Tour guide vs tour operator

The differences between tour guides and tour operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a tour guide and a tour operator. Additionally, a tour operator has an average salary of $47,294, which is higher than the $32,323 average annual salary of a tour guide.

The top three skills for a tour guide include local history, customer service and safety practices. The most important skills for a tour operator are reservations, customer service, and customer feedback.

Tour guide vs tour operator overview

	Tour Guide	Tour Operator
Yearly salary	$32,323	$47,294
Hourly rate	$15.54	$22.74
Growth rate	-	4%
Number of jobs	1,043	26,040
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	34	34
Years of experience	2	2

Tour guide vs tour operator salary

Tour guides and tour operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tour Guide	Tour Operator
Average salary	$32,323	$47,294
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $55,000	Between $27,000 And $82,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Harley-Davidson	-
Best paying industry	Education	-

Differences between tour guide and tour operator education

There are a few differences between a tour guide and a tour operator in terms of educational background:

	Tour Guide	Tour Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	University of Southern California

Tour guide vs tour operator demographics

Here are the differences between tour guides' and tour operators' demographics:

	Tour Guide	Tour Operator
Average age	34	34
Gender ratio	Male, 46.8% Female, 53.2%	Male, 45.0% Female, 55.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 9.9% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 9.9% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between tour guide and tour operator duties and responsibilities

Tour guide example responsibilities.

Manage the canoe landing including guests, workers, and canoe traffic in a way that all run smoothly and safely.
Aid clients with matters regarding passports and visas.
Receive multiple positive reviews on the company Facebook page.
Complete extensive training as well as first aid, CPR and a certification.
Maintain alertness for any problem solve calls via radio and communication with management.
Spearhead all creative activity for online marketing (Facebook), and other social media sites5.

Tour operator example responsibilities.

Plan itineraries, make reservations, lead tours, obtain licenses for foreign pilots, manage a fleet of light aircraft.
Manage VIP guest calendar to ensure these guests are given quality service from staff.
Process and issue airlines, transfers, hotels, and city tours reservations for groups.
Train customers in operating Segway personal transport devices and hold entertaining tours.
Film all selection tour events and act as intermediary between AAG and hundreds of Midwestern media outlets.
Train customers in operating Segway personal transport devices and hold entertaining tours.

Tour guide vs tour operator skills

Common tour guide skills

Local History, 22%
Customer Service, 19%
Safety Practices, 16%
Public Speaking, 8%
Front Desk, 4%
Facebook, 3%

Common tour operator skills

Reservations, 32%
Customer Service, 22%
Customer Feedback, 4%
Travel Arrangements, 3%
Tour Guides, 3%
Reservation System, 3%