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Windmill of Oia, Santorini, Greece
For over 50 years, ITMI has been the trusted leader in tour director and tour guide training and certification. Our foundational courses are designed to equip you with the real-world skills, confidence, and compassionate leadership that set exceptional tour professionals apart.
Each module builds strategically on the last, guiding you step-by-step toward graduation, certification, and long-term success in the global travel and tourism industry.
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YOUR GATEWAY INTO THE PROFESSIONAL TRAVEL INDUSTRY.
Master industry terminology, discover diverse career opportunities, and start to develop essential customer service skills. Together, we will explore how to navigate challenges confidently while creating positive group dynamics that ensure memorable experiences for your guests. 10 Modules – 18+ Hours
BUILD CONFIDENCE WITH INDUSTRY TOOLS
Gain experience with the key digital platforms and apps used to complete and submit course assignments. You’ll also be introduced to essential mapping and navigation software—critical tools for today’s tour professionals—ensuring you’re comfortable with the technology that supports your success in the classroom and on the road. 1 Module – 3 Hours
BECOME AN EXPERT STORYTELLER
Now that you’ve built a strong foundation through the ITMI Building Blocks, you’re ready to elevate your skills and bring destinations to life. You’ll start to master local routing strategies, mapping tools, research methods, and storytelling techniques that captivate and connect. This immersive training culminates in the achievement of your Local ITMI Tour Guide Certification—your first major milestone on the path to becoming a professional tour leader. 27 Modules – 32+ Hours
TAKE IT TO THE STREETS & LEARN BY DOING
To deepen your knowledge of tour guiding, you’ll step into the traveler’s shoes by independently exploring a
professionally guided tour experience in your local area. Whether it’s a sightseeing bus tour, walking tour, or a docent-led museum visit, this immersive assignment sharpens your observational skills. It helps you see firsthand what makes a guide truly unforgettable or not. It’s your chance to analyze, learn, and draw inspiration from the field—right in your own backyard. Your choice of a 1 – 8 hour local sightseeing tour.
PRACTICE YOUR CRAFT
Throughout your training program you’ll join your instructors and fellow students for live ‘Open Mic’ sessions—an energizing space to practice your storytelling skills, build confidence, and get real-time feedback from your instructor team and cohorts. Whether you’re sharing a powerful moment or testing out a new narrative style, these sessions are where you find your authentic voice. Think of ‘Open Mic’ as your storytelling lab—fun, supportive, and essential for honing the art of captivating your future guests. Minimum 10+ hours
BECOME A PEOPLE MOVER
Your journey continues, with the first module of your ITMI Tour Director Certification track. Building on your local guiding skills honed in Step 3, this advanced course prepares you to lead multi-day tours with confidence and professionalism. You’ll gain deeper expertise with tour logistics, group management, and essential on-the- road tour technologies—such motorcoach hook-ups, digital communications, and itinerary tools—equipping you to thrive in today’s tech-enabled travel landscape. 10 Modules – 12+ Hours
YOUR ADVENTURE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN
It’s time to put your skills into action. In this immersive virtual ride-along, with your instructor, will guide you through the full step-by-step process of planning and leading a multi-day tour—just like you would on the road. You’ll watch as your instructor develops the technical route maps, schedule stops, optional sightseeing, and manage logistics, bringing together everything you’ve learned so far.
This isn’t just a demo—it’s a fun, challenging, one-on-one interactive excercise with your instructor. You’ll complete prep work ahead of time, including mapping, timing, crafting commentary, technology while fine-tuning your personal style. 13 Modules – 15+ Hours
YOU ARE ALMOST DONE!
Once completed, you will receive your ITMI Tour Director Certification! Now it’s time to put your expertise into action. In this final stage of training, you’ll undertake a comprehensive, real-world tour simulation on your own, that mirrors the entire process, from getting hired to completing a successful multi-day tour. With your instructors riding alongside you (virtually), you’ll navigate every step of the process: luggage handling, routing, optional tours, navigation, working with the driver, tour technology and post-tour evaluation.
You’ll be challenged with realistic scenarios to test your decision-making, adaptability, and professionalism.
21 Modules – 20+ hours
At ITMI, we champion tour guides and tour directors as ambassadors of goodwill. These visionary leaders turn travel into a force for good, break down stereotypes, inspire connection, cultivate compassion and empathy, and empower travelers to be changemakers and world citizens.
Travel is more than a destination—it’s a journey toward an interconnected world.
PROTECT LIVES. PROMOTE RESPONSIBILITY.
Gain the critical skills to recognize, respond to, and prevent Human Trafficking. This essential training empowers you to safeguard vulnerable populations while championing ethical and responsible tourism practices.
ECPAT, the global leader in child protection, awarded ITMI as a Top Code Member—honoring ITMI as the first tourism school to actively support their mission to end child exploitation. In alignment with Airline Ambassadors International, our program upholds and reflects the travel industry’s most trusted and impactful anti-trafficking standards.
ITMI believes a resume should be more than just a list of qualifications. It’s your story—an authentic reflection of your personality, experiences and potential.
ITMI will help you craft a resume with your introduction video that doesn’t just check boxes—it opens doors. It’s designed to spark curiosity, create connection, and serve as a powerful conversation starter with hiring managers. Your resume should speak confidently and clearly on your behalf.
YOUR CONNECTION WITH ITMI DOES NOT END AT GRADUATION — YOU JOIN THE ITMI FAMILY
The Nautilus is more than just a beautiful shell—it’s a symbol of continuous growth, resilience, and inspires reflection. Like our graduates, the nautilus grows by building chamber after chamber, never leaving the old onesbehind, but always expanding into something larger and stronger. Each chamber represents a chapter of learning, of travel, and transformation.
Today, ITMI graduates are thriving on every continent. The ITMI Nautilus serves as a fitting emblem for our globalnetwork, ever-expanding outward yet continually connected to its core.
Upon successful completion of your coursework, you’ll be awarded the ITMI International Tour Director Certification—a respected credential recognized across the global tourism industry.
You’ll also gain lifetime access to our career network and alumni community.
Whether leading adventure tours, hosting student groups, or guiding niche experiences, ITMI prepares you to serve across every sector of the travel industry:
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Start anytime
Not sure if this is for you? Contact Us to talk with an instructor.
