Inbound Tour Guides

Employment for tour guides is expected to grow much faster than the average for all careers through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Jobs will be steadily available due to a predicted increase in international travel to the United States over the next few years, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). In 2018, about 79.9 million international tourists visited the United States. The DOC predicts a 17 percent increase (up to nearly 96.8 million international visitors) by 2028.

Guides with both cultural and foreign-language skills, especially Mandarin, Russian, German, Spanish, and Japanese, will be in demand. The best opportunities in inbound tourism are in large cities with international airports and in areas with a large amount of tourist traffic.

It is important to remember that the travel and tourism industry is affected by the overall economy. When the economy is depressed, people have less money to spend, and therefore, travel less. Additionally, the threat of terrorism, civil disorder, or pandemic may reduce the public's inclination to travel and use the services of inbound tour guides.