If you love to travel and enjoy working with individuals, tour directing, tour guiding, and cruise hosting may be the career for you! As a professional tour director or tour guide, you're hired by tour operators, destination management companies, and incentive houses to escort groups on local programs, domestic tours, international tours, and cruises. You may be on an African safari one week and cruising the Seven Seas the next, earning as much as $1900 per week. If you prefer local work, there’s plenty of opportunity with local tour operators, destination management companies, and receptive services. You’ll find it challenging, exciting, rewarding, and never, ever dull! The course covers the how-to for part-time and full-time careers. You’ll learn everything you need to be successful and how to acquire a position as a professional tour director, tour guide, and cruise host. This includes procedures for international and domestic airports, hotel and motor coach procedures, attractions, tour briefings, narration, and documentation. Other topics include how to deal with tour members, tour safety, and how to handle emergencies effectively. In addition, you’ll learn about career opportunities and how to gain experience and employers for local, domestic, and international travel careers. Tourism is the fastest growing industry in the world. Learn how to be part of it today!

To purchase this course, click the Enroll Now button below:

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Syllabus:

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

Week One

Wednesday - Lesson 01

In our first lesson, I'll give you an overview of the tourism industry, including the professions of tour directing and tour guiding. We'll talk about the advantages of tour directing, characteristics of a professional tour director, and the types of careers available, including local, domestic, international and cruise hosting positions. You'll soon learn that tour directing offers a wide variety of opportunities, and it's a career that's never boring!

Friday - Lesson 02

Today, we'll talk about the types of employers who hire tour directors and guides for local, domestic, and international programs. You may be working for an outbound tour operator one week and an incentive house the next. You might work on a day program near home, or you may find yourself traveling to exotic locales. Each company you work for will offer its own unique type of program, and this lesson will help you sort out exactly what arrangements might best meet your needs. We'll also discusss some of the financial benefits of tour directing, including salaries, commissions, and gratuities.

Week Two

Wednesday - Lesson 03

In this lesson, you'll learn all about the general expectations and procedures required in tour directing and guiding. I'll explain the procedures you'll need to know for group management, including announcements and dealing with tour challenges. I'll also explain the different types of tour guiding responsibilities you may encounter.

Friday - Lesson 04

Today, we'll talk about narration and motor coach procedures for local, domestic, and international programs. You'll learn how to be a better tour guide by developing and delivering exciting and interesting narration. Then we'll discuss motor coach safety and procedures for local and international programs.

Week Three

Wednesday - Lesson 05

Now it's time to learn all about pre-tour planning for multi-day tours. We'll review each document in detail and you'll get to see examples of some of the required information, including important documents and lists of supplies. Then we'll go over a list of briefing questions to help you in tour preparation.

Friday - Lesson 06

After this lesson, you'll be ready to start your tour! You'll learn where and how to meet your potential tour members depending on the type of tour or program you want to start. We'll go over a professional tour briefing that can be adjusted for all tours, domestic or international. This is an extremely important part of every tour!

Week Four

Wednesday - Lesson 07

Today, we'll explore the day-to-day responsibilities you'll need to know about for multi-day tours. We'll discuss each step in detail, as well as daily announcements and how to manage optional tours.

Friday - Lesson 08

In this lesson, we'll review international airport procedures. Group check-in and arrival procedures are important responsibilities for an international tour director. We'll go over the necessary documents and procedures so you can assist the group with easy and worry-free departures and arrivals.

Week Five

Wednesday - Lesson 09

Today, you'll learn all about the incentive market, which offers local and travel careers to tour directors. With an incentive program, a tour director can work near home on a part-time or full-time basis, or travel to exotic locations all around the world. We’ll discuss the tour director's procedures in depth.

Friday - Lesson 10

No matter how prepared you are, emergencies can and will happen--the possibilities include theft, illness, accident, or even death. A professional tour director should be able to handle emergencies anywhere in the world. So in this lesson, you'll learn all about handling anything that goes wrong during a local, domestic, or even international program.

Week Six

Wednesday - Lesson 11

This lesson will discuss the typical tour challenges that you may encounter on the job. Whether they're problems with airlines, tour members, or other personnel, or problems with attractions, weather, or transportation, you'll learn how to handle all of these, and many more!

Friday - Lesson 12

In our final lesson, we'll take a detailed look at the responsibilities of a cruise host, someone hired to escort groups on cruise ships. This is a fun and challenging dream job! But because the market is so competitive, I'll provide plenty of suggestions for resume writing, networking, interviewing, and how to get valuable experience.

To purchase this course, click the Enroll Now button below:

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Cherie Anderson.

Cherie Anderson earned her BA at Arizona State University in Secondary Education. She completed her graduate work at California State University of Northridge. She has over 20 years of extensive travel experience throughout the world as an international tour director and cruise host. Her tours have included travel to China, Asia, the South Pacific, North and South America, Europe, and Russia, among other places. Cherie has more than ten years classroom experience training students how to be professional tour directors. Today, her former students can be found escorting tours throughout the world.

To purchase this course, click the Enroll Now button below:

Requirements:

Internet access, e-mail, and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser. The career is open to all ages. In fact, maturity is often an asset. The main requirement for the business is being able to perform the duties of a tour director, which are taught in this class. The tour director should have energy, good health and have the patience to assist the general public.

To purchase this course, click the Enroll Now button below:

Student Reviews:

"Aloha, Cherie and thanks for the fantastic education. This was a wonderful program and I've really learned skills, knowledge and procedures for this new career. I am working on a resume, Web site, and 10 reasons as per your suggestions. I hope our paths cross sometime."

"A most informative and enjoyable course."

"An excellent course with plenty of details on the duties of the tour director. It seems that every question was considered and answered in this course. It was well written and informative. I'd highly recommend this to anyone interested in getting paid to travel."

