ADVENTURE TRAVEL SPECIALIST

Are you ready to lead people on a safari in Africa? Would you like to take a group on a white-water rafting trip in Chile or teach people to hang glide in the Canadian Rockies? If these trips sound good, a job as an adventure travel specialist might be right for you.

Leading adventure travel groups can be a great job for people who like the outdoors and the environment, who enjoy being with groups of people, and who are physically fit. Danielle Wood, who interviewed several adventure travel specialists in her book The UnCollege Alternative, says adventure travel offers “constant excitement and a free ticket around the world.”

Salary

Salaries can vary for adventure travel specialists. People who work part-time or during only one particular season may make as little as $5,000 per year. But people who work full-time may make more than $65,000. Adventure travel guides often receive tips from satisfied customers. This can add to their income.

Outlook

Adventure travel is one of the fastest growing areas of the travel industry, according to 50 Cutting-Edge Jobs, edited by Jane Elliot. More people are becoming interested in physical fitness and in the environment, and they look for trips that combine those two interests. Although jobs in this industry are not always easy to get, people with the right skills should be able to find work.