The TripSchool Philosophy
We introduce you to our special way of thinking about the travel industry, and tour directing in general, including our STEW method.
The Group Travel Industry
The industries connected to travel and tourism employ one in ten humans on earth! Within this ecosystem, group travel and the tour director have a special place. You’ll understand what kind of industry you’re working in.
Roles & Responsibility of the Tour Director
Tour directing is a very unique job. And it’s one that is rarely understood by those outside our industry. We’ll break down what exactly a tour director does on tour, and the varieties of tour directing: student tours, adults, over-the-road, cruise, rail, and more.
How You’re Hired & Paid
It’s important to know how you get hired in this industry, and what kind of money you’ll make! It’s a job after all, but one that’s very different than your average office job. We’ll look at the different ways that companies might choose to hire you and how that might impact their decision on how you are paid for working a tour. We’ll also examine the different pay inclusions like travel stipends, full positioning, meals, per diems, allocations, benefits, etc., plus when it is appropriate to have the conversation about how you’re being hired and what you’re being paid when talking to companies. We’ll even offer anonymous examples of different pay packages at companies.
Customer Service: Dealing with People!
You will meet so many people in this job. Having good customer service strategies is one of the most important aspects of being successful in this career.
Preparing for your Tour
Itinerary prep is a massive subject, and deciphering and organizing a technical itinerary is one of the most basic skills you’ll need to conquer to do this job effectively. We’ll look at flexible vs. fixed itinerary components, shifting things around to create tour flow, timing your tour days, and finding moments to express yourself on those days! We’ll tie it all together with a discussion of tour timing and mapping, along with the technologies that can help you.
The On-Tour Experience
It’s time to lead the tour! We’re spilling our secrets from 40+ combined years on the road to give you the tools and knowledge to be a great tour director. We’ll look at tour logistics and safety, as well as games, videos, activities and other ways to shine as a tour director or guide.
Focus: Student Travel
Student tours are often your first jobs in the industry, and while they’re not what everyone imagines when they start out in the job, many come to learn what a rewarding experience it is to change the lives of young people. We’re not being cheesy; in this module we’ll convince you of how interesting student tours are, and look at the specific ways in which they’re different from adult tours, and how to handle the issues that’ll arise!
Focus: Adult Tours
Leading adult tours have their own benefits and challenges, which we’ll examine here. We’ll tackle unique aspects like airport greeting, bag pulls, seat rotations, evaluations and gratuities, but also give you some of our tricks and tips from our experience leading adults around the world.
Focus: International Tours
Being an international tour director sounds glamorous, and sometimes it is, but there’s a lot of responsibility and unique requirements to doing this kind of work. We’ll look at the tour operators that send tour directors abroad, and the different ways you may work there, including river cruises. We’ll cover flying with a group overseas, and the wide variety of issues encountered by guests traveling outside of their comfort zone.
Technology on Tour
We believe tour directing should use all of the available tools and resources in the 21st century. Let’s dive into the technology and tricks on the road that will help you stay organized and also shine in front of your groups! We’ll walk you through some of the standard pre-tour preparation work that you can do to alleviate some of your on-tour work, and share some of the tools that we use to find and create “wow” moments for our guests on tour, in any city!
Storytelling
Today’s tour guest requires more than just stale delivery of the facts. They want a narrative that makes a place come alive, filled with information that not just anyone can find on Wikipedia. In short, they want more, and they want a tour director to be a master storyteller.
Crafting “Wow Moments”
Wow moments are those experiences on tour that are unexpected and memorable, and make all the difference between a good and a spectacular trip. They’re a signature item at TripSchool! We’ll teach you how to craft these experiences, what they are, and when to insert them into your tours.
What’s Next? How to get work!
It’s time to cover what everything’s been leading towards: getting the job! We’ll discuss your resume, hiring tips, how and when to reach out to tour operators, when companies hire, and how to grow your in-person network.
