Work opportunties limited
- most tour guide jobs are seasonal and casual
- the amount of work depends on bookings.
There is not much work available in New Zealand for full-time tour guides, especially between May and October.
According to the Census, 2,640 tour guides worked in New Zealand in 2018.
Communication skills and foreign languages help to get work
Employers prefer tour guides who have:
- a good knowledge of New Zealand history, geography and culture
- the ability to convey this knowledge well to a wide range of clients
- some ability to speak a foreign language.
Types of employers varied
Employers of tour guides include:
- private tour companies
- museums
- wildlife sanctuaries and some government departments such as the Department of Conservation (ecotour guides).
Tour guides may run their own business and market their services directly to the public or tour companies.
