We suggest you put aside two weeks for the online self study portion of the Tour Director course. Once you’ve completed the course work, you can register for the LIVE Weekend which puts all of your new knowledge into practice.

It is an exciting time to be part of the travel industry. 

The desire for travel is at an all time high, with expected increases in spending across all types of travel. Tour Directors are in extremely high demand with many of our graduates finding work BEFORE they have even finished the course. 

ITMI is the premier training institute for Tour Guides and Tour Directors  and our graduates are highly sought after by all the major tour operators. 

Great question!

Each Tour Operator compensates their Tour Directors slightly differently. Some Tour Directors work as hourly employees. Some are indpendent contractors and are paid a daily rate. 

In addition to your base pay, you will generally receive a per diem amount to cover your costs; you may receive commissions on the sale of additional services and it is the industry standard to receive gratuities from your guests for a job well done.

The overall breakdown of compensation will vary from company to company, but generally speaking, you can cover the entire cost of your Tour Guide AND Tour Director Certification courses with a 2-week tour. Generally speaking, the overall compensation for that one tour, conservatively ranges from $4000 – $6000+. You set your own schedule, but most Tour Directors work between 60 to 120 days per year, while some choose to work more.

As if that wasn’t enough, your travel and accommodation is covered along with optional tours that could even include luxury train journeys, cruises or helicopter rides.

ITMI not only trains you how to be a travel professional, we provide you with the training and insight to land a job quickly. 

Once you finish the Tour Guide Certification Course, you grant you access FREE OF CHARGE, to the Career Launchpad program. We also review your resumes before you submit them.

As a bonus, you will receive our list of 75 Tour Operators with links to their career pages.

The ITMI brand is recognized throughout the world.

Over three decades ago, ITMI was the first organization to revolutionize how tour directors and tour guides were interviewed for jobs by tour companies at the ITMI Annual Symposium.

In 2021, ITMI partnered with NTA (National Tour Association) to create the ITMI Symposium/NTA Travel Exchange.

This is the industry’s largest gathering of tour directors, tour guides, tour operators, DMO’s, suppliers and industry leaders. You will reap the benefits of growing your portfolio by expanding your network, and destination knowledge, exploring specialized tours, educating yourself on industry trends, starting your own company, and finding both domestic and international job opportunities with key players in Travel and Tourism.

ITMI hosts a ‘Tour Guiding Jobs’ website, updated daily with dozens of jobs from all over the world. You will be sent a weekly email highlighting those opportunities. 

The website will help you discover thousands of exciting jobs with companies looking for professional tour guides, tour directors, tour leaders, travel directors, tour managers, travel leaders, adventure guides, tour escorts, cruise directors, lecturers, experience hosts and more.

Download the TourTrack App  to receive instant job notifications and organize all your tour communication in one convenient place.

No. A large percentage of our students have already been tour directors or guides. They have come to ITMI to increase their job opportunities, become more professional, learn new tips and tricks, learn how to become a better storyteller, work on their confidence and leadership, and join the join the largest international community of travel professionals in the world.

Since ITMI began, tour companies have been hiring ITMI graduates because they have invested in themselves to be professionally trained, mentored and supported in their future growth and success. We are proud to say that many companies exclusively hire ITMI graduates.

The question you need to ask is really “Can this course help me get a job more easily so I can earn money faster than trying to go it alone?” The answer – a resounding “YES!”

Most tour directors earn back the cost of the course in two weeks of touring!

Here are some things to consider.

Independent Contractor:

As an independent contractor, you have control over how many companies you decide to work for, and how often you work. You are paid a fee in the United States and receive a 1099 Form at the end of the year.

The choice you make will be anywhere from full time (250+ days per year), part time (75 – 100 days per year) or seasonal (2 weeks, 1 month or summer vacation). Companies will ask for your availability and try to provide tour offers that fit within your time frame and expertise. You can work for as many companies as you wish; the choice is yours! 

Employee:

As an employee you usually cannot work for other tour companies except during the off-season.

You will receive a salary and employee benefits that may include sick time, workers’ compensation, and other extras such as an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) for wellbeing, yearly meetings and training or shadow tours. All based on performance.

You have the flexibility to work different peak seasons. Fill your schedule leading student tours in the spring, multi-generational family tours in the summer and be cruising on international waterways in the fall or winter.

If you want more time at home with your friends and family, or have another job, you could do local city tours, walking food tours, a couple of multi-day tours…the possibilities are endless!

Many people wonder if tour director and a tour guide are the same; the answer is no.

A Tour Director is responsible for leading a group 2 – 14 days or longer with the same guests.

The Tour Guide usually spends a few hours a day with a group delivering more detailed local storytelling commentary. The tour guides normally live in or near the city they are guiding. You could also be referred to as a Step-on-guide.

The Tour Director can be called several different names depending on the tour company. They may be called a Tour Manager, Tour Leader, Travel Leader, Travel Director, Course Leader, Adventure Guide, CEO (Chief Experience Officer), and a few companies still use the term Tour Escort. The job is the same whatever the title.

The Tour Operator employs the tour director or tour guide.

Tour Directors are able to balance their careers and their personal lives in a manner that few other jobs afford.

One of the attractive features about tour guiding and tour directing, is that it may actually complement your existing profession and become an integrated career. At ITMI we have found that over the years, many of our graduate have actually preferred to work on a part-time basis.

Which means you can work with a tour when your schedule permits, such as weekends or summer vacations. There are part-time gigs, full-time, seasonal – you name it. You’ll find no shortage of opportunities.

Don’t forget you can choose your assignments based on your interests: If you’re a history buff, love architecture, walking tours, wine and food, motorcycles, sports, agriculture the list is endless. With so many travelers desiring so many different types of niche and specialized tours, you will find an opening that will suits you to a tee.

We train Tour Guides and Tour Directors all over the world. Each culture has their own distinct set of rules to live by. We strongly believe that travel is the passport to peace in the world. By expanding our understanding and embracing the differences that make each person special, we can bring kindness and acceptance wherever we go.

We know that the connection you share with your fellow students provides the basis for life-long friendships. Additionally, in order to provide you with individualized attention, our maximum class size is 14.