Stand out in
a crowded market:
6 strategies for
modern tour guides

With so many players in the market, it can be challenging to differentiate yourself from competitors and provide a unique experience for your customers.

To succeed, you need to come up with fresh and innovative ideas that set your business apart and cater to the evolving needs and preferences of modern travelers.

In this article, we will share six unique and effective strategies for launching a successful tour guide business in 2023.

Strategies for modern tour guides

These ideas will help you create a tour guide business that is engaging, immersive, socially responsible, and customer-focused, ultimately setting you up for success in the years to come.

Whether you're a seasoned travel professional or a first-time entrepreneur, these ideas will help you create a thriving and rewarding tour guide business.

1. Collaborate with local photographers

Partnering with local photographers is a great way to offer a unique and engaging tour experience. Photography tours can cater to photography enthusiasts of all levels, from beginners to professionals.

Customers can explore a location while learning photography skills and techniques from a local expert, who can provide insider knowledge on the best places to capture photos.

This type of tour can be tailored to different themes, such as landscapes, street photography, or portrait photography. It can also offer opportunities for customers to connect with local photographers and other travelers, creating a community around a shared passion for photography.

By collaborating with local photographers, you can create a more authentic and localized tour experience, while also supporting the local creative economy.

2. Create a socially responsible business

As social responsibility becomes increasingly important to customers, building a socially responsible tour guide business can help attract socially conscious travelers.

This can involve donating a portion of profits to a local charity, or creating opportunities for customers to participate in volunteer activities during their tours.

For example, you can organize beach cleanups or work with local organizations that support environmental conservation or social justice causes.

Emphasizing your commitment to social responsibility can also help build your business reputation and create a positive impact on the communities you visit.

3. Offer "slow travel" tours

In contrast to fast-paced, busy travel itineraries, "slow travel" tours focus on providing a more relaxed and meaningful travel experience.

These types of tours allow customers to immerse themselves in a location's culture and traditions, taking their time to explore and appreciate the local way of life.

For example, a slow travel tour may include spending a few days in a rural community, learning traditional skills, such as cooking or farming, and participating in cultural activities, such as dance or music.

This type of tour can help customers form a deeper connection with the places they visit and create more lasting memories. Slow travel tours can also be a great opportunity for customers to disconnect from their busy lives and connect with themselves and their surroundings.

4. Host cultural exchange programs

Cultural exchange programs can provide a unique and immersive travel experience for customers, allowing them to live with local families or participate in cultural exchanges.

For example, customers can stay with a host family and learn about their way of life, customs, and traditions. Alternatively, customers can participate in activities or workshops that provide an opportunity to learn about and engage with local communities.

These types of tours can create a deeper understanding and appreciation of the local culture, while also providing opportunities for cultural exchange and connection.

Cultural exchange programs can also be a great opportunity for customers to learn new skills or gain a new perspective on the world.

5. Use gamification in your tours

Integrating gamification elements into tours can make them more engaging and interactive for customers. For example, scavenger hunts can be created where customers must solve clues and complete challenges while exploring a location.

Trivia games or quizzes can be created to educate customers on the history or culture of a location. Gamification can also be incorporated into social media campaigns, where customers can share their experiences and earn rewards or prizes for their participation.

Using gamification can help create a more fun and memorable tour experience while also encouraging customers to engage with your business and promote it to others.

6. Create a loyalty program

Offering a loyalty program is a great way to encourage repeat business and customer loyalty. Loyalty programs can offer exclusive discounts, perks, or rewards for repeat customers.

For example, customers can earn points for each tour they book, which can be redeemed for discounts or free tours in the future. Loyalty programs can also help create a sense of community around your business, where customers feel valued and appreciated.

By focusing on creating a positive customer experience and offering incentives for repeat business, you can improve customer retention.

Start your own tour guide business today

Starting a successful tour guide business requires innovative ideas that set you apart from the competition and cater to the evolving needs of modern travelers.

In this article, we shared six unique and effective strategies for launching a successful tour guide business in 2023.

These ideas included focusing on sustainable and socially responsible travel, creating immersive and personalized experiences, offering a slow travel approach, leveraging social media and influencer marketing, and catering to specific niches and demographics.

By implementing these strategies, you can create a business that is engaging, immersive, socially responsible, and customer-focused, ultimately setting you up for success in the years to come.

Whether you're a seasoned travel professional or a first-time entrepreneur, these ideas will help you create a thriving and rewarding tour guide business.

If you're looking for a way to organize tour reservations and manage payments, try using Vev's free reservation system for tour operators and tour guides.