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Travel Guides Occupation Detailed Description

Travel Guides career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Travel Guides

The main tasks and work activities of Travel Guides are to organize recreational activities or events, resolve customer complaints or problems, sell products or services, arrange services or reservations for patrons. In general, for the Travel Guides, speaking, active Listening, service Orientation, coordination and other 10 skills are required.
Travel Guides Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Travel Guides jobs. 33.00% of Travel Guides have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 15.16% of Travel Guides have Bachelor's Degree and Above.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
33.00%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
40.36%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
11.48%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
15.16%

Tasks and Work Activities of Travel Guides

  • Plan tour itineraries, applying knowledge of travel routes and destination sites.
  • Resolve any problems with itineraries, service, or accommodations.
  • Sell travel packages.
  • Arrange for tour or expedition details such as accommodations, transportation, equipment, and the availability of medical personnel.
  • Evaluate services received on the tour, and report findings to tour organizers.
  • Lead individuals or groups to tour site locations and describe points of interest.
  • Verify amounts and quality of equipment prior to expeditions or tours.
  • Pay bills and record checks issued.
  • Attend to special needs of tour participants.
  • Give advice on sightseeing and shopping.
  • Provide tourists with assistance in obtaining permits and documents such as visas, passports, and health certificates, and in converting currency.
  • Administer first aid to injured group participants.
  • Pilot airplanes or drive land and water vehicles to transport tourists to activity or tour sites.
  • Set up camps, and prepare meals for tour group members.
  • Instruct novices in climbing techniques, mountaineering, and wilderness survival, and demonstrate use of hunting, fishing, and climbing equipment.
  • Sell or rent equipment, clothing, and supplies related to expeditions.
  • Explain hunting and fishing laws to groups to ensure compliance.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Selling or Influencing OthersConvincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or PeopleAssessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
  • Performing Administrative ActivitiesPerforming day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Organize recreational activities or events.
  • Resolve customer complaints or problems.
  • Sell products or services.
  • Arrange services or reservations for patrons.
  • Provide attraction or event information to patrons.
  • Guide patrons on tours.
  • Monitor availability of equipment or supplies.
  • Manage budgets for personal services operations.
  • Maintain financial or account records.
  • Assist individuals with special needs.
  • Administer first aid.
  • Drive vehicles to transport patrons.
  • Prepare foods or meals.
  • Demonstrate activity techniques or equipment use.
  • Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.

Skills and Abilities for Travel Guides

  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Animal callse.g. Animal sound lures
  • Tentse.g. Camping tents
  • Swivel carabinere.g. Climbing carabiners
  • Safety harnesses or beltse.g. Climbing harnesses
  • Safety helmetse.g. Climbing helmets
  • Lifelines or lifeline equipmente.g. Climbing ropes
  • Laser printerse.g. Computer laser printers
  • Microphonese.g. Cordless microphones
  • Digital camcorders or video camerase.g. Digital video cameras
  • Electronic charts or maps or atlasese.g. Electronic maps
  • Emergency medical services first aid kitse.g. Emergency first aid kits
  • Flatbed trailerse.g. Equipment trailers
  • Sporting riflese.g. Hunting rifles
  • Sporting shotgunse.g. Hunting shotguns
  • Bussese.g. Motor coaches
  • Vehicle navigation systemse.g. Navigation equipment
  • Automobiles or carse.g. Passenger vehicles
  • Public address systemse.g. Portable public address PA systems
  • Camping or outdoor stovese.g. Propane camping stoves
  • Radio frequency transmitters or receiverse.g. Radio frequency RF Receivers
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Sales and MarketingKnowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  • GeographyKnowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • TransportationKnowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Economics and AccountingKnowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.