"A really good course. The instructor was knowledgeable and has on-the-job experience. Supplementary material was useful, and I enjoyed questions on the discussion."

"As a National Board Certified teacher, I did not believe that I would find that an on-line course could be so informative and so personal at the same time. The course instructor and the material have been excellent. I am very happy I took this course! Thank you!!!"

"BRILLIANT!!! Not enough accolades for Cherie Anderson. I was very impressed with the instructor's expertise, coverage of topics and insightfulness. She is an assest to the industry and a creative and helpful resource for all who take her class. I hope she continues her classes, and would take another class of hers."

"Cherie Anderson has a particularly engaging writing style. She inspires confidence in the learner. I liked how she started the course making it OK that we didn't know anything, and then built our sense of competency as we gained more knowledge as the course went on. By the end of the course, she assured us we knew what the pros know (minus experience, of course) and that is what we will need to try to get a job in this field. I was lucky enough to have a co-classmate who asked excellent questions, which drew out more of Cherie's knowledge. Overall, I was very pleased with the course. What incredible good fortune that I stumbled across it. It will lead to a career change I've dreamed about! Thanks to Cherie Anderson and to ed2go!"

"Cherie Anderson is a wonderful instructor. She didn't leave anything out in this course. I have the confidence to get the job of my dreams and have a successful career. Just wish I would have know of this course sooner. Thank you, Janice"

"Cherie Anderson provided me with invaluable and hard to attain information. I am confident I can not only confidently pursue a new career, but will secure a job very quickly."

"Cherie Anderson's course is one that I enjoyed and learned a great deal about the travel industry in general. I would like to become a Tour Director within the next few years and I'm sure that this course will help me in my endeavors. Thank you so very much."

"Cherie Anderson's Get Paid To Travel Class is very well written and easy to understand. She gives a realistic view of working with tour members and situations that could occur. Additionally, Cheie gives excellent suggestions for solving or assisting with problems and emergencies."

"Cherie Anderson was a very good teacher and was very helpful and clear on all I needed to know. I thouroughly enjoyed this class and would not hesitate to take another one or recommmend her to someone else."

"Cherie: As I noted in the discussion area, this course - and your personal interaction - were top notch. It is hard for me to express strongly enough how helpful this course and your responsiveness has been for me. Thank you very much for this wonderful course and your great help!"

"Cherie did a thorough job in presenting material for the class. I like how she answered our questions and the extra feedback. This was my first on-line class and I am extremely impressed with the entire set-up. I will definitely take another on-line class through this institution. Thanks Cherie, You are an excellent educator!"

"Cherie did a wonderful job putting all aspects of the travel industry together in a manner that was easy to learn. She really helped me on how to become professional tour directors. I really appreciated her lessons, quiz, and discussion areas. Thank you."

"Cherie has been a very professional and knowledgeable instructor, who answers my queries very timely. She shows genuine concern for her students. I have received wonderful advice and encouragement from her."

"Cherie: I enjoyed your class very much. I appreciate the tact that you used with each of us while complimenting our good comments. As for the typos, they were few. The course is still to be commended."

"Cherie, I just wanted to thank you for this wonderful course. Unfortunately, I got a heavy work schedule beginning in the second week of the course and was unable to keep up with all of the assignments. But the lesson texts and quizzes were excellent. I feel well-prepared to pursue a career as a tour director. I would definitely recommend your course to others interested in joining this wonderful industry. Thanks again!"

"Cherie, I really enjoyed the class. I was struggling to find a 2nd career and this fits the bill. I can take all my airline experience and put it to work for me. I hope to get on part time for now with a DMC until I retire (sometime this year). I will also keep in touch. I hope to see you in person one of these days. Thanks for my future."

"Cherie is a fantastic instructor. Her lessons were thorough & well organized. They were filled with great examples & personal experiences & made the learning more than academic. Having experiences to relate to have given me a good idea of what to expect & how to handle certain situations. I am thankful to have had such a dedicated instructor as Cherie Anderson."

"Cherie is an excellent instructor. She has had the experience and that gives her great credibility in teaching this course. Her enthusiasm for the topic clearly shows. Excellent course!"

"Cherie is an excellent instructor. She provides highly useful advice and information, is prompt with feedback and very encouraging. I have very much enjoyed taking this course with her guidance."

"Cherie is an expert guide - in her travel job, obviously - but also as a teacher. She presents this extensive material in such a straightforward manner that it is easy to grasp. She doesn't sugarcoat the job of Tour Director, but gives an honest description of what working it is like in all its joys and challenges. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I learned during this course and especially the GREAT practical information to help with getting into the field. If Cherie is representative of others in the field, I am very impressed and will be honored to be among their number. It was a superb class!"

"Cherie, I wanted to thank you for the great class and let you know that I was just offered a job as a Tour Director for Contiki. I'm very excited and felt like I really had the inside information thanks to your class. I will be going on a training trip with their training school in about a month. Another success story!"

"Cherie provided a straightforward approach to the course material. In addition to teaching about the Tour Directing profession, she pointed out the realities of the job, and that it is indeed a job. It was a great course I would strongly recommend to anyone interested in this line of work. I especially liked the fact that I could ask questions and got speedy replies, and that I could read the questions (and Cherie's responses) other students asked. This really enhanced the course for me."

"Cherie's conversational writing style drew me in, as I inhaled every lesson. Her personal experiences and expertise definitely intensified my interest in the subject matter. Her charming and upbeat personality was delightfully motivational and encouraging. She took a sincere interest in each individual student, who received her prompt attention, support, and respect. All 12 lessons were exciting, fun, and extremely informative. This is a must-do class for anyone considering a career in Tour Directing!"

"Cherie's course was excellent. Now we'll see how it helps me in getting my first job."

