Traveling agencies and operators sometimes offer tour packages as a means of advertising their business. Of course, this is not a bad thing in itself, the bad comes in when the product is misrepresented. It is possible to be taken in by the promise of a much-desired tour that you forget to check all the details to make sure they are right.
In another instance, the agencies may not be deceitful; it may just be carelessness on your part that gets you into hot soup.
Whichever the case though, it is important to know what you need to look for in a tour package before paying your hard-earned money.
- Find out what the package has
This goes beyond scheme reading an appealing offer on a website. It will involve even sometimes reading the fine print.
The essence of picking a package is for the efficiency and convenience of it. So you want to find out how well the logistics have been taken care of.
Are the things that you cannot compromise on taken care of in the package?
Does the fee you pay include say attraction tickets? What about tour guide fees? Does it take a one-size-fits-all approach or can you make some changes? Is it fully guided or semi-guided? Is it geared to your interests?
In order to make the best out of your vacation, these are important questions to ask about the package you pick.
For example, it could have a provision for a hike along a sloppy terrain or a photo safari tour by bus, in which cases you would need to be well prepared with the appropriate gear.
- Find out the services they do not offer
Remember what I mentioned about reading the fine print? You would need that, especially when running the possible scenarios in which things could go wrong.
What if you had a last minute change of heart and decided to cancel the tour? Or what if you were denied office leave? Would the agency give you a full or partial refund? Does the fee include an insurance cover? What if your baggage is stolen?
Some packages offer breakfast and dinner. You are going to want to know that so that you can organize your lunch accordingly.
Other packages may not include airfare or train fare in which case you would do as necessary. For others, using the cars or taxis for the trip for personal businesses incurs extra charges which you want to consider before saying yes to a tour.
The best packages will be clear to understand from the onset. They will outline what is offered and what isn’t. They will meet your specific needs fairly well.
Most people who choose tour packages do so because they want someone else to take care of the logistics perhaps because they have not the time to do so themselves. But you must do some little work for yourself if you are going to guarantee the adventure and social experience you hoped to get from the tour.