Employing the right people for a tour company

[Anne de Jong]

Hi Ruth, this really depends for what function you are looking to employ new people! Some functions, for example sales or customer service, require specific skills.

If you’re looking for good tour guides and what their skills need to be read this article: https://goodtourisminstitute.com/library/good-tour-guides/

Overall, it’s important new employees have at least a combination of the following:

• Background in tourism or in the required field
• Some work experience
• Passion for the job and your company
• Interest in good tourism

When hiring new employees, you are the best person to determine if someone fits the mission, vision but also values of your company. Hire the person that fits those criteria. 😁

That said, what job are you looking for to hire new employee(s) @ruth-nattabi ?

Why good tour guides are important

[Alberta]

I would undergo interviews and select those persons who have done a course in Tourism and have a passion for it. Also trustworthiness, honesty and fairness would be important as well. Such person has to have an outgoing personality and creative.

[Anne de Jong]

Great to hear, @sanoutours . All important characteristics that make a good employee!

[Angela Kyeyune]

Hi Ruth, it should start with what your company mission is and values are. From there it should be a guide to which individuals have those values you are looking at. Mind the character mostly, with skills you can always train but character is very important to look out for.

[Anne de Jong]

Yes absolutely @Angela Kyeyune ! How have you determined if someone fitted your values?

[Angela Kyeyune]

Hi Ann, at TLA, we mainly consider how one engages with people at office or field (work as a team) and productivity/ efficiency.

[Ruth]

thanks Angela i have tried to hire but am, mostly getting students who have no idea what they are doing yet they are fresh graduates the cost of training them has not yet been planned so im wondering how i am going to go about that ?

• This reply was modified 1 year, 12 months ago by  Ruth.

[Angela Kyeyune]

Hi Ruth, I was that fresh graduate straight out of Uni and was given an opportunity for internship and I stayed, grew with the company for 15 years. It’s one of the best 5 in the country. I was told I seemed hungry to learn be it from boss, guides or the tour consultants. If someone is willingly to be trained, passionate about the field. Provide some travel books bradt books on East Africa. It’s also important to equip them with as much knowledge as possible. The Travel industry needs patience.

[Mwebingwa]

One important lesson, never employ anyone that you cannot fire. If you cannot fire them, don’t employ them. Secondly, passion is key, I would rather train someone that is passionate about what they are going to do than hiring someone with experience but without passion.

[Anne de Jong]

Hi @mwebingwa-mackay , what do you mean with this exactly? What might be a reason why you can’t fire someone? And how do you recognise this before hiring someone?

[Ruth]

thank you very much Mwebingwa for this good insight

[Lionel]

Seek someone that is passionate and is teachable.

[Anne de Jong]

Yes absolutely. Two very important key aspects of a successful employee hire @Lionel Mugema !

[Adam]

Intrest and passion are key factors for choosing an employee. Tourism is a very vibrate sector but if you are to ensure sustainability of good employees, interest counts first for me. With interest, the candidate is ready to continuously learn and improve on themselves.

[Anne de Jong]

Very true @adam-tz – the interest needs to be there for sure. Do you have your own training to make sure they acquire the required skills when you select them?

[Samantha]

Selection is very crucial. But after selecting training and development is more important.

[Anne de Jong]

Yes absolutely. How do you train and develop your employees?

[Sherina]

hello Ruth ,if the person is hardworking and is focused

[Divine]

Passion; From cv to the interviews, one can always recognize passion when it is there. Like light, you can’t dim it. Whether I am hiring a tour consultant or a tour guide, passion is key. Because when motivation is missing on some hectic work days, passion will keep them in your business.

Willingness to learn and a little knowledge; Most of the work we do can be taught and as a result be well mastered if people were given chances. So if someone had this willingness to learn, and a background or knowledge of the work we are doing, I would happily employ them.

[Anne de Jong]

Great tip Divine! I agree with you that passion is essential for a committed employee who will do what it takes to ensure customers are satisfied!

Do you have an internal training program for new employees who may not have all the required skills (yet) for the job?

[Posiano]

Hi Ruth, hiring right employees is quite tricky. However, what I can advise is to hire;

According to the company demands like experience, desired qualification.

Hire considering the health of the candidate to be hired.

Salary expectation is another to consider.

[Alberta]

I would conduct multiple interviews until I get the right person. I would employ someone who has done a Tour guide course and taken a Tourism course. That person should be have an outgoing personality and has passion for what he or she does.

[Anne de Jong]

👏👏

[Hassan]

Hiring depends on the specific skills your business need. Hiring a tour guide definitely requires someone with a tourism background and the passion to work in the industry as well as great interpersonal communication skills. It is different if I am hiring a social media or digital marketing staff.

I will consider above anything else, the “passion” for tourism and teamwork spirit.

[Anne de Jong]

Absolutely @Hazaks and such an important point you’re addressing. It all depends on the role and required skills and knowledge a person needs for the job. Looking at their passion for tourism and the ability of working successfully in a team should get you the best employees for your business! 👏