"Cherie's experience is apparent and her suggestions and especially the assignments were expert ways to assist someone exploring the tour directing field. The greatest feature of the course has been the discussion area and the resource links, which really open the doors wide."

"Cherie, Thanks for a well organized and informative class."

"Cherie, thanks for sharing with us the benefit of your experience."

"Cherie, thank you for a very informative and interesting course. I particularly enjoyed your sharing your personal experiences with us. I'm looking forward to working in this industry."

"Cherie, thank you for making your course available on the internet. You have done an excellent job in the way you designed, laid out, and presented the study material. I found it very informative, challenging at times, easy to follow, and fun to learn. Thanks again for all this may mean to me in the near future."

"Cherie, Thank you so much for your help and your efforts that made this course so interesting and exciting. I can hardly wait to go to work as a tour director!"

"Cherie: There's a lot I'd like to thank you for and I hope it will all come through in this message. Your course has provided me - and many others - a greatly appreciated opportunity to change my life. Attending one of the more expensive, on-site courses would have been difficult for me. Your course made it much easier for me to reach my goals. Your warmth and caring are demonstrated by how rapidly you always respond to students, also by how supportive and encouraging the supplementary material and your comments always are. This made it feel like you were here in the room, taking a personal interest in me. Of particular note was the homework assignment for lesson 9. Brilliant!! This was a perfect way to establish contact with potential employers and start networking. The tips you provided on putting together a resume were helpful too. Each new lesson was something I waited for with anticipation. This whole process has been very exciting for me and I am confident that the information I learned will be really helpful as I move forward on my new career path. Thank you, Cherie"

"Cherie was fabulous. I didn't expect nearly as much feedback, and feel that I got more personal attention than in a normal classroom. She is very knowledgeable, and it has been great to see current and past students succeed. I know that I'll be able to use many of the tools that she taught me in my next career in the tourism/hospitality industry."

"Cherie, your course was great! I would gladly recommend it to others."

"Cheri is a wonderful instructor! She presented the material in a very interesting manner, and always answered questions quickly. I loved having the discussion area, as I learned from the other students. I highly recommend this course for anyone interested in the travel industry, or just travel in general!"

"Excellent course and instructor. I have learned so much in these few weeks. I wish this instructor would teach more courses in the travel industry."

"Excellent course filled with valuable, real life, usable material. Teacher very knowledgable and helpful."

"Excellent course...good overview for those interested in pursuing this type of career. Also, very good for those who get their first jobs in the industry...by printing the course, there's a check list and reference in hand. I also appreciated the extra materials, websites, etc. for future reference."

"Excellent course! I hope to begin a new career real soon!!!"

"Excellent course... I simply had not sufficient time to fully utilize the discussion area and respond on the assignements although I did do them. It was my first online course and I enjoyed it! An excellent opportunity to explore a new career option and would definitely prepare one for this field. Thank You!"

"Excellent course. Relevant, practical information. The resources listed were a plus."

"Excellent course!!! Strong content, amazingly good coverage, outstanding career advice. I would recommend it highly to anyone seeking a career in this area."

"Excellent course. Very readable, like the writer was having a conversation with you. Highly recommend this course to anyone considering tour directing."

"Excellently and insightfully put together."

"Fabulous Course. I Totally enjoyed this course. The instructor is terrific, I wish that I could have had the opportunity to meet her in person."

"Get Paid to Travel helped me to thoroughly understand tour direction and the opportunities in the field. I feel prepared and knowledgeable in, really, every way. Best of all, I feel confident in knowing that I am well-taught. Cherie is a fantastic instructor - bringing her experience and humor to every lesson. She made it easy to learn about this challenging field! She's motivational, yet realistic. I am very pleased with what I have learned from this course."

"Get Paid to Travel is amazing! The instructor is so knowledgeable but most of all can transmit it to the students through the classes and in the discussion area. I am very glad I made the decision to register for this course and will recommend it 100%. Thank you Cherie!"

""Get Paid to Travel": Satisfying and valuable class; generous with information and excellently presented. Effective for career building and finding a job in the Tour Guiding profession."

"Get Paid to Travel was my first on-line course. I found the content most interesting and informative! Cherie did a great job of condensing a lot of material into an easy to follow and understand format. I especially enjoyed the discussion area - it adds the "soft personal touch" to what otherwise could be a dry impersonal course and Instructor, Cherie, often added lots of new tips and suggestions here. Get Paid to Travel far exceeded my expectations and I would recommend this course to anyone who is interested in learning more about the travel industry. Based on this experience, I will also consider taking another on-line course. Thanks, Cherie, for all your help and timely information. It was great fun!"

"Get Paid to Travel was very well structured and seemed to cover all bases. The instructor was very approachable and open with her comments, suggestions and answers to questions. A very enjoyable course and well worth the tuition."

"Great class and teacher!!!"

"Great class. Cherie Anderson is very knowledgeable and the text was well written. I would recommend this class to others."

"Great course! Enjoyed it and learned a lot."

"Great course! Enjoyed it and learned a lot. Thanks Cherie."

"Great course, fabulous instructor, wonderful class interaction!"

"Great course! Very educational and answered a lot of my questions and concerns about tour directing. Cherie answered our questions promptly and offered a lot of great insight into the industry. I would highly recommend this course to others."

"Hello Cherie. Well, I enjoyed your course tremendously! You had it laid out very well for easy understanding and flow. It was fun to be back in the world of travel again. Thank you again for a great course."

"Hi Cherie: Just wanted to thank you for a great course...very interesting and I learned a lot. A very valuable tool to being hired as a tour director!! Thanks again!"

"I am about to start my new career as a travel agent this week. and I am sure this will be very helpful in the first years of my employment."

