjoyable tour. How many stops should you create? How do you create wow moments and craft incredible stories?

Module 5 Creating and Delivering Virtual Tours/Online Experiences
Creating online experiences, a.k.a. virtual tours, are a way to supplement your income, get your name out there, and start practicing the craft of guiding right now. We’ll break down the ways of doing this, and

Module 6 Storytelling Craft
Storytelling is everything. We’ll do a deep-dive into the concepts of structure, emotion, and journey, sharing our TripSchool “secret sauce” that makes our guides incredible communicators.

Leading a Tour
You’ll master how to lead a tour, from handling large groups to dealing with difficult customers!

Module 7 Delivery
Time to lead the tour! Delivery is the performance of all of your research and planning. We’ll look at everything from timing, pacing, projection, body language, tempo changes, visual aids, amplifiers and much more.

Module 8 Leading & Managing a Group
Your group is only enjoying your tour if you lead them in a strong, competent manner. This is where so many guides fail. So we’ll spend a lot of time looking at leading different size groups, private and custom tours, using public transportation, working in crowded locations, students, adults, families, distractions bathrooms, and so much more!

Module 9 Guiding in a Vehicle
Some guides only walk. Others drive vehicles themselves, or work in cars, minivans, and mega buses. This is an art unto itself. We’ll look at how you interact with guests in vehicles, plus safety, technology, using a mic, working as a driver guide and using your own vehicle.

Module 10 Customer Service
As a guide you represent a company, and deliver exceptional Customer service. We examine every aspect of the customer journey, from handling disagreements and negativity to asking for tips and reviews.

Module 11 Health & Safety, and Handling Emergencies
This is a grim topic, but important. What happens when difficulties arise on tour? From unexpected health issues, to real emergencies, and of course covid-19, we’ll help you understand your role in solving problems on tour.

Your Guiding Career
It’s time to work! We’ll lay out your career options ahead of you.

Module 12 Getting Work
Many guides don’t want to handle the complexity of running a business, so they work for another tour operator. It means you get to focus on the tour. We’ll look at how you get a tour guide job: from networking, marketing yourself, to interviewing and participating in conferences. Plus we’ll give you the inside info on tour guide associations, DMOs, CVBs, MICE, the cruise industry, and more!

Module 13 Working with a Marketplace or OTA
Many guides will design a tour, and advertise them on an online platform to attract customers. We’ll break the process down here. What is an OTA? How do you design and operate tours for marketplaces like ToursByLocals or AirBnB Experiences? How to price your tours and market them in a compelling way, that attracts bookers?

Module 14 Introduction to Running a Tour Business
Many guides just want to wake up, lead a tour, and be done with it. But there are great advantages to developing an entrepreneurial mindset. In this final module, we introduce you to the concepts and opportunities for creating your own tour company. It’s easier than you think, and it’s rewarding to own your own business.

What do you get?
40+ hours of recorded classes with Mitch Bach, Alan Armijo, and a range of special invited Guest Experts

Real, practical learning with industry leaders, both recorded and live

LIVE In-Person classes every week! These are optional, but they’re a way to keep you engaged with the community, to help you continue to learn and network.

Class recordings can also be viewed any time at your convenience

A series of PDF workbooks with frameworks and activities to help you better absorb the material.

The TripSchool “Secret Sauce” of methods for creating unforgettable tour experiences. This is what we do. We’ve done it for 20 years. It’s what makes us unique in the inudstry.

Lifelong access to all online materials

Participation in TripSchool Campfire, our rich social learning environment with forums, discussion rooms, events, and resources to keep you engaged. Think Facebook + Netflix + Udemy for tour guides!

Full course only $497