What: Viator connects local tour guides with travelers who want unique experiences hosted by local guides. 

Expected pay: You set it

Husl $core: $$$$

Commissions & fees: the site adds an undisclosed mark-up to your rates

Where: National and international

Requirements: Experience guiding tourists through your town; whatever licenses necessary to legally operate a tour guide business

Review:

Viator allows you to register as a local tour guide and advertise tours of your own making.  You design the itinerary, determine when the tour is offered, set prices and determine how many people you can accommodate. The site does not hamper your imagination nor your ability to charge anything your heart desires.

You pay nothing to sign up or list your tour. If someone buys through Viator, the company will pay you the price you set. However, the consumer’s price will include a mark-up from Viator. The site’s is a subsidiary of travel giant Trip Advisor, which is a significant positive.

However, payment is slow. Viator pays suppliers once monthly in the month following booked events. It also demands that suppliers accept “instant bookings,” so the ability to cancel events that don’t draw enough tourists appears to be missing here.

You can also sign up to be a tour guide at Tours by Locals. The smartest course for tour guides who want to stay busy is to sign up at all both sites.

Recommendations

If you like the idea of creating and selling your own tours, also check out ToursbyLocals. If you’re simply looking for a way to make money while exploring the world, consider signing up with CoolWorks and SeasonWorkers, both of which enlist individuals to fill temporary positions in resorts, camps and national parks.

What their tour guides say:

We were unable to find independent guides who had rated working with Viator. If you have experience working as a tour guide through Viator, please hit “contact us” and tell us about the experience. 

*updated 2/15/2021

 

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