"I am extremely delighted to have taken this course as it has opened my eyes to areas I was taking for granted as a local guide in Nigeria. I have benefited from the course so much that I am now an authority when we are discussing tour directing. I honestly did not know the difference between a tour director and a tour guide until I came across this course. Overall, it was a very educative course and I will implore all intending tourism practitioners to study this course as it came from someone with an experience and not just academic experience. Thank you Cherie."

"I am really looking forward to putting this course to work for me. I hope to be touring soon."

"I am SOOO Glad that I found this course!! I am about 1/2 way through dual degrees, Travel & Tourism & Hospitality Management. My courses don't even begin to cover the information you presented in just 6 weeks. I believe that taking your course will help me very much in getting hired. If you offer ANY classes similar to this one, please notify me. I have not ever had a class that I enjoyed as much as this one."

"I believe this instructor has earned a 100% approval rating for this course. I not only learned a lot but thoroughly enjoyed the course."

"I cannot say enough about how helpful this class was to me. I have a degree in travel and tourism, but this course adds the practical, in-depth knowledge I needed to begin a successful career in tour directing, and I am thankful to Cherie Anderson for her willingness to share that information with us."

"I can't wait to put this new knowledge to use! This was a great course and I looked forward to each new lesson! The instructor's lessons and discussion comments were helpful and informative. Now it's time to "Get Paid To Travel"!"

"I don't think I have ever taken a course that has been so full of relevant information. Wow! The course was well laid out and easy to understand but at the same time, it made the student realize all the hard work involved with Tour Directing. Thank you, Cherie. I am extremely excited about pursuing this career."

"I enjoyed the course and appreciated the flexibility of an on-line option. I'm looking forward to possibly entering a new field! Thanks"

"I enjoyed the course immensely. I hope to be transitioning into the travel field in the next year. I never realized how vast and interesting this area was. Looking forward to a new job and now I have all the information I need."

"I enjoyed the course tremendously. I thought every chapter was very detailed, and all the techniques and procedures for group tour management described in ways to make the job very practical. I also think Cherie was a wonderful instructor, with a thorough knowledge and love of tour directing that was contagious. I am very confident that the tools acquired through this course will help me get the job I want. Thank you!!"

"I enjoyed the course very much. Cherie exhibits professionalism and extensive knowledge of tourism. I very much appreciate the job-seeking skills such as resume writing, interviewing, and internet contact information. I love her enthusiasm and look forward to using my new skills. Thank you!"

"I enjoyed the lessons and learned a lot. I feel competent in becoming a tour director if I ever have the desire to do so. I'm glad I took the course."

"I enjoyed this class and think that it is great for someone who is interested in tour directing as a job. Many of the topics covered were things that a person doesn't often think of. I picked up a lot of information that I wasn't sure of and feel that I can do a good job as a tour director."

"I enjoyed this class tremendously! Cherie is a great instructor and I would recommend this course to anyone interested in pursuing a career in this field. Thanks again Cherie, this course has opened the door to many new opportunities!"

"I enjoyed this course and have learned a great deal from the material covered. I felt that the information was useful and a lot of it is essential in dealing with the responsibility of being in charge of groups of people in unfamiliar places."

"I enjoyed this course very much. The writing style grabbed you and kept you interested. I could not wait for the next class to be released. This is the first time that I have ever taken a class on line. I have recommended this class to a couple of people already. GREAT JOB CHERIE!!!!!!!!!"

"I feel confident that I have a basic knowledge and understanding of tour management procedures and would not hesitate to contact a destination management company for an interview. The instructor got down to the day-to-day nitty-gritty of her vocation. I am looking forward to a potential new career! Thank you Cherie!"

"I feel that the instructor is very qualified to teach this course and has a teaching method that is very easy to follow and understand. She was also available for any need and responded quickly."

"I feel that this course was everything it was intended to be. I have learned the right things that would make me a good tour director. I instructor was so knowledgeable and I can't wait to start getting my resume out. I plan to contact both incentative houses and DMC's. I would like to work for a cruise line. Thank you for your help."

"I felt the Cherie had the passion to see us as students succeed on this course and couldn’t have been more helpful in giving us leads to seek job positions. This shows true professionalism in a teacher."

"I felt this class was outstanding. I am overwhelmed with the amount of information available to us through this class. The instructor was very thorough and presented the material in an organized and logical sequence. I looked forward to each lesson."

"I found the class to be very informative. It thoroughly answered my questions about tour directing. I would highly recommend the course for anyone considering a career or having any interest in tour directing."

"I found the course very useful. This was my first on-line course and I am very pleased with what I learned and the way this course was presented."

"I found the instructor to be very positive and encouraging. These are good qualities when teaching. They make people want to do their best. Thank you for a rewarding experience."

"I found the material very informative, inclusive and well laidout. The discussion area questions and answers were very helpful and added clarity."

"I found this course to be exactly what I was looking for - and what was advertised. It covered not only the procedures for conducting tours and the responsibilities of the various people involved, but it provided an excellent overview of the different tour director opportunities. I especially enjoyed Cherie's examples and experiences."

"I found this course useful in pursuing a career in tour directing. I am anxious to use my knowledge from this course when applying for a position in the industry. Thank you."

"I found this online course to be fantastic - exceptional in every way. I would recommend it to anyone seeking a career in travel and tourism. The instructor was exceptional as well - you feel like you know her! The entire class was a wonderful experience. Thank you!"

"I had absoulutly no idea what I was going to experince when I signed up for this course, but I received way more than my money's worth. Your detail of training has been impeccable. I wouldn't hestiate a minute on referring others to take your class."

"I had never taken an internet course before and didn't know what to expect. This is a fantastic class. Cherie has done a wonderful job breaking down this profession into 12 lessons. I feel I now have the tools necessary to be able to make a career change. Thanks Cherie and thanks ed2go.com for offering this class!"

