Become a Guide with Travel Buddy Ireland

Take Control of Your Career. Share Your Passion. Earn What You Deserve.

The Problem with Traditional Tour Guiding in Ireland

Being a professional guide in Ireland is a passion, but making it a sustainable career is challenging. The current system is broken:

  • Scarcity & Competition: Work is extremely scarce for most guides, leading to intense income fluctuation and low pay rates.

  • Third-Party Dependence: Many guides work as subcontractors for large operators, facing last-minute cancellations, job insecurity, and variable pay with no benefits.

  • Financial Instability: The seasonal nature makes financial planning nearly impossible. There are few salaried, year-round positions.

  • Lack of Autonomy: Most guides have little control over where, when, or how they deliver their services, often repeating the same itineraries rather than focusing on their unique expertise.

  • No Safety Net: As self-employed contractors, guides are responsible for their own taxes, insurance, and pension, with no sick pay, paid leave, or job security.

It's time for a better way.

Welcome to Travel Buddy Ireland: A New Model for Irish Guides

We are a guide-first platform built to give Ireland's professional guides autonomy, stability, and a just reward for their expertise.

We empower you to design your own career path by offering three distinct service models, all from one unified platform:

  1. Travel Buddy: Provide personalized, on-demand trip planning and support via video call from anywhere. Be the friendly local expert in your client's pocket.

  2. Fixed Experiences: Create and list your own unique tours or workshops. Set your own schedule, pricing, and themes—from whiskey tasting deep-dives to hidden coastal hikes.

  3. Corporate & Group Service: Offer your expertise for corporate retreats, educational groups, or special events with dedicated support and higher-value bookings.

How It Works: Your Gateway to a Better Guiding Career

1. Simple Onboarding

All National Tourist Guiding Badge holders are eligible to apply. Choose to be a Travel Buddy, list an Experience, or do both. Commit to a minimum of 26 weeks of availability to ensure consistency for our clients.

2. Your Personal Digital Hub

Once approved, you’ll get access to the TBI Guide App, your mobile command centre:

  • View all bookings and client details in one place.

  • Your Google Calendar updates automatically with new appointments.

  • One-click generation of Google Video call links to share with clients.

  • AI-Powered Itinerary Builder: Receive a custom, AI-generated draft itinerary for each client booking. Download, personalize with your expert touch, and finalize it directly in the app.

3. Effortless Client Service & Extra Earnings

  • Affiliate Partner Network: Sign up local businesses (accommodation, activities, restaurants) as "TBI Partners." You earn a 5% commission on all future client bookings made through your links—even when other guides in the network use them.

  • Master Links Portal: If no affiliate link exists for a client's need, access our curated database of Ireland's top tourism providers instantly.

  • Seamless Delivery: Once you finalize an itinerary in the app, the system sends a personalized client app link containing their full itinerary, booking links, maps, and downloadable PDFs. Your work is professional, polished, and effortless.

4. Centralised Support & Marketing

  • Nationwide Network: Connect with and support fellow professional guides across Ireland.

  • Promotional Hub: Benefit from centralised marketing that drives clients to the platform, so you can focus on guiding, not advertising.

  • Full Training: Comprehensive online training ensures you're confident using the platform before your first booking.

Your Earnings: Transparent, Fair, Rewarding

  • Travel Buddy Service: You commit to the set client fee (no hidden charges). The platform commission is 15% on all bookings.

  • Fixed Experiences: You set your own price. The platform commission is 15% on all bookings.

  • Estimated Net Earnings: Under this structure, our guides can achieve a consistent net rate of over €50 per hour for their expertise, with the potential for significant additional income through the affiliate network.

Key Benefits at a Glance

✅ Autonomy: Control your calendar, your services, and your expertise.
✅ Multiple Income Streams: Earnings from direct bookings + affiliate commissions.
✅ Year-Round Potential: Blend online "Travel Buddy" sessions with in-person "Experiences" to smooth out seasonality.
✅ Professional Tools: State-of-the-art app handles admin, scheduling, and itinerary creation for you.
✅ Marketing & Network: Benefit from central promotion and a supportive community of peers.
✅ Just Reward: Finally earn a sustainable, fair wage for your unique knowledge and passion.

Ready to Build the Guiding Career You Deserve?

If you're a qualified guide tired of instability and ready to take control of your time, your expertise, and your income, we want to hear from you.

APPLY NOW TO BECOME A TRAVEL BUDDY IRELAND GUIDE

Have questions?
Email our Guide Relations Team: guides@travelbuddyireland.ie
Or call us: +353 (0)1 XXX XXXX

Travel Buddy Ireland. Guiding, Reimagined.