A rewarding and exciting way to share your passion for travel and tours is to work as a city & local guides. Thanks to the city & local guides, tourists learn more about the history and heritage of a city. Do you want to share stories about your city’s history and culture with the world? 

Read this article till the end for some tips for becoming a city & local guide in the country.

Learn more about your city
To become a city & local guide, it is essential to learn your city’s origin, culture, history, and background. You may assume that you know a lot about your city since you have been living there for years, but when it comes to travel and tourism, you might want to think about what a tourist or a visitor would like to know about it. You need to narrate the history, culture, traditions, beauty, and geography from the perspective of the person who has come as a tourist to your city. Moreover, the information should seem intriguing and engaging. People love stories. Therefore, even if you believe you know a lot about the city, it is still important to understand its origins and history. 

A passion for storytelling
One of the best things about being a city & local guide is you do not need too many educational qualifications. All you need is a passion for storytelling. Anyone who is passionate about and interested in photography, vlogging, and travel and tourism, can pursue this career. 

You require specific skills like communication, a flair for performance or dramatics, and good storytelling. Being punctual and motivated, as well as having good customer service abilities, could be helpful. If you are a problem solver, energetic and enthusiastic, this might be the perfect job for you. However, you should consider this career a lifestyle and not merely a job. This job is about engaging with people, keeping them entertained, and providing them with more knowledge.

Required training or certification
If there is any training or certification that is needed for becoming   City & Local Guides, then you must go for it. Different cities have different requirements. And the initial fees differ for states and cities. To avoid any hassle with the law, find out what education or certification is required to become a city & local.

Company registration
To run a City & Local Guides business, you must register your company. Getting the necessary certification will further smoothen the process of registering your company. You can take the advice of experienced people in this field and learn from their experiences. This will save you a lot of time and resources. Once the company is registered, you can run it as a sole proprietor, work as the local tour guide, or hire staff and make the team for this business. The decision is up to you and as per the financial resources available .  

Transportation, tools, and equipment
You might need the necessary equipment and appropriate transportation to manage your business. You need to consider how you’ll get your customers to the city’s top tourist destinations and attractions. Additionally, you might need to spend money on tools and equipment like binoculars and cameras. In addition to being the local tourist guide, you can also provide photography services.

Designing and developing a website
The next step is to design and develop a website for your business. This will allow you to have increased and enhanced reach and presence. These days there is no better approach to promote your business and increase your online presence, and this goes for a City & Local Guides’   business too.

Promoting the website
Once the website is ready, it is necessary to promote the business and the website to reach the target audience. In the initial stage, aggressive and assertive marketing is needed to reach potential customers. Work on SEO, targeted keywords, and relevant graphics and videos. It would help people discover you as a local tour guide.

Customer satisfaction
Keeping customers happy and satisfied is the key to a great business. Hence, excellent customer service would boost your business and increase brand loyalty and client base. Sending a follow-up email, saying “thank you,” or sending a newsletter is also a good option. It’s another step towards creating trust and loyalty.

Consider these tips while starting as a city & local guide, and you will be listed among the best ones in town.