"I have been participating in this course through the use of public computers throughout Mexico. I am so set on entering this profession that I am participating in a tour of Mexico right now. Along with your course, I couldn't ask for a better education. I can honestly say that what I learned in this course would make me a more efficient tour director than the one I am traveling with. This was a great course and I would take another course with pleasure. Thank you very much."

"I have taken about a dozen online courses at various institutions now and I have to say that this is absolutely the best one I have taken. Cherie's lessons were thorough, well-organized, user-friendly, and VERY pertinent. If she teaches other classes, I would very much like to know what, where and when and I'll sign up! Thank you, Cherie."

"I have thoroughly enjoyed Cherie's informative course. It has helped me to feel confident in my pursuit of a career as a Tour Director. I have learnt far more than I anticipated."

"I learned so much from this course and found the instructor very knowledgeable. I also enjoyed learning at my pace."

"I learned so much from this course. The instructor was fabulous and the material was extremely useful. I used it right away to start my career in Tour Management."

"I liked the course very much."

"I like the format of working at your own pace. Cherie not only get up wonderfully w/ the people that were on task but also w/ those that were behind. I didn't respond a lot but I observed her interaction w/ others which was great."

"I like the way the instructor maintained a positive but, also,balanced attitude toward the material to be covered and to the duties and the responsibilites of the job."

"I loved the course."

"I loved the course, and taking in on line was so easy for me. I am very excited about beginning a new career in travel. Miss Anderson is an excellent instructor, what a blessing. I have recomended this course already to many people."

"I loved this course! Cherie is an excellent instructor and her willingness to share her knowledge about tour directing is inspiring! Thank you for your excellent information."

"I loved this course. I was amazed at Cherie's extensive knowledge in this field and could not ask for a more talented and interesting instructor and course."

"Instructor Cherie Anderson brought vast knowledge and experience to this course."

"Instructor Cherie Anderson has an extensive "work-a-day" background in tour management and couples her broad experience with an ability to teach. The course was even better than I anticipated."

"I rarely give a "perfect" score on any survey but for this course I make an exception. The instructor is so knowledgeable and so enthusiastic that it's contagious! At times challenging, the course was always informative and excellently laid out to give just the right amount of information in each lesson. All of the practical knowledge, combined with the wonderful personal experiences Cherie shared, made for a truly enjoyable course which reinforces the fact that it takes more than just a love for travel to be a good tour director! Having the course on line is so convenient that I'm seriously considering signing up for another one that starts next month. Thank you, Cherie, for all I've learned these past six weeks. The time absolutely flew by!"

"I really enjoyed taking this course. It gave me a great starting point for pursuing a career as a tour director. I especially liked the hints and tips and the best way to break into this business."

"I really enjoyed the class and the material that was covered over the past few weeks. I thought that the Teacher was more than willing to help the students out in a timely manner while offering constructive criticism."

"I really enjoyed the course! There was so much information to cover and Cherie did an excellent job in organizing and teaching the course material."

"I really enjoyed this class. I am a full time University Student and wish I would have taken this during my winter break. I would have like to have been able to spend more time interacting in the discussion area and on completing the assignments that Cherie did such a great job of putting together for us."

"I really enjoyed this course."

"I really enjoyed this course. I feel like I have the knowledge to go out and lead a successful tour. I can't wait to go out and get started! Thanks!"

"I think this is a great way to find out if you are really interested in this type of business and whether you are qualified to actually go out and arrange travel for other people."

"I think this was an excellent course for career traning on-line. I also have taken additional hands on training which I think is invaluable, but not having that as well, I feel this course definitely helps people start their careers in the tour directing industry. Cherie Anderson was very personable and professional, and the course exceeded my expectations. Thank You for offering it."

"I thoroughly enjoyed taking this course and feel that I can put what I learned to use. I have already recommended it to another person."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this class and the instructor made it fun and interesting. Her knowledge and experiences helped paint a picture in my mind that will help me remember what I learned. This was my first online class so wasn't sure what to expect, but I would take more in the future. Thank you."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course and I also loved the encouragement that Cherie gave in her final lesson. Too often, I think that we can get discouraged and give up when we don't always get the response we'd hoped for. Cherie helped to forsee that and encouraged to persist. A great instructor."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course. Cherie did an EXCELLENT job in outlining every detail imaginable about this course. I have always been interested in travel, but having all of the details good and challenging, it helped me know the ins and outs of being a tour director!!"

"I thought that the course was very well put together and very helpful. With this course it should be very easy to find a job in the travel industry."

"I thought that the instructor had a very interesting way in presenting the material. I had no idea that the travel business was so complex.....I truly learned a lot. This course certainly exceeded my expectations! Thank you."

"I thought this class was great. It's my first experience with an online class and I would take one again."

"It was an excellent course - very organized, detailed and informative. All of it will be most useful if I decide to embark on a new career in the next few months. Thanks, Cherie, for a job well done!"

"It was the best course I've ever taken. I will use all of the information."

"I very much enjoyed this course. It has given me the knowledge with which I could pursue a career in travel. I have taken many online courses, and this was one of the best."

"I wanted to let you know how helpful your course has been for me. I paid attention to your advice and was very persistent and followed through using your methods. I am now working in San Diego for 4 DMC's as a guide/field staff and as a tour director for a motorcoach tour operator guiding day trips in So. Cal and into Baja. I will do my first 7 day motorcoach tour in May!"

"I want more! It would be great if some sort of annual follow up were available for any procedural or industry type changes to be communicated."

"I would like to say that Cherie Anderson's class has been one of the most informative courses I have ever taken. She has been helpful every step of the way, always answering questions in a way that made the information easily understood. Her positive reinforcement helped boost self confidence and her guidance and advice was always tailored to the individual student. Thank you Ms. Anderson for sharing your experience, and knowledge with our class."

