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Tour Director

Outdoors: Kent Taylor, Various locations,
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Do you want to be a Tour Director?

Would you like to turn your love for travel into a paying job? Do you enjoy meeting people from all walks of life? Are you a good public speaker who can engage and educate your audience? Then a world of adventure may await you as a tour director. Pack your bags and join tour director Kent Taylor of The National Park Society on a VocationVacations® dream job holiday. Kent will be your personal guide as you explore what it takes to get into this exciting profession.

Kent Taylor has always loved to travel and explore the outdoors. He received his bachelor of arts in recreation parks management from Humboldt State University in majestic Northern California and began his career learning about the environment and teaching outdoor education. In 1999, Kent developed his dream job as an international tour director by combining his experiences as a park ranger and college professor with his love of travel.

“As a professional tour director, you are hired by tour operators to escort groups on local programs, domestic tours, international tours and cruises. You may be on an African safari one week and cruising the Seven Seas the next,” explains Kent. Or, if you prefer local work, there are also opportunities to work with local tour operators, destination management companies and receptive services. “This can be a full-time, part-time or seasonal job for people of all ages. In fact, life experience that comes with age can be an asset in this field.”

As a tour director you are responsible for the seamless day-to-day management of the tour while on the road. This includes the logistics of hotel check-in and check-out, dining, activities, ground transportation and airport transfers. According to Kent, the real fun, however, is the educational aspect of the job, teaching passengers about the culture, history, geology, wildlife and plant life of the destination.

“Organization, public speaking and customer service are key skills in this career field. The desire and ability to exceed passenger expectations will help keep you in demand for tour management jobs,” says Kent. Through his company, National Park Society, Kent manages tours for private groups and VIP clients. He is also in demand by major national and international tour companies to manage their trips.

On any given day of the year you might find Kent on a beach in Costa Rica, watching wolves in Yellowstone or hoisting a pint in Ireland. Kent is a Certified International Tour Manager and Certified Tour Guide. He served as the department chair for the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality degree programs for Blair College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for five years.

When not managing tours, Kent works as a park ranger at Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado and is the park ranger mentor for VocationVacations.

***Due to Kent's travel/work schedule, we highly recommend you purchase travel insurance in the event Kent needs to reschedule.  VocationVacations nor Kent is responsible for a change in scheduling.

While on your Tour Director VocationVacations® drean job holiday with Kent Taylor, activities will include some or all of the following:
  • Getting started as a tour director
  • Identifying education and certification requirements and additional training opportunities
  • Learning the keys to getting hired and opportunities for income potential
  • Gaining an understanding of daily tour procedures and confirmation of services
  • Developing and facilitating educational narration
  • Learning how to conduct a tour orientation briefing
  • Handling hotel check-in and check-out
  • Generating optional tour sales to increase income
  • Handling tour challenges and emergencies
The Tour Director VocationVacations® dream job holiday with Kent Taylor, includes:
  • Three days of one-on-one mentorship in your dream job as a tour director
  • The opportunity to participate in a total of one hour of pre- and post- VocationVacations career coaching from an accredited, affiliated VocationVacations career coach
  • A pocket-size VocationVacations journal so you can document your dream job coming to reality
  • Light lunches with your mentor

Available: Your VocationVacation will take place the first 3-days of a National Park Society Tour with Kent Taylor. The required National Park Society Tour is booked separately, but at the time as your V-V with Kent.

Price: $1349 Per Person

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