Some people want to lay on the beach or hit the hottest shopping districts on their vacation and there sure are tours for them but what about the adventure junkie who wants to zip line through the Amazon or ride the Tour de France route? If the latter sounds more like your idea of fun then why not consider a job in the international adventure tourism industry? The sector took off in recent years with increased numbers of high school and college gap year students looking for something exciting to fill their time. 

Not everyone is ready to click on an Amazon travel backpack and buy a plane ticket to Windhoek to start their personal adventure. This why a host of tour companies offers overland and sea adventures for people ages 18–65. As a tour guide or support staff, you will become intimately acquainted with the communities, nature, and history of the areas where you operate. While not all jobs require a college degree, many do want you to have certifications such as CPR, wilderness training, light rig driving permits, or to complete their proprietary courses geared to the region.

Tours are designed around a set itinerary with no more than 20 people and may encompass one or more countries. Nights may be spent in tents, hostels, homestays or small hotels. If you are looking for a career as a tour guide, you may choose to specialize in one area and become your company's expert in Eastern Africa or the Pacific Rim, or if you're simply looking for seasonal work, you may try many regions and types of tours. 

Remember you are not paying for the tour, so this is not a vacation, you are the go-to person in case of emergency or if someone has a complaint. You are the expert on local culture and the conduit through whom they speak to local people. You may be required to meet them in their home city and fly to the destination with them or facilitate their passage through immigration and customs in the arrival country. Your main job is to make sure the people on your tour have the best experience possible.

ARCC Gap Semester Feild Instructors provide an academic framework and structure relevant to their location, as well as teach the curriculum designed for each location and global them
Bold Earth Trip Leaders provide incredible summer experiences for teenagers from all over the globe.
Photography Instructor (MFA) -  Program instructors live and travel with students 24/7 for weeks at a time, so a high level of energy and enthusiasm is necessary along with strong leadership and communication skills.
Wilderness Instructors needed to guide summer programs for teens and college students in Central and South America, Europe, South Africa and Canada.
Naturalist Guide Galapagos Their backpack is their office, the local hostel is their bed for the night and the commute to work might be a boat cruising or hopping from island to island in this remote Pacific Archipelago.
Head Trek Guide - Do you have amazing travel experiences to share with others? Are you well organized, flexible, outgoing, with a good sense of humor? Is dealing with people enjoyable for you? Are you young at heart and ready to work with passion and purpose?
Tour Leader Australia - A Light Rigid (LR) Australian Drivers License, Drivers Authority and First Aid certificate are key requirements and must be obtained prior to being accepted for training. Uluru and Kata Tjuta National Park and Kakadu National Park Accreditations will be viewed favorably.
Tour Leader East Africa - Do you have a love of adventure travel? They hire are Adventure specialists who have a genuine passion for traveling to vibrant, exciting areas of the world. Previous experience living, traveling, studying or working abroad is an essential requirement for this position.
Dragons Field Staff have the desire to provide students with the most complete and exceptional educational experience possible. International jobs with Dragons are unique in that instructors are given great flexibility in designing and running programs that dynamically respond to students’ needs, interests and goals.
Group Leader India job is to ensure the overall successful operation of each trip as detailed by PEAK DMC management with particular reference to the health, safety, and enjoyment of the group members.
Group Leader Japan ensure the successful operation of each trip with particular reference to the health, safety, and overall experience of Intrepid travelers.
Moondance Tip Leaders take young adventures around the globe. They are required to have Wilderness First Aid + CPR certifications at a minimum; however, many programs with time spent in the backcountry require a minimum of a Wilderness First Responder.
Tour guide in Tasmania Casual 2 days per week with some weekend work. Ideal candidates will need an outgoing fun personality to provide customers with a fun experience.
International Bicycle Tour Guides lead mostly English-speaking guests all over the world, offering top notch service with the smallest group sizes in the industry. Potential guides should be fluent in the language of the country in which they wish to lead tours, be intimately knowledgeable about that region, and have familiarity with bike mechanics.
Island Scuba Instructor is responsible for maintaining beach safety on Great Stirrup Cay (GSC) for all guests. Also responsible for selling the various excursions to guests; coordinating tour dispatches and assisting in various clerical duties when required. Lead and escort tours on GSC when required.
Backroads Leaders don't only lead trips. Leaders also perform other duties and take on other roles that allow them to fill out their season and increase their earning potential.
Backroads Field Staff Trip Prep Specialists work behind the scenes in tandem with Trip Leaders and Camp Crew to prepare each trip for a successful departure. Camp Crew work in teams of two and are vital to the success of Backroads Camping Trips.
Trek Travel Guides know how to find the perfect roads, boutique accommodations, idyllic towns, delectable meals, and extraordinary experiences. They take the role of making this magic come to life, delivering every piece of this wanderlust dream to our guests with perfection.
Easy Rider Tours Guide positions require the right mix of cycling, interpersonal, organizational skills, and regular seasonal availability.
Dive Instructor - 100m+ The successful candidate needs to have at least one year exp on yacht 80m+ and dive instructor with experience of teaching and guiding high profile clients.
Toucan Tour Leaders in Central and South America, Africa, Europe and South East Asia are required to commit to a minimum of 50-tour weeks which on average is about 18 months unless for Europe where you must commit to the full season.
Tucan Drivers in Africa and South America are responsible for general truck maintenance and also assisting the tour leader in running a professional tour by working together as a team. You will have to display excellent communication and leadership skills. The contract is a mini18-monthonth commitment and you would be based in South America or Africa for the duration of your contract.