More tour guides needed to cope with surge in travelers

Tour guides for international travelers in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, have welcomed the return of overseas travelers saying the surge this year has left them run off their feet, though they're not complaining about it.

With China issuing visa-free entry policies for 38 countries for periods of up to 30 days, expanding the 144-hour visa-free transit policy to 37 ports and 54 countries, there has been a leap in travelers from numerous countries and regions, they said.

The demand for travel guides with foreign language skills far outweighs the supply, and travel agencies in Zhangjiajie have even been forced to turn down some international groups simply because they are too busy, they added.

Wang Xiaoqing, who has worked as an English tour guide in Zhangjiajie for more than 10 years, said she has been extremely busy since March with her calendar fully booked almost every day.

At the busiest times, she only gets half a day to a day of rest for a whole month, she said.

"I am extremely happy and have fallen back in love with being a tour guide again," said Wang. "During the COVID-19 pandemic, I waited tables at restaurants, so I feel really lucky to become a tour guide again."

She can make as much as 30,000 yuan ($4,120) per month, she said.

One of the benefits of being an English tour guide is making friends with people from different countries and cultures.

"Some of the relationships are a one-time thing and some can last very long. I have guests who are very satisfied with my service while traveling to Zhangjiajie and they would recommend friends and family to come," she said. "I am happy when they are happy."

Ding Shibiao, deputy general manager of Hunan Star Tours International Travel Service Co, said all of its tour guides with foreign language skills have been very busy since April.

With China relaxing its visa policies for foreign visitors, there has been a surge of tourists from Western countries to Zhangjiajie, so the demand for tour guides who can speak languages such as English, French and Spanish keeps increasing, he said.

"It's been a headache for me to find qualified tour guides. We need to find people with these language skills such as university teachers or students, or ask former tour guides to come and work in the industry again."

When there is no one available, Ding, who used to be an English tour guide, has to pitch in himself.

"It's been tiring and hard work, but my colleagues and I are more than happy to see the return of foreign travelers to the city," he said.

Li Ping, secretary-general of the Zhangjiajie tourism guide association, said the number of foreign tourists visiting Zhangjiajie is expected to reach a new record this year.

The city only has 400 licensed tour guides for international travelers, and to cope with the strong demand local culture and tourism authorities have green-lit people with foreign language skills to serve as translators and interpreters for foreign travelers, and there are about 1,500 of them in the city, he said.

It is good to see that tour guides have had a bumper year this year, which comes with a much higher salary, he added.

Tour guides can make about 500 yuan per day, and for those who are fluent in minor languages such as Russian, Mongolian and French, the salary can rise to 800 yuan per day, Lii said.

"We have overcome the sluggish days of the pandemic and we are welcoming more foreign travelers from all over the world to appreciate the natural beauty and culture of Zhangjiajie," Li said.