"I would like to thank Cherie for her expertise in teaching this course. I have been in the travel business for over 25 years in just about every capacity you can imagine with the exception of tour directing. I now feel that my education is complete. Cherie's class now gives me the confidence to pursue my dream of traveling around the world tour directing."

"I would like to thank Cherie for putting together this course. I found everything I wanted to know and more about the subject and I feel ready to give it a try. I also found the discussion room very usefull and enjoyed the interactions."

"keep up the good work. I would like to learn more about travel . Any good course you have like this one please let me know. Many thanks for all the help and very good instrutors like this one. Keep them coming!"

"Last winter I picked up your online course during my freetime at school. In January I was hired by a prominent Alaskan tour company that provides land tours for 2 major cruise lines. I'll admit I'd done a little networking before, but your course gave me the confidence to nail the job. I love it!"

"Many thanks for offering this course and for the information it offers on the Travel Industry."

"Ms. Anderson is amazing! She has a gift for connecting with her students even though we have never met face-to-face. She created very challenging assignments, quizzes and informative materials covering a wide range of important topics. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and look forward to other ed2go online offerings."

"My main reason for taking this course was to be able to add it to my resume and hopefully enable me to be able to be hired as a Hotel Reservationist. The class has helped me to understand the need for accuracy to be one less challenge for the Tour Director/Tour Members/Guests. I'm glad I took the course."

"Overall, an excellent and well organized class! Even though there was a lot of information, it was presented in a very organized way - easy to understand and quite "user friendly." I enjoyed the class tremendously and learned so much that I know will be most helpful as I begin my search for opportunities in the field."

"Overall, an excellent and well organized class! Even though there was a lot of information, it was presented in a very well organized way - easy to understand and quite "user friendly." I enjoyed the class tremendously and learned so much that I know will be most helpful as I begin my search for opportunities in the field. Thanks so much!!"

"Really enjoyed the class....looked forward to each new lesson! Very helpful...I am a tour director already...It just confirmed what we are doing. Thanks"

"She is a wonderful instructor: very pleasant, professional, caring! I highly recommended this course to everyone I know! I've learned so much during this class! Thanks again!"

"Thanks a bunch! It was fun!"

"Thanks, Cherie, for a great job. I appreciate your always positive, can-do attitude. While my goal is to open my own business and employ myself, I found everything you taught to be very valuable. Your teaching is a great jump-start to someone who has never been in the tourism business before."

"Thanks, Cherie, for a great job. I appreciate your always positive, can-do attitude. While my goal is to open my own business and employ myself, I found everything you taught to be very valuable. Your teaching is a great jump-start to someone who has never been in the tourism business before."

"Thanks Cherie for sharing all your knowledge and experience with us! I would recommend this course to all interested in working on the travel industry, even if they don't plan to work as tour directors. This course gives us an overview of this big industry, and I'm sure everyone will love more and more to work in the travel and tourism business. Once again, thanks Cherie, to let my dream of "get paid to travel" come true!"

"Thanks, Cherie, for the time you took to rework my list. What a great opportunity to learn through the internet class. You have definitely personalized it for us and packed it with good information."

"Thanks for such a wonderful class and wonderful instructor!!"

"Thanks for the great class! It was very interesting and helpful. Upon reflection, I have gained much more than I realized. I was able to complete the class even though I had some very busy times come up during course. Now I am ready to start looking for part-time employment. Thanks again!"

"Thanks so much Cherie. I thoroughly enjoyed the course. When I started it, I had visions of being a tour director on motor coach tours but this class has opened up many more facets to which I am going to explore. I especially like the incentive houses and the DMC's. Thanks so very much."

"Thank you, Cherie, for a great class! You really emphasized specifics and I learned SO much more than I even thought I would!!! I feel I am ready to take a group right now! I can see why you have had a successful career as a Tour Director (and teacher). Also, you offered many valuable suggestions as to how to begin as a TD."

"Thank you Cherie, for offering this well-organized, insightful class. I had been a flight attendant and also worked cruise ships as a vocalist & musician. You are teaching us that it takes more than loving travel and people to make it in this field. I currently own my own business and have been looking into the "other" schools for tour director training and wondered if they were on the "up and up", they certainly seem to be, but still not willing to plunk down a sizeable chunk of cash until I had investigated further. Your course enables me to do this economically and responsibly. Your guidance is priceless!"

"Thank you Cherie for your very detailed course. It was much more than I expected. I feel very confident to apply for jobs in this area. I looked forward to every lesson and even doing the homework!"

"Thank you Cherie! I have learned so much of Tour directing even before starting this career. I think the information is superb and it will definitely give me a head start! It will make me feel a lot less nervous on my first tour!!! Thanks again!! I recommend this class to anyone who has interest in knowing about tour directing around the world! It’s been such a long time I was looking for info on this career and I finally have it, thanks to you Cherie!"

"Thank you Cherie, I really enjoyed this course, you certainly know how to keep the lessons and answers fun and informative. I would definitely recommend your course to everyone interested in becoming a tour director."

"Thank you for a great class!"

"Thank you for teaching this course. My reason for taking it was to learn more about what all is involved in this career. It's exactly what I was looking for. I am working full-time, but considering a career change, and taking this course gave me all the details about what this career is all about. Though I will probably not pursue this career at this time, I may consider it closer to retirement when I have more travel experience under my belt. Thank you so much for sharing so candidly the "secrets" of this career. Truly, thank you!"

"Thank you so much for sharing all the wonderful information about the travel industry. Until your course, I was unaware of many of the opportunities available in the travel and tourism industry. I am truly excited about the chance to put all your great teaching to use in the near future."

"Thank you so much for this course. I came into it thinking I knew a lot about the industry. But I found out I didn't, and this course really opened my eyes and I learned a lot. Thanks again!"

"Thank you! The course was exceptionally interesting, and I had lots of fun being a part of the class."

"The assignments and extra work were excellent and the online references also."

