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Tour Leader (July 2019 Start) (expired)

InsideJapan Tours Ltd.

InsideJapan Tours Ltd.

Job ID
132533
Location
Tokyo, Japan
Post date
Apr 15, 2019
Industry
Tourism / Travel / Hospitality
Function
Tour Operator, Tour Guide
Work Type
Full Time / Experienced (Non-Manager)
Salary
¥270,000 ~ ¥290,000 / Month
  • + 4,000 JPY subsistence per day on tour and possible performance-based bonus

Requirements

  • English: Fluent
  • Japanese: Conversational
  • Must currently reside in Japan
  • Tour leading experience
  • Experience living and working in Japan
  • High-level English communication skills
  • Face-to-face client interaction experience
  • Computer proficiency
  • Visa sponsorship available

Description

Tour Leader

Branch: Japan branch
Work location: Across our destinations in Japan
Full time: 2-year contract, to be extended by mutual agreement
Reports to: Tour Leader Team Leader
Start date: 16 July, 2019

**Note: Only those who are invited to complete the written application will be contacted.”

Our Values
In everything we do at InsideAsia Tours we aim to act in line with the company’s five core values: Trustworthy, Knowledgeable, Ethical, High Quality, Friendly. These are at the heart of the organization, and the company looks for every individual to demonstrate these values daily.

Job Purpose
The purpose of the tour leader role is to ensure that our customers have the best possible experience on the tours that you lead. Our tour leaders are also our representatives on the ground and are vital in keeping good relationships with our suppliers and projecting a positive image of the company in line with our values.

The Role
Our Tour Leaders are what make our Small Group Tours truly special. Each InsideJapan Tour Leader lives in Japan, speaks excellent Japanese and English and is passionate about sharing their knowledge and love of Japan. They are there to make sure that clients get the absolute most out of their Japan holiday, providing personal insights into Japanese culture and society, making sure that the trip runs successfully even when faced with logistical challenges.
You will also be asked to take on ‘Insider Days’, these are themed day or night tours for our clients on tailor-made holidays. They can be as varied as izakaya evenings, architectural tours or manga themed adventures and we are keen to make use of any special skills or knowledge you bring.

Once you have gained confidence in your role, there are further opportunities to work with VIP customers on fully escorted private tours.
Finally, you will be expected to contribute to the company’s marketing effort by providing blog pieces, materials for social media updates and images. As our eyes and ears on the ground, we may also ask you to under-take research or carry out health and safety tasks.
You will need to be a confident person but also a good listener and have empathy with your group members. At times you will need to make some difficult decisions, and be prepared to take responsibility for those consequences, as well as look after any problems that occur on tour.

Who will you be working with?
• Clients of InsideJapan Tours
• Clients and staff from our other tour operators we work for
• Management and staff in our Nagoya and Tokyo offices
• Staff in the PR and Marketing departments
• Suppliers (hotels, restaurants, guides, experiences, etc.)
• Travel consultants on tailor-made holiday arrangements

What will we provide for you?
We provide first-rate back up from our Nagoya and Tokyo offices, as well as comprehensive on-the-ground training. Likewise, our team of Tour Leaders will share their experience and advice, whether it’s the practical aspect of tour leading or the latest tips on restaurants and sightseeing spots, so you will have a valuable database of knowledge upon which to build upon. We also provide a training tour that will involve you joining another Tour Leader to acquire the hands-on skills necessary to be a great Tour Leader.

What are we looking for from you?
We are looking for people to commit to a 2-year contract and welcome those who are looking for a longtime career. This not only ensures continuity of our tours, it also enables us to invest in tour leader training and ensures the best possible experience for our clients, all of whom are invited to submit feedback to our website.
We are also looking for individuals who can be flexible enough to work 210 days per calendar year in conjunction with the demands of our tours and tailor-made clients’ schedules. This will require working weekends, national holidays and perhaps even Christmas and over the New Year period.

We also want you to be realistic about this role and come in to it with your eyes open. This is not your holiday, and your role is to make sure that your clients enjoy theirs in a safe, enjoyable, smooth and memorable fashion. You will be spending a lot of time on the road and during peak season you will be asked to do back-to-back tours with minimal breaks in-between. It is a rewarding job, but a big commitment and hard work, and you should consider the impact this might have on your personal life.

Outputs
• Tour reports and accounts submitted in a timely manner
• Research work – finding new places of interest and expanding knowledge base
• Document updating
• Leading groups around Japan with an exceptional level of customer service
• Delivering ‘Insider Days’ (single day or evening tours for clients on tailor-made holidays)
• Preparation for tours
• Logical decision-making and planning
• Good time management and punctuality
• Balancing tour activities/led time and free time
• Looking after clients’ dietary requirements
• Building and maintaining positive relationships with suppliers
• Clear and concise briefings to groups
• Cultural talks, explanations, and sharing of insights and experiences with clients
• Health and Safety – regular briefings and in practice on the ground
• Dealing with hazards and incidents in the appropriate manner
• Communication with Team Leader and other offices
• Marketing contributions such as blog pieces, photographs and videos
• Contributions to other non-tour projects

Experience and key skills required
• Customer service/travel industry experience
• Ability to give clear directives/briefings
• Professional yet friendly approach
• Excellent organizational skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated experience working with a wide range of individuals and groups
• The ability to multi-task and balance the needs of the group while paying attention to individual customer needs
• Creative approach to include fun, unique experiences for your clients
• Resolving complaints and difficult situations
• Strong decision-making skills and the ability to think on your feet
• Strong Japanese and excellent English language ability

Desirable attributes
• Previous experience as Tour Leader/Guide or similar
• Specialist knowledge of an aspect of Japanese geography, history, society, culture, food, etc.
• Commitment to ongoing, self-motivated personal development
• Physically fit and healthy: able to walk long distances (over 5-miles per day), stand for extended periods of time, and able to withstand long working hours, often times in physically and mentally challenging conditions
• Healthy sense of humor

Pay and remuneration
Contract: 2-year contract, to be extended by mutual agreement
Basic salary: Depending on experience and ability an initial salary between 270,000yen – 290,000yen per month salary with the potential for this to increase to up to 500,000yen over time. Unlike many other travel companies, the salary is consistent and irrelevant of days worked during a particular month.

Allowance and Bonuses: A 4,000yen per night subsistence payment while on tour. Bonus payable at the end of each year based on client feedback. Tips are given at the discretion of your clients.

Additional benefits are the provision of Japanese Health care insurance and visa support if needed.

About InsideAsia Tours
InsideAsia Tours Ltd, is a growing travel company whose head office is in Bristol, with other sales branches located in Boulder, Colorado and Brisbane, Australia, and an operations branch based in Nagoya, Japan with a satellite office in Tokyo. The company consists of specialist travel brands, InsideJapan Tours which was established in 2000 and InsideAsia Tours established in 2013 and specializing in travel to South-East Asia. The multi-award-winning company offers unique group tours, tailored travel, and cultural experiences that few get the chance to discover.

Our team have had years of experience living, working and travelling in destination countries, and we offer unrivaled advice and support, whatever the customer budget or personal interests. Our holidays grant people the chance to experience both the popular and little-known aspects of local culture, giving customers an insight into the diverse character of the country they are visiting.

Work Culture
You will be working for a vibrant company with a great team of employees all with a passion for the destinations, a belief in the brands and a strong sense of collective values and purpose. Our work culture is supportive, creative and dedicated and is at its best when we all try to lead by example; the more you put in, the more you and the team get out, and it will be important that you play your part.

Last modified on September 2, 2019

The above information is a public job ad. This job ad is neither an offer nor a contract.

This job is no longer available.

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