Become a ToursByLocals Tour Guide

Connecting travelers with local guides.
Worldwide. Since 2008.

Passionate about an activity or the place you live? Want to help visitors to your area have a great travel experience? Want to earn extra money?

ToursByLocals customers are looking for private tours such as:

day long 'shore excursion' tours for cruise ship passengers
full and half day city tours - the sort you'd give to a friend visiting for the first time
photography tours (great if you're an amateur photographer)
culinary tours - the whole experience, from buying food to preparing and sharing a meal
etc (your specialty here!)

ToursByLocals customers want to experience and learn about the local culture. So be creative and make a tour that reflects your passions and your interests!

Watch a 3½ minute movie that explains how our system works, and how YOU can participate!

We're currently looking for tour guides in all areas. We provide:

all the tools you need to create a professional web presence
training tools to help you design quality tour offerings
sophisticated calendar system lets you control your work availability
credit card processing of customer payments
marketing of your tours through search engines, advertising and public relations
liability insurance through Lloyds of London for the tours you give through ToursByLocals
fast payment for the tours you've given. We pay our guides every Monday, and can make advance payments to cover expenses (tickets, etc).

view movie
(3½ minutes)

Once you are accepted as a ToursByLocals tour guide, your obligations are:

to deliver the tours you've agreed to do in a friendly, professional manner (systems are in place to help you in the event of illness or other unforeseen circumstance)
to respond quickly (within 24 hours) and professionally to customer inquiries and booking requests
to keep your account up to date (should only take about 5 minutes each month)

There is no ongoing cost.

ToursByLocals only makes money when you do. We charge no upfront or ongoing fees - only a percentage of actual bookings. To apply, you must agree to our terms and conditions and confirm that you are legally able to give tours in your jurisdiction. Then all we need to begin processing your application is your contact information and a description of the tours you plan to give. Your privacy is important to us. Your email address will only be used for ToursByLocals business and will not be rented, sold or otherwise distributed. See our Privacy Policy.

Note: Applying to be a Tour Guide does not guarantee acceptance. If we have too many similar tours in an area, you may be put onto a waiting list. We may decline your application based on our view of your suitability to be a successful tour guide, the results of our background check, or for any other reason. Acceptance of you as a Tour Guide is at our sole discretion.

TESTIMONIALS

about ratings

Tour in Paris, France:
"I bring groups to Paris on a regular basis and have hired a lot of guides for walking tours. Eugenie was personable, ch,..." [more]
Valarie Jolly - Apr, 2011 [view guide page]

Tour in Sevastopol, Ukraine:
"Very nice person and a great set of tours. We went to both Sevastopol and Yalta with Anna. Very knowledgeable & she rea,..." [more]
David Egilman - Jul, 2011 [view tour]

Tour in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia:
"Excellent guide, we really enjoyed the tour. The highlights were the market near the Church area, and then after visiti,..." [more]
Francesca Helm - Oct, 2012 [view tour]

THE TOURSBYLOCALS DIFFERENCE

You choose the ACTUAL PERSON who will give your tour. See their photo, bio, credentials and communicate with them in advance via our website. They are locals, living in the same area as the tour.
ONLY THE BEST GUIDES. Guides can't buy their way onto our system - each is chosen by ToursByLocals.
All Tours are PRIVATE, only you and people you choose.
Guide services are priced PER TOUR, not PER PERSON. However, there may be a 'per person' price component if the tour involves external costs such as admission tickets, etc.
Tours shown on website can be purchased directly - or the guide can customize them at your request.
Full contact information provided after booking. Plus, you'll have access to ToursByLocals 24 hour emergency contact number.
Looked through the site but still need advice? You can call ToursByLocals and talk to a REAL HUMAN!