Tour Director - Xanterra Parks & Resorts : Job Details

Overview

COMPANY SUMMARY

At Holiday Vacations, our mission is to enrich lives with valued travel experiences. We offer inclusive guided tours led by professional Tour Directors to more than 70 destinations on six continents. We travel by air, motor coach, trains, and cruises on itineraries that bring the destination alive for our guests. We are headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and are a subsidiary of Xanterra Travel Collection, the largest national park concessionaire in the U.S. Xanterra also owns other tour operator and cruise line brands including VBT Bicycling Vacations, Country Walkers, and Windstar Cruises.

POSITION SUMMARY

Our Tour Directors play a crucial role in delivering on Holiday Vacations' guest service promise. As the primary guide and main point of contact, the Tour Director ensures an exceptional experience for our guests and serves as an ambassador for the Holiday Vacations brand. This position involves guiding groups through airports, restaurants, attractions, and hotels, adhering to a structured itinerary, and solving unexpected travel situations. The Tour Director researches and provides insightful commentary and information on the historical, geographical, and cultural aspects of the destinations while on tour.

Responsibilities

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

* Provide exceptional guest experiences, exceeding expectations of tour delivery from start to finish

* Communicate with guests, suppliers, and vendors with enthusiasm, sincerity, and professionalism and with the highest level of service

* Review all contracts, itinerary, and other pertinent documents electronically prior to departure

* Confirm all hotel, restaurant, attraction, and transportation reservations in advance.

* Participate in tour briefings and debriefings delivered by Tour Director Manager and/or Destinations Team

* Conduct pre-tour calls to all guests on the tour

* Communicate with guests about tour changes, updates, or other vital information both verbally, when possible, as well as using the HV on-tour traveler app (a smartphone is required)

* Facilitate our structured itinerary for the entire tour

* Welcome guests and announce/communicate details of travel arrangements, information on itineraries, destinations, and culture

* Keep guests informed of arrival and departure times at each destination on the tour and ensure that all guests are accounted for

* Use professional knowledge to answer questions from guests

* Provide guests assistance, providing ideas on optional activities during leisure times

* Manage emergencies, such as helping a guest who is ill or those needing to contact family members urgently

* Provide feedback regarding the tours, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, and sharing ideas for improvement

* Submit accurate and detailed tour, expense, payroll, and evaluation forms

* Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

CORE JOB COMPETENCIES

* Relationship Building: skilled in establishing and maintaining positive professional relationships, an ability to create a connection with others, an ability to quickly build trust and rapport by displaying warmth, caring, and empathy.

* Attention to Detail: exhibits thoroughness in reviewing and verifying information to ensure completeness and accuracy. Meticulous attention in checking work to ensure all aspects of the experience meet high standards of excellence.

* Communication: an ability to convey information clearly and effectively through appropriate channels, ensuring mutual understanding and engagement with the audience. This includes proactive communication with guests, tailoring communication style to meet the needs of the situation and maintaining composure while communicating under stressful conditions.

* Creativity: skilled in generating innovative ideas and approaches that create value for the guests on tour or in the ability to find creative solutions to solve unexpected challenges while leading a tour.

* Storytelling/Presenting: gifted in delivering information and ideas to an audience in a clear, engaging, and professional manner. Effective storytellers captivate their audience while making information memorable and impactful. The ability to present with clarity and confidence with a well-structured and dynamic delivery.

* Resilience/Flexibility: an ability to recover quickly from setbacks and remain focused on goals, while adapting to new situations and changing demands. Resilient and flexible Tour Directors demonstrate perseverance, adaptability, and maintain a positive attitude despite challenges.

* Adaptability to Technology: an ability to quickly learn and effectively use new technologies and software applications with confidence and ease.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE

* Tour Director experience or graduation from a professional Tour Director school is required, or relevant travel experience

* CPR training required; Holiday Vacations will either pay for the certification or provide certification classes at the corporate office

* Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills

* Ability to thrive under high pressure situations with the ability to adapt quickly to an ever-changing, high-paced environment

* Strong active listening skills and ability to communicate with compassion

* Ability to maintain high levels of energy, enthusiasm and professionalism

* Demonstrated ability to work independently with an eagerness to learn new things

* Proficiency with Microsoft Teams is preferred or the willingness to learn and use Microsoft Teams is required

* Ability to legally travel and work domestically and internationally is required

* Ability to gather and analyze a variety of data regarding tour research

WORKING CONDITIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS

Work Location: Work is performed in various destinations throughout the United States and Internationally. Pre and post tour work is performed remotely.

Schedule: Tour Directors are expected to be available for travel throughout the year, particularly during the peak season from June through October. Tour Directors are typically assigned five to eight tours each year, with tours typically running for 9 to 14 days. Workdays are typically long and can be strenuous, 10 to 13 or more hours per day. This is an intermittent role with stretches in the off season (November through May) where no tours may be assigned.

Physical Requirements: The job requires the ability to stand and walk at a brisk pace for extended periods of time while leading a large group of people, the ability to sit for extended periods of time in cramped quarters (airplane, rail, cruise, or motorcoach) for extended periods of time (sometimes 8+ hours per day). The position requires the ability to speak frequently and for continuous stretches throughout each day of the tour. Requires bending, twisting, stooping, grasping, and reaching outward or above shoulders, lift/carry and push or pull up to 50 lbs.

EEO: Holiday Vacations is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected status.