| As opposed to your friends who like to travel on | | | | are paying a steep price for your tour, you also |
| their own and do not want rigid schedules during their | | | | expect that at least two meals daily are part of the |
| holiday, you would rather travel with an organized | | | | deal. In addition to food and lodging, you want a tour |
| group. Since you are not very fond of looking at | | | | operator who will give you the choice of signing up |
| maps and driving into uncharted territory, your best | | | | for extra side trips or special excursions. A good tour |
| bet would be to go with a tour operator. All the | | | | operator offers an adequate number of sightseeing |
| work is done for you and you get to learn something | | | | trips, but can offer optional trips as well. |
| about each place you visit, thanks to a well-prepared | | | | Ground transportation and airport shuttles |
| tour operator. What should you be looking for in a | | | | Another reason you join a tour group is so that you |
| tour operator? | | | | do not have to worry about how to rent a car or |
| Experience and licence to operate | | | | how much cab fares are in your destination. The tour |
| Most experienced tour operators have extensive | | | | operator must at least have a courtesy pick up |
| travel experience under their belt. They know the | | | | service especially if you are not very near the airport |
| preferences of various age groups, what the top | | | | you are taking off from. When you arrive at your |
| destinations are, and have done their homework. In | | | | destination, you want a tour operator who has |
| many cases you can tell good experience when the | | | | arranged transportation to your hotel. If your travel |
| tour operator answers your questions and can add | | | | involves sightseeing by bus, you want a bus that is |
| to your knowledge without being prompted. You can | | | | clean, air-conditioned, and with a toilet that works. |
| sense their confidence. They are not stammering or | | | | Not to mention a courteous driver. |
| struggling for answers. Rarely will you hear "I | | | | Flexibility in tour schedule |
| don’t know about that; let me find out for you." | | | | Some people have vowed never to go with a tour |
| Along with this experience, you want a tour operator | | | | operator again because their first experience turned |
| who is licensed in the area you live. This is probably a | | | | out to be like military training. A tour operator has to |
| little difficult when you are dealing with a tour | | | | take into account the temperaments of travelers. |
| operator who operates an online travel agency, but | | | | There are those who do not mind having a hectic |
| there are ways of finding out as to their legal status. | | | | schedule where each activity is timed and meal |
| For example, do they have a secure payment | | | | periods start at a given time, not one minute more |
| system, do they take major credit cards, and do | | | | or less. A good tour operator leaves some room and |
| they send you confirmation of your booking and mail | | | | time for travellers to be on their own, and will also |
| you an original receipt? You can also go with word of | | | | choose restaurants that can offer a varied menu so |
| mouth, go to online travel forums and read | | | | that everyone, or almost everyone, can be |
| people’s comments about the tour operator. | | | | accommodated. |
| Tour Guide | | | | Costs |
| One of the reasons you choose an organized tour | | | | Crunch the numbers and decide if the tour operator |
| group is to learn something about the country or | | | | is charging you fairly for the services and options you |
| place you are visiting. You want a tour guide who will | | | | are getting. Do your own calculations to see if you |
| not only make sure that logistics are efficiently | | | | are better off booking the hotels and restaurants on |
| carried out, but also one who is well-informed about | | | | your own or going with the package. What you must |
| the geography, history and culture of your | | | | remember is that tour operators get bulk discounts |
| destination. In fact, it is inconceivable for tour | | | | for repeat business. If a tour operator books 30 |
| operators not to have tour guides who will | | | | rooms in a hotel four times a year, you can imagine |
| accompany travellers everywhere they go and be | | | | the tremendous discounts they receive in exchange |
| accessible when they are needed. | | | | for their business. It is the same thing with restaurant |
| Package deals | | | | owners. If a tour operator books lunch for 30 |
| Examine your travel brochures closely and read in | | | | travelers a few times during the year, you can bet |
| between the lines. You want to make sure that the | | | | that the restaurant owner will offer significant |
| hotels are at least three or four star hotels and are | | | | discounts. |
| located in a safe area close to all amenities. If you | | | | |