Young Chinese become tourist guides amid uncertain job prospects

About 320,000 Chinese registered for the country’s tour guide certification exam this year, an increase of 45% from 2023, according to China tourism news. More and more of them hold a degree and specialize in foreign languages.

Finding stable jobs amid job instability, including layoffs in the technology and financial sectors, is proving to be a challenge for young people, with the youth unemployment rate around 17%, The Strait Era reported.

This has caused many people to look for part-time jobs or gigs, Bloomberg reported.

Subramania Bhatt, founder of digital marketing firm China Trading Desk, said people are changing their minds about tour guides, traditionally seen as seasonal work, amid the post-Covid recovery. China has seen a boom in domestic tourism over the past year, and tour guiding is seen as a quick and accessible way to make money from tourists that only requires a certification exam.

The number of foreign visitors is also increasing, but at a slower pace. In the first nine months of this year, the number of inbound traveler trips to China increased by about 80% compared to the previous year. However, this figure remains below pre-pandemic levels.

Foreign tour groups, especially those who speak English, often make more profit than domestic guides, Bhatt said. More and more students are majoring in foreign languages ​​to take tour guide certification exams, he added.