Tour guides embody lessons we can all apply in business

Tour guides are often the unsung heroes of our holiday experiences. Not only are they the glue that holds our trip together and the living and breathing guide book that gives us insight, meaning and context, they are the connector, the facilitator, the character, the window into the destination and its culture. 

More than that, they can play a critical role in breaking down barriers and fostering understanding. As holidaymakers in different cultures, we can sometimes feel disconnected to the people and places we visit, but a good tour guide can take away any fear that comes from difference, and help us to understand and immerse ourselves, making the experience all the richer and more meaningful.

That’s why I welcome the fact that tomorrow (February 21) is International Tourist Guide Day, an opportunity to celebrate the often magical contribution of tour guides, to help agents identify those that do it best, and also to consider what we, in industry, can learn from them.

A great tour guide is not just a navigator of geography. They are storytellers. They don’t simply share facts; they weave them into narratives that help to connect us to a place. 

For travel agents, this point is key. For so many of us, it’s the people that make the place, and if guests come away feeling like they have really got under the skin of a destination through the character, knowledge and expertise of a well-chosen guide or immersive experience, then they’ll come back for more.

So how can agents identify companies that have the best tour guides?

First, look for a company that puts local guides front and centre in its marketing. Intrepid is a great example of this, and in my experience, they deliver on their promise. When I travelled to Marrakesh with my two teenage sons last year, it was my long-time ally and friend Zina Bencheikh, Intrepid’s Moroccan-born EMEA managing director, who put me in touch with an incredible female guide.

She proved a formidable bridge to the many layers of Marrakesh, be it current affairs or history; language and tradition, or women’s evolving contribution to the country. She also told personal stories, offered context and helped us understand the nuances of daily life for real people in Morocco. We felt part of it. For my sons, it was grounding to walk the land with someone who knew its roots. It truly reminded me that a good tour guide is about translating cultures, making them more approachable, and encouraging integration.

Another piece of advice for agents is to look at online reviews. The best companies will have plentiful reviews that specifically acknowledge the guides, citing the skill, knowledge and camaraderie that those guides engendered.

As I reflect on my own experiences of tour guiding, both as a customer and now that Women in Travel CIC is expanding its CPD-accredited Tour Guiding Academy to train and empower women across the world to share their stories and heritage by becoming immersive tour guides, I am struck by how intentional guides are in creating engagement. They read the room, adapt their pace, and bring humour and energy to keep people present. In doing so, they make you feel comfortable while inviting you into the story. The best ones have a remarkable ability to turn strangers into curious participants – and that is a skill every leader should pay attention to.

In many ways, tour guides embody lessons we can all apply in business: that leadership, like guiding, isn’t just about direction – it’s about creating meaning. Whether in travel or in business, people don’t just remember where you took them; they remember how you made them feel along the way.

So to the guides – in tourism and in leadership – thank you for showing us how to turn journeys into lasting impact.