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According to Bloomberg, these young people are placing their hopes on the strong growth of domestic tourism, believing it will provide them with a more stable income than traditional office jobs.
This expectation is not unfounded. In the context of a volatile economy, the tourism industry, especially domestic tourism, has demonstrated impressive resilience and growth. The increase in domestic tourists means a corresponding increase in demand for tourism services, including tour guides.
More and more young people, instead of choosing restrictive, stable but somewhat boring office jobs, are shifting towards the tourism sector, specifically becoming tour guides.
This creates many attractive job and income opportunities for those involved in this field. They believe that, instead of sitting at a desk for eight hours a day, they can earn a living by sharing their knowledge and passion for the country's culture, history, and scenery with tourists, while enjoying freedom and flexibility in their work. Furthermore, the development of domestic tourism also leads to the development of related service industries such as restaurants, hotels, transportation, etc., creating a vibrant economic ecosystem that benefits many people.
According to data from China Tourism News, 2024 saw a surge in the number of applicants for China's annual tour guide certification exam, with approximately 320,000 registering. This not only marked an impressive 45% increase compared to 2023 but also set a new record for the number of candidates nationwide. This significant increase demonstrates the growing appeal of tour guiding to Chinese citizens, especially as the tourism industry recovers strongly after a difficult period.
This shift stems from belief and hope in the strong recovery and boom of China's domestic tourism industry.
More notably, statistics also point to an encouraging trend: an increasing number of candidates with university degrees and expertise in foreign languages are participating in the exam. This shows the increasing professionalization of tour guides, who are not simply knowledgeable about the local area but also possess extensive knowledge and excellent foreign language communication skills, meeting the increasingly diverse needs of tourists, especially international tourists. The emergence of a young, highly educated workforce with good foreign language skills promises to bring a new look to China's tourism industry, contributing to improved service quality and attracting tourists from all over the world.
Amidst the unpredictable fluctuations in the Chinese economy, the profession of tour guide has emerged as an increasingly popular alternative career choice, attracting considerable interest from workers. Job insecurity, particularly in previously "hot" sectors like technology and finance, has led to a wave of mass layoffs, leaving many jobless. This not only intensifies pressure on the already fiercely competitive office job market but also coincides with a surge in job seekers among millions of university graduates, creating intense competition.
These young people place their hopes on the strong growth of the domestic tourism industry.
China has seen a strong resurgence in domestic tourism over the past year thanks to promotional clips on social media. While per capita tourism spending remains low, tour guiding is an accessible and quick way to earn money from tourists, especially in popular tourist spots.
The number of foreign tourists is also recovering, albeit at a slower pace. With visa-free travel granted to 38 countries so far, tourist trips to China increased by nearly 80% in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. While still lower than pre-pandemic levels, this is still a positive sign.
Tour guides who lead foreign groups and are fluent in English often earn more money than domestic tour guides. This is encouraging many foreign language students to take the tour guide certification exam.
According to Bhatt, tour guides typically earn between 500 RMB (US$68) and 600 RMB per day during peak season, English-speaking guides earn around 1,000 RMB per day, and the salary can be even higher for those fluent in multiple languages such as German or Italian.
