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I Am A Tour Guide and Covid-19 Infected My Job

by Guest Author | Mar 30, 2020 | Ecuador | 0 comments

Mama Rora, Siona Guide in Cuyabeno, Ecuador with volunteer | ©Angela Drake

I am a tour guide.

And Covid-19 infected my job.

Tourists have canceled all kinds of TRAVEL. My work is affected. There are no tourists who want to travel for now and that is understandable! There is and will be a lot of fear even after this nightmare passes!

The whole WORLD is affected but no one has made any comment on our profession. Unfortunately, there are already people in our community who have been infected or are in quarantine for presenting symptoms. This makes sense since we were the most exposed, being in contact with passengers from all over the world, as well as their luggage and every baggage handler and driver who touched it.

TOURISM GUIDES DO NOT have stable work. Therefore, we try to responsibly manage our finances because we never know when our next group, tour, or trip will be!

We do not receive health insurance from travel agencies because we work as freelancers!

Furthermore, we are not recognized by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Tourism as a profession! When we tried to ensure benefits as the Union of National Guides, they turn their backs on us. Still, we wait for their pronouncement regarding the issue of tour guides and CORONAVIRUS!

Please!! We need you to listen to us, Vice President of Ecuador.

This fell on us like a bucket of cold water! How quickly everything changed.

And now we have many doubts:

What will happen?
How long will it last?
What will we do if there is no tourism?
What will our income be?

The NATIONAL GUIDES OF ECUADOR are the people who first introduce new arrivals at the airport to the best travel experiences, adventure, stories, laughter and more. We are the ones who transmit our culture, history, gastronomy, and traditions of a COUNTRY full of hope.

Fellow tour guides, share this with your friends and families! Our union makes us strong.

#GuiasNacionales #Ecuador

#losquehacemosqueelturimossemueva

[gravitywp_count formid=’9′] people have signed this petition.
Please help us reach our goal of 100 signatures by May 1st.

A Petition To President Lenín Moreno and Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner

Coronavirus infected the livelihoods of thousands of Ecuadorian tour guides.

We ask that the Ecuadorian federal government help tour guides, local and national, survive the economic devastation brought on by this virus. Tour guides are in a unique position. Travel agencies are not required to provide full or part-time employment to their guides. Therefore, guides do not receive health insurance or other employment benefits. It is fair to state that they are looking at long term unemployment without the benefit of being laid-off. Their situation is unique in Ecuador and needs a solution that only the national government can provide.

Sincerely,

Angie Drake, Cofounder

Not Your Average American, LLC

We invite everyone to stand in solidarity with Ecuador's tour guides. Please sign the petition!

If you are a tourist (past, present, or future) signing this, please leave a note explaining how a local guide made a difference to your trip.

If you are an Ecuadorian tour guide, please leave your Cedula number along with your current situation in the comment below.

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If you are a tour guide in Ecuador who would like to advertise your services on Not Your Average American, please feel free to make an account and get started!

Why This Trip Matters

Laura sees this trip to Canada as a key step toward fulfilling her dream: building her own nature reserve in Ecuador. She wants to integrate what she learns abroad—new techniques, fresh perspectives, and international best practices—into her work back home. Her goal is to create a space that protects essential habitat and inspires others to connect with nature.

She’s already doing that at Mashpi Amagusa, where she leads groups ranging from casual visitors to seasoned bird photographers. Her guiding isn’t just about ticking off species—it’s about sparking wonder and respect for the extraordinary biodiversity of the Andes.

Let’s Get Laura to Canada

Ecuador’s minimum wage is just $480 a month. For someone like Laura, the costs of international travel—flights, visa applications, warm clothing for a Canadian fall, even an occasional meal out—are daunting. Our goal is to raise $6,500 to help cover those expenses.

If you’ve ever birded in Ecuador, if a bird guide has helped you see the natural world in a new way, or if you simply believe in empowering young women to work in conservation, I hope you’ll consider helping Laura fly.

This isn’t just about one trip. It’s about investing in a bright, driven, conservation-minded woman who will carry the lessons of this experience back to Ecuador, where they’ll take root and grow for years to come.

Help Laura Fly - Donate Today

Guest Author

Not Your Average American publishes articles written by a wide variety of tourists, expats, and business owners in Ecuador and beyond. If you would like to participate in our Guest Author program, please contact us at angie@notyouraverageamerican.com.

I Am A Tour Guide and Covid-19 Infected My Job

And Covid-19 infected my job.

We do not receive health insurance from travel agencies because we work as freelancers!