INSIGHT
How Can Anyone Become a Local Expert? Do You Need a Tour Guide License or a Deposit?
Explains the requirements and seven-step onboarding for CityMuze local experts, the Star Track Program training route, and how payment and the working relationship work: a tour guide license is not a prerequisite, and no fixed monthly income is promised.
Published August 13, 2026
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The Short Answer
Anyone can apply to become a CityMuze local expert through the Expert Mini Program or the Join Us page on our website at https://citymuse.com.cn/en/join. Onboarding is based on in-person screening, a tour guide license is not a prerequisite, and the onboarding process itself charges no onboarding fee. Deposit and other fee policies are as stated on the official onboarding page and in the published agreements.
Local experts work with the platform as independent partners rather than employees, are paid per order and choose their own hours. Our core services are City Aesthetics Tours, Business Concierge and Versatile Assistant; what people commonly call a local guide or city guide corresponds to City Aesthetics Tours. Applications are open in the Nanjing, Yancheng and Xuzhou hubs; Suzhou and other cities will open progressively.
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Requirements, and What If You Have No Experience
The basic requirements are relevant local knowledge or professional skills, plus passing document review, a verification call, an in-person screening, and identity and payment-account verification. The in-person screening is mandatory and cannot be skipped; the platform does not claim that anyone can start without any skills.
CityMuze runs the Star Track Program for graduating university students, especially those majoring in tourism, foreign languages and related fields, offering customized career training and a safe route into social practice; people without experience can take this route, receive training and then start working. The program is currently open to applications from universities and students; see the Products & Services page for details.
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The Seven Onboarding Steps
The seven steps are: submit an application, document review, verification call, in-person screening, identity and payment-account verification, complete your profile, and start taking orders. Basic materials generally include identity information, contact details and a description of your skills, and all displayed content is reviewed before publication. Onboarding channels are organized by service line; see the Join Us page for the detailed list of materials.
Review times are as officially announced, and no fixed number of days is promised. Before joining, read the Service Provider (Local Expert) Onboarding Agreement in full; it sets out service standards, how violations are handled and the settlement rules.
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How Pay Works and How the Platform Protects Local Experts
Local experts set their own prices and are paid per order. Actual income depends on order volume, pricing and account level; the platform does not promise a fixed monthly income, nor does it publish uniform income figures or part-time monthly income ranges. After each order is completed, the platform automatically splits the payment according to the agreed ratio and pays the expert’s share into the bank card registered in their own name. Payout timing is as published by the platform, generally the day after the service is completed. The higher the account level, the higher the expert’s share; specific ratios are as published by the platform.
Meetings must take place in public places, every service is recorded and traceable, and the platform can step in to resolve disputes. Service fees are held in escrow by a licensed payment institution and settled according to the rules once the service is completed. Local experts’ rights and responsibilities follow the platform’s published agreements.
Apply through the Join Us page or the Expert Mini Program. For questions, call our business hotline at +86 150 5046 9808 or email partner@qingyuxing.cn. CityMuze is operated by Nanjing CityMuze Brand Management Co., Ltd., Unified Social Credit Code 91320106MAKAA79J90, headquartered at Room 1107, Block C, Nanjing Tech University Innovation Building, No. 5 Xinmofan Road, Gulou District, Nanjing.
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Further Reading
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