Joseph Spaid – ITMI Alumni
After decades of creating special effects for film, TV, and advertising, I chose to fulfill my dream of becoming a professional travel guide – a dream that was inspired by a realization my mother had while she and I were traveling together in Italy. My first step was to get ITMI-certified. That was followed by […]
Meet Jeremy West
What or who inspired you to become a tour director?I have always been passionate about travel. Mark Twain probably said best: “Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” My dad took us abroad many times while I was growing […]
Meet Evan Kilgore – ITMI Alum
What or who inspired you to become a tour director?My high school drama director was a freelance New York City tour director; I was exposed to the industry at a young age. During high school, I had the opportunity to assist with the reservations and on-tour management of school trips to New York City, London, […]
What or who in spired you to become a tour director?
I was fortunate to live and study in Madrid, Spain, for the last two years of my undergraduate university studies. I found that I loved exploring and using my knowledge of Spanish and other languages to interact with locals and non-Americans. When I finished my degree, the next challenge was how to get a job […]
Bill Schuler
“The people I meet all have a story to tell …I have learned that in all cultures, it is the stories that last.” What or who inspired you to become a tour director? I participated in a biology/geology field camp during my sophomore year in college. This was a self-contained 8-week course; our classroom was […]
Meet Beth Meredith – ITMI Alum
What or who inspired you to become a tour director? Traveling with my mother for the last few years of her life exposed me to some wonderful tour directors, and it looked like a good way to make a living and see the world. How do you balance your personal life with your travel career? […]
Why Travel Is the Greatest Teacher (And How Tour Guides Unlock Its Power)
Travel has long been hailed as the greatest teacher in the world—and for good reason. It goes beyond sightseeing. Authentic travel is about connection: people-to-people, heart-to-heart, culture-to-culture. It’s a living classroom where every encounter, every landscape, and every shared meal holds the potential to shift your worldview. In today’s fast-paced world, where digital screens often […]
Why Empathy Is the Tour Guide’s Superpower
Connecting Across Cultures and Emotions When people think of great tour guides, they often imagine destination knowledge, historical facts, or flawless logistics. But the most transformative travel experiences aren’t built on facts alone. They’re built on connection—and that starts with empathy. For tour directors, empathy isn’t just a soft skill—it’s a superpower. It helps you […]
The Vital Role of DEI in ITMI Tour Training
How Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Shape the Future of Travel Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are more than trending terms—they are foundational values for how tour directors operate on the road, interact with guests, and create meaningful experiences across cultures. At the International Tour Management Institute (ITMI), DEI is not a checkbox or a policy—it’s […]
The Power of Storytelling: How Tour Guides Engage, Entertain, and Inspire
Great tour guides don’t just recite facts—they captivate hearts and minds through the art of storytelling. At ITMI, we’ve long believed that storytelling is an essential skill for any tour director or guide. Whether recounting ancient history on a city walking tour or sharing a personal anecdote on a motorcoach, stories transform a tour from […]