A traveler’s heart beats stronger with each passing mile.
You might not have the energy you once did (or perhaps you do now that you’ve kicked the cubicle and finally have to focus on yourself!), but you’re wiser about how you expend it. You know that time spent not doing what you love is time wasted.
You’ve discovered what makes you happiest, so why aren’t you doing more of it?
For many, it’s about finances. Perhaps your retirement income is less than you’d hoped, and you’re living lean. A week a year in Mexico is all that fits into your budget. It’s nice, but it’s not enough. This is your chance to travel the world, to explore different cultures – to live your lifelong dream.
Having a career in travel satisfies your wanderlust and plus, you get paid doing it. There is no age limit. In fact, many of the most successful travel professionals excel by drawing from their life experience and previous careers. Your unique story gives you a perspective no one else can claim. Use it.
Here are five reasons you are never too old to start a career in travel:
1. You Still Love Traveling
You’ve found nothing that recharges you as fully or makes you smile the same way. You appreciate every aspect of the journey – even (maybe even especially) the parts that don’t go as planned. Like most passionate travelers, you thrive on unexpected events and chance It’s not too late. Encounters. Sometimes, the most enjoyable, enlightening experiences are not on the itinerary.
2. You Are a Natural People Person
You still love meeting new people. If hearing about others’ adventures excites you, this is the job for you. You’ll develop strong bonds with fascinating individuals, young and old, and in between. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll share your favorite hotels, funny travel stories, and food allergies. You’ll connect on a level to which few others are attuned. Warning: the more people you meet, the longer your bucket list will get.
3. You Have a Teacher’s Spirit
Travel is the greatest classroom in the world, agreed? More often than not, we’ve learned our most valuable lessons outside of our so-called comfort
zones. Effective teaching is less about reciting facts to a tour group and more about motivating them to push their limits. The mind truly blossoms when encouraged to venture into unfamiliar terrain, whether trying new food or diving out of a plane.
4. You Still Love Being Active
Sitting around watching TV and waiting to hear from the kids is not for you. You’d much rather be hiking Machu Picchu, bicycling through wine country,
cruising the Mediterranean or leading a Segway tour through Shanghai.
The desire to never skip retirement is growing: AARP says that 25% of US working adults 50 and older expect never to retire.
Moving means life.
5. You Still Love Inspiring Others
You inspire others to do the same by following your dreams. You become a shining example of what is possible to those who can see themselves in you. That might mean another retiree or your grandchildren. It’s never too late to plant the seed and show how rewarding it is to do what you were meant to do. Many retirees have discovered a new chapter in their lives where they can continue to be active, go on an adventure and explore, enjoy the freedom they’ve earned, travel and meet wonderful people, learn about new places and things, spend time with their loved ones, and bring joy to many others. Come and finally enjoy an industry where your age, life experience, and flexible schedule are all valued.
Success Stories That Prove It’s Never Too Late
While sitting on the porch in a rocking chair might have been how our grandparents envisioned their later years, many seniors and boomers seek fulfilling encore careers. According to AARP, 65- to 74-year-olds are among the fastest growing segment of the labor force; their participation is at 38%. Many are seeking second careers that allow them to see the world.
When Larry Bell, a former Air Force officer and diplomatic attaché, retired from military service, he wanted to continue traveling. “My Air Force career opened the world of travel for me. Many of my assignments allowed me to visit foreign countries, observe different cultures, and meet interesting people. The opportunity to combine work with travel eventually led me to tour guiding–it seemed like a natural follow-on career.”
Tour guiding gives Larry his passion for travel and new adventures and the freedom to chart his course, work as much or as little as they wish, and get paid to visit exciting global places.
After decades of raising a family, Susan Schnurr found herself at a crossroads after she relocated to Washington, D.C. During this time, she frequently traveled to Canada, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, to serve as the essential caregiver for her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s. While in the U.S., she volunteered at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the Ocean Hall. While volunteering, an unexpected inspiration emerged from her neighbor, a tour director named Cindy. Following her mother’s passing, Susan, in her middle years, discovered it was time to write her next chapter. “How can I get a job like yours?” she asked Cindy one day, captivated by life stories on the road. With Cindy’s encouragement, this Canadian mother enrolled at ITMI to pursue her certification as a tour director, transforming her life into an exciting new career path.
Do not let fear of uncertainty hold your dreams hostage. Take a Leap (it’s not as giant as you might think) and enjoy the fulfillment you deserve. This industry values your age, life experience, and flexible schedule. It’s your chance to continue being active, embrace adventure, enjoy hard-earned freedom, meet wonderful people, and bring joy to others.
The path to your next great adventure isn’t just open – it’s calling your name.
For over five decades, ITMI has been transforming passion into a profession. As a proud affiliate of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), ITMI continues to set the gold standard as the premier training institute in education for the travel industry.
Contact ITMI today to learn about our training programs and take the first step toward your new career in travel. Schedule a personal consultation with our admissions team to discover how ITMI can help you transform your wanderlust into a rewarding profession.
Reserve your spot, meet the ITMI professional instructor team to join the ITMI Community today.
