Resources for tour guides

Where to sell your trips and what each channel really costs, how to market a tour company, which booking software to use, and the permits, pay and jobs side of guiding. Written for hiking, paddling, fishing and off-road guides, from a team that guides.

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Free to join, no exclusivity, 15% plus card processing only on a booking we bring you.

Where to List Your Tours: 8 Sales Channels Compared (2026)Where to list guided tours: your site, Google Things to Do, Tripadvisor, Viator, GetYourGuide, Airbnb Experiences, TourRadar and ExplorOFF, with fees from each provider.Marketing for Tour Operators: How to Get More Bookings (2026)Marketing for tour operators: trip pages that convert, Google Business Profile booking links, reviews, park guide lists, marketplaces and their fees, AI search, email and partners.How to Start a Tour Company: Permits, Insurance and First Guests (2026)How to start a tour company in the US: business structure, free EIN, NPS, Forest Service and BLM permits with real fees, insurance, first aid, sales tax and first guests.Tour Operator Insurance: What Guides and Outfitters Need (2026)Tour operator insurance explained: the coverage guides and outfitters need, NPS, Forest Service, BLM and state minimums, what marketplaces require, who sells it, and waivers.How to Become a Viator Supplier: Fees, Rules and Payouts (2026)How to become a Viator supplier: who can join, sign-up steps, the $29 submission fee, commission and pricing rules, payouts, cancellation policies, support and phishing.How to Become a GetYourGuide Supplier: Fees, Rules and Support (2026)How to become a GetYourGuide supplier: who can join, the sign-up steps, commission and payouts, price parity and cancellation rules, support, and scams to avoid.FareHarbor Alternatives for Small Tour and Guide Businesses (2026)FareHarbor alternatives for small tour and outdoor guide businesses: Peek Pro, Xola, Bókun, Rezdy, Checkfront, TrekkSoft, Bookeo and Zaui, with prices from each vendor's own page.FareHarbor Pricing vs Competitors: Features and Fees Compared (2026)How FareHarbor competitors compare on features and pricing: three pricing models, a price table from vendor pages, and the yearly cost at $60,000 of bookings.How to Choose a FareHarbor Competitor: 9 Things to ConsiderWhat to consider when choosing a FareHarbor competitor: total yearly cost, who pays the fee, booking sources, deposits and multi-day trips, gear, waivers, mobile checkout and data.Best Booking Software for Small Tour Operators (2026)The best booking software for small tour operators, compared on real published prices: Bookeo, Bókun, Rezdy, Checkfront, TrekkSoft, Zaui, FareHarbor, Xola and Peek, with picks for multi-day trips.Peek Pro Pricing (2026): Fees, Commission and What Peek PublishesPeek Pro pricing explained: what Peek publishes, what it keeps private in your Service Order, the 20% marketplace fee, guest fees, and alternatives with published prices.Rezdy, Checkfront and Xola Pricing Compared (2026)Rezdy, Checkfront and Xola pricing side by side: monthly plans, the 3% online booking fee, offline fees, guest fees, trials, Google Things to Do and which suits multi-day trips.How to Market Multi-Day Guided Trips and Fill Every DateHow to market multi-day guided trips: per-person pricing, your own site and booking software, Google Business Profile, reviews, OTAs and their fees, SEO, email and partners.How to Become a Fishing Guide or Fly Fishing Guide: Licenses and Costs (2026)How to become a fishing guide: Coast Guard OUPV requirements, state guide licenses and fees for WA, OR, AK, MT, ID, CO and FL, insurance, permits, pay and finding clients.Fishing Guide Marketing: How to Get More Clients (2026)Fishing guide marketing that works: Google Business Profile rules for guides, reviews, trip pages, fly shop partners, FishingBooker, Captain Experiences and GetMyBoat fees, and SEO.Wilderness First Responder (WFR): Cost, Course Length and Recertification (2026)Wilderness First Responder explained for guides: WFA vs WFR vs WEMT, course length, prices from NOLS, WMA, SOLO and others, how long it lasts, recertification and who requires it.How to Become a Mountain Guide: AMGA Certification Path and Costs (2026)How to become a mountain guide in the US: AMGA Rock, Alpine and Ski streams, prerequisites, SPI, costs, WFR and avalanche training, permits, pay and how guides get work.How to Become a Tour Guide: Steps From Zero to Paid TripsHow to become a tour guide, step by step: choosing a niche, WFA and WFR training, state licenses, NPS Commercial Use Authorizations, insurance, and outfitter vs independent.Tour Guide Jobs: Where the Openings Are and How to Get HiredWhere tour guide jobs actually are: outfitters, park concessioners, adventure travel companies, city and shore tours, the seasonal hiring calendar, and how to get hired.Hiking, Kayak and ATV Guide Jobs: Where Outdoor Guides Get HiredHourly ATV tour guide jobs, hiking and kayak guide jobs, trip leader and tour director roles: real 2026 listings with pay, requirements and when companies hire.Tour Guide Job Description: Duties, Qualifications and a Copy-Ready TemplateWhat a tour guide does, the duties and qualifications BLS lists, what changes for multi-day outdoor guides, and a job description template you can copy.How Much Does a Tour Guide Make? Wages, Tips and the Math of Running Your Own TripsTour guide pay from the latest BLS data, how much tips add, why seasonal work changes the annual number, and how to work out what your own multi-day trips earn.How Much to Tip a Tour Guide: Rafting, Kayak, Backpacking, Europe and JapanHow much to tip a tour guide, sourced from outfitters and travel writers: 10 to 20% on U.S. outdoor trips, euros per person in Europe, and why Japan is different. Plus how guides should handle tips.Tour Guide License and Certification: What You Actually NeedTour guide license and certification explained: NYC and New York State licenses, Maine Guide, NPS CUAs, Forest Service and BLM permits, WFA and WFR, and insurance.How to Be a Good Tour Guide: Skills and Tools for Multi-Day TripsHow to be a good tour guide on multi-day outdoor trips: group management, risk and weather calls, pacing, storytelling, the tools to carry, and getting reviews.Tour Guide Resume: Template and Examples for Outdoor GuidesA copy-ready tour guide resume template for outdoor and multi-day guides, what to list (certifications, trip days, group sizes, permits) and example bullet points.How to Get a Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) to Guide in a National Park (2026)How guides get an NPS Commercial Use Authorization: who needs one, the $350 application and 3% management fee, insurance, timelines, and what Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier and Zion require.

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