Attend Tour Guide Training School

A quick way to gain specific education and skills relevant to tour guiding is to enroll in one of the better travel guide schools around the country. No tour company will require employees to go to travel guide school and there is no required accreditation or certification for tour guides in this country.

However, graduation from a respected school tells employers that you're serious about the tour industry and have already acquired the speaking and management skills necessary to be a tour guide or tour manager.

One of the better programs in the country is the International Guide Academy/International Tour Management Academy in Denver, Colorado, which offers two- and four-week courses in international tour management and tour guiding. Headed by Frank Slater, Ph.D., the IGA/ITMA is endorsed by the IATM, International Association of Tour Managers, North American Region and the American Association of Tour Professional and is well known in the tour industry. Perhaps the most helpful aspect of the IGA/ITMA, though, is its placement program and contacts with industry leaders. Courses are offered in the USA, Mexico, China, Canada, and onboard a cruise ship.

Professional Tour Management Training, owned and operated by Cheri Anderson - whom we interviewed earlier on this website - is a one-person operation. Ms. Anderson is an experienced tour leader who has traveled around the world. She has made it her mission to help pass along her extensive knowledge by teaching classes at colleges and universities in California. She also now offers a new online tour training class that will be offered through 1,200+ colleges throughout the US and Canada. Graduates can also count on Ms. Anderson to help them get started in their new careers by getting good information on whom to contact. It's a personal touch that is hard to come by in most cases.

Several community colleges also offer tour training with their travel programs. Miami-Dade Community College has one of the biggest travel and tourism programs in the country, and offers both two-year degree programs in tourism and shorter certification programs. The school has strong connections within the tourism industry and offers a strong internship and career placement service. A similar program serving over 700 students is also offered by West Los Angeles College in Culver City, California. A number of smaller programs exist at community colleges throughout the country; we suggest calling your local community college and asking for information on travel and tourism programs in your area.

For more information, contact the schools listed below:

United States Tour Guide Training Schools

International Guide Academy, Inc
P.O. Box 370190
Denver, CO 80237-0190
(303) 780-0131
Fax: (303) 530-3553
Email: daniel@bepaidtotravel.com
Website: www.bepaidtotravel.com

Miami-Dade Community College
Travel and Tourism Management Program
11380 NW 27th Avenue
Miami, FL 33167
(305) 237-1093

Professional Tour Management Training
P.O. Box 592
Lake Forest, CA 92609-0592
(949) 830-8603
Email: tourtraining@aol.com
Website: www.tourtraining.com

West Los Angeles Community College
Department of Travel
4800 Freshman Drive
Culver City, CA 90230
(310) 287-4293 or (310) 287-4200

Canadian Tour Guide Training Schools

Tour Guide Training Corporation of Canada
1098 - 397 Front St. West
Toronto, ON M5V 3S1
(647) 477-6470
Email: ksnowdon@traintheguides.com
Website: www.tourmanagertraining.com

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