Tourist guide

You would show visitors around places of historic, artistic or cultural interest. You’d explain facts, tell interesting stories and answer questions about the place and its people.

Some tour guides work in one place while others accompany groups on tours to a number of places or sites.

The places where you might do tours could include:

• Towns and cities

• Historic buildings

• Gardens

• Religious sites

• Museums

• Art galleries

You would escort groups around the site or area and, from memory, talk clearly about its history, purpose, architecture or other points of interest. You’d keep your audience interested and help them understand why the place is significant.

Guided tours could include:

• Sightseeing tours

• Tours for special interest groups

• Themed walks

You could also work as a driver guide, taking small groups of tourists to places of interest in a car or minibus.

As well as helping with people’s enquiries you’d need to be aware of health and safety.

• Scottish Tourist Guides Association - Training to be a tourist guide

• The Hospitality Guild - Careers information from group of employers, skills bodies and trainers in the hospitality industry

• Scotland's National Centre for Languages - Case studies of people who use languages as part of their job as a tour guide