"The course and the instructor are brilliant! Cherie is very knowledgeable and positive. She's always prompt in replying to thoughts, questions, and comments we students post in the discussions. Her interaction with us is in no way limited by the online nature of the course."

"The course did an excellent job of conveying a balanced view of the good and sometimes not so good parts of being a travel director. The instructor's experience was evident throughout the course."

"The course exceeded my expectations. It was very detailed and the amount of information was phenomenal. I learned so much. The instructor was encouraging, positive and so knowledgeable. It was a great investment."

"The course provided me with the tools necessary to determine if a career change to travel and tourism is the right choice for me. It gave me information to understand the position and how to develop the skills that I am lacking to be successful in a position of Tour Director. Thanks Cherie, I really enjoyed the course."

"The course was informative and inspiring. I now have the knowledge to further my pursuit in a new career. I enjoyed the course very much!!"

"The course was interesting and insightful. It gave me an excellent overview of what is involved in tour directing. I especially liked the 10 reasons I should be hired, as I hadn't thought of that!"

"The course was very professionally done and I learned a great deal of information that I will be able to apply on jobs in the industry."

"The course was very well organized, and the materials will be easy to use as a reference in the future."

"The detailed discussions and course material will be used as a reference manual. The course fully discussed all aspects of the requirements of a professional Tour Director and made the course quite a learning experience. It was very informative reading the details of the class assignments and Cherie's response to each assignment and discussion question. The material was so personable and had the feel of one-on-one conversations with the instructor. My first online course, and because of this course I'm sure to pursue other online learning experiences. Thank you Cherie!"

"The instructor has an excellent way to teach things. Real situations were offered so often that she made me think as a real tour director. The extraordinary details that she gave will be of a great help when I start my own career. Thank you very much for your help."

"The instructor was excellent in every way. She encouraged questions and discussion. You could tell she took her time with answers and was always very encouraging. Just what a student needs, positive reinforcement. She gets A+++."

"The instructor was extremely knowledgeable and informative. Her replies to questions and comments were very helpful. Great course."

"The instructor was fantastic!! Always helpful and quick in answering any questions about the course or what we can expect when out in the real world."

"The lessons and interactions among the group has been excellent!"

"The lessons are very well designed and laid out. I found them informative, challenging, easy to follow, and fun."

"The way the course content is outlined and laid out is conducive to easily finding any information needed and information retention. Cherie's "hands-on" approach to the assignments is a tremendous way to achieve experience and industry know-how along the way. Instead of reading "how" to find information or to do things, we were assigned to do it. Excellent presentation and content. Thanks Cherie!"

"This class helped me determine that I am more interested in being a step on guide, a local guide, a visitor use assistant or to work at the local Visitor Authority's center here in my locale or as a concierge for a national park contractor or local hotel. I am not interested in being a tour director, however the knowledge I gained from this class helped me to determine not only that but also give me a better understanding of how the agencies interact. So it was well worth it to me and a great class. I would not hesitate to recommed the class or the instructor. Thanks!"

"This class is awesome! The material is very interesting and presented in a manner that is easy to learn. Cherie gives the class assignments, tools and resources to enrich the learning experience, as well as aid the participant in obtaining future employment in this interesting, dynamic field. I only wish I could now go on a tour with Cherie as the Tour Director. Cherie is always supportive, helpful and encouraging to class participants. I would take another class with her in a minute!"

"This class is awesome! The material is very interesting and presented in a manner that is easy to learn. Cherie gives the class assignments, tools, and resources to enrich the learning experience as well as aid the participant in obtaining future employment in this interesting, dynamic field. I only wish I could now go on a tour with Cherie as the Tour Director. Cherie is always supportive, helpful and encouraging to class participants. I would take another class with her in a minute!"

"This class was wonderful. I really feel like I have everything I need to start a career in Tour Directing."

"This course and the instructor were very informative and practical. Cherie Anderson seemed to be concerned about each student and highly respectful and positive in her responses."

"This course gave me more useful information than I anticipated. The instructor seemed very knowledgeable and even 'personable' through cyberspace!"

"This course has been VERY timely in my career. It provided incredibly practical knowledge - a real how-to course. The writing style is very straight forward and smoothly delivered. Cherie has made the concepts easy to understand. She presents the valuable pros and cons of the tour directing job. In addition, Cherie provides real information and leads to obtaining a job in this field. Cherie's enthusiasm for tour directing makes me anxious to have the experience and be able to relate successes and challenges when I reach my goals."

"This course is excellent in every way. I never thought I would enjoy an online course and now I'm hooked. The level of interaction from Cherie and her teaching assistants is amazing and the way the course is set up is fantastic. I just wish it could have lasted longer!"

"This course is very well designed and laid-out, a perfect example of progressive teaching principles. The lessons provided good learning opportunities and the supplementary material and discussion area added to the whole. It has been a good experience -I have enjoyed the course very much."

"This course met with and surpassed all of my expectations. Cherie's passion for tour directing and teaching came shining through on a daily basis. I can't say enough good things about her. What a wonderful opportunity to have been able to take such a quality class so conveniently on-line for such a reasonable rate!"

"This course was a well organized presentation of professional skills. The online format was convenient to my schedule. The topics discussed in the lessons gave me new insight on past travel experiences. Many thanks!!"

"This course was awesome! Cherie Anderson did such a fantastic job of teaching me the ins and outs of tour directing that I feel confident that this is my new career! Thanks Cherie!"

"This course was excellent. I now feel I am ready to begin a new career as a tour director. Thank you Cherie!"

"This course was much more intensive and demanding than I had anticipated; I had expected a cursory overview and introduction to the field. It far exceeded my expectations and any prior adult continuing education classes and seminars that I have attended. I am exploring alternative careers, and had enrolled as an opportunity to learn about being a tour director in the travel and hospitality industry. I depart feeling that I am prepared and have a competitive edge if I were to pursue seeking a job as a tour director. This compliment is directly attributable to the excellence of the material in general and specifically of the instructor, Cherie Anderson. Thank you."

"This course was much more intensive and demanding than I had anticipated; I had expected a cursory overview and introduction to the field. It far exceeded my expectations and any prior adult continuing education classes and seminars that I have attended. I am exploring alternative careers, and had enrolled as an oppurtunity to learn about being a tour director in the travel and hospitality industry. I depart feeling that I am prepared and have a competitive edge if I were to pursue seeking a job as a tour director. This compliment is directly attributable to the excellence of the material in general and specifically of the instructor, Cherie Anderson. Thank you."

"This course was so much fun. I'm sorry it's over."

"This course was very valuable! I began the course thinking I knew what area of the industry I would like to work in, and have totally changed my mind after taking this course and completing the assignments and viewing on-line information. Very valuable information!! Even though I was gone on a business trip during the middle of the course, I was able to catch up on the assignments."

"This has been a wonderful learning experience for me. The information was something I could not find any where else.! I truly feel confident that I could get a job with this information. Great course!!"

"This is my first on-line course and I just love the convenience and was very much surprised with how much I learned over a few weeks."

"This was a fantastic course. It was to the point and I feel I am ready to apply for a job in the travel industry. Cherie is a great instructor and motivator. Thanks so much!"

"This was a great class and gave me exactly the information I will need to decide whether to pursue a career in tourism."

"This was a great course... packed with information that I will refer to again and again. Cherie's style of communication with the students is excellent - she is supportive, interested, and knowledgeable. Great job!"

"This was a great course that met and exceeded my expectations. I have great confidence that with my experience and this course I can attain the type of job I am looking for. I also feel very confident that it will be of great benefit in handling situations I may be faced with. Thanks again."

"This was a great learning experience! I feel like I am ready to start working in the field immediately."

"This was an excellent class. I am very happy that I took it. I learned a lot about the industry and now have a clear idea about what direction I want to go in."

"This was an excellent course. I had no idea how involved the tour business is until I started taking the class. Cherie Anderson has put together a highly informative, practical, and interesting class using her personal experiences and expansive knowledge of the field. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in becoming a tour director."

"This was an excellent course! I looked forward to each new lesson and will now put together my own book and information needed to start tour directing. Thanks Cheri!"

"This was an excellent course. It was very comprehensive; I felt I learned a great deal. It was extremely interesting and Cherie did a great job setting it up and answering our questions."

"This was an excellent course - organized and informative. I was impressed at how quickly and positively the instructor responded to my assignments and questions. I expect to use the class on my path to a new career."

"This was a wonderful course and the instructor is very well qualified and very responsive to her students. This was my first on-line course and I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot. I would recommend this instructor and course to anyone interested in this topic."

"This was a wonderful program. This was my first on-line class and it was excellent. I learned more on-line than in many conventional programs I have taken. Cherie does a fabulous job in teaching skills and procedures. I am very impressed and now wiser from this most positive experience. Thanks so much!"

"This was my first attempt at an online course. It was great. I felt the instructor was very well informed and presented a very positive learning environment. I found the discussion areas very helpful and informative. I feel quite confident sending out my resume for a job as a tour director after completing this course. Thanks Cherie!"

"This was my first online class. As Ms. Anderson shared my fellow classmates' excellent questions, I learned quite a bit from all of them as well as her. This was an enjoyable experience for me and I hope to be able to use this information and previous trip arranging experiences in acquiring a position as soon as I retire from my current career. Thank you for making this available to those of us who are interested in the travel industry."

"This was my first online course and I thoroughly enjoyed the course format and content. Thanks for offering it."

"This was my first time taking an on-line course and I thought it was excellent. It was very informative - especially how to get into the industry."

"This ws my first experience with an online class and it was wonderful. I will sign up for another class soon. This instructor was wonderful."

"Though I have led tours for 12 years, I found this class to be very informative. I felt that this class was all encompassing, discussing any type of tour that you wanted to be informed about. It definitely helped me expand my knowledge of the tour industry and just what to expect in many types of situations. There was not one piece of material that I found to be just filler information. All was pertinent to the tour industry. Reading the lessons made you want to read more and hear more about Cherie's experiences as well as some of her student's experiences. Cherie thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge, I truly enjoyed the class. Thank you for all you have shared, it will certainly make it easier for all of us, since you have already been there and done it. Good luck to you and if you have another class please let me know."

"Very enjoyable and informative course. I look forward to the opportunities ahead. Thanks for your insight."

"Very good class."

"Very good course and I like the way the material is presented. It is straight forward and easy to understand. Thank you."

"Very informative. I got a good overview of the industry and the instructor was very knowledgeable."

"Well done class with lots of first hand knowledge and experience. Puts the student in situations that force them to problem solve and be prepared for the job market. Also fun!"

"Well written, useful information."

"What an outstanding course! I am a Customer Service Representative in a four-star hotel at the front desk and, since taking this course, I have noticed that every tour director representing a group staying in the hotel uses expressions, asks questions, or makes statements that were specifically answered in this course. Right on! I am planning on retiring this fall and looking forward to a part-time career as a tour director. I finally have found the answer to exactly what I was looking for. Thank you, thank you Cherie Anderson!!"

"What a wonderful course and instructor! Cherie was very thorough and most helpful. I learned more than I had expected to. Thank you!!"

"Wonderful course! Lots of practical detail that will actually help me get started in this field. The assignments helped get me focused on the way tour directors need to approach the situations they find themselves in. And the instructor provided lots of extra tips in the discussion area. I highly recommend this course for anyone who is considering starting a career as a tour director."

"Wonderful course with a great instructor!"

"WOW! What an intense and incredible course. Excellent!"

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