Monday, October 22, 2012

What You Need to Know About Touring London

By Samantha Cole


If going abroad is the first time for you, then it is best to take an organized tour. Organized tours is all about your convenience. You only need to relax, listen to the guide, take photos, and have fun. First time travellers preferably will need to go on group tours. Furthermore, in remote destinations such as the Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, and Halong Bay, organized tours are necessary since these places are inaccessible without them.

Look for a tour operator that is highly regarded should you decide to go on an organized tour. These are a few tips on how to choose the right tour operator for you.

1. Look up travel operators online. Make sure to look up what other people has to say about them in travel message boards. You will be able to find out what past clients has to say about them. Also, remember that the biggest and most expensive companies may not always have the most excellent reputations. Smaller, cheaper companies may be just as good.

2. Getting what you pay for may not always be true for tour operators. There are operators who overcharge. Inquire how your money is going to get spent. This way, you'll be able to determine if you are getting the best value of what you will be paying. Get a complete list of all charges. You might be surprised to find out that your tour is not that cheap as you initially believed it to be.

3. Get to know which clientele your operator serves. Do they cater mostly to old couples? Individuals and their families? The working class? This is quite important so you'll feel comfortable in a tour. You need to ensure that you will be travelling with people who likes the same things you want to do.

4. Most tour operators already have a clientele base. Make sure their guides are knowledgeable, dependable, and certified. Guides who were born and raised locally are the best tour guides. They should also have extensive travel experience, know life-saving techniques, and exhibit good common sense. Remember that guides can make or break your tour.

5. Make sure to choose a guide who's main concern is his group's safety. For instance, if you're taking one of those London bus tours, make sure the operator is accredited by the local government or official trade organization and it has complete safety certifications.

6. Bear in mind that your have paid them for a fun-filled day. But are they accomplishing that? Exactly how are they really preparing to accomplish that? Do they have organized activities or are you left on your own? Before signing a contract with them, get a schedule of all activities that they offer.

7. Your tour operator should also have a sense of responsibility to the environment. Thus, see if the travel company is eco-friendly (e.g., guides don't entice you to throw trash anywhere, the local travel agent uses a vehicle that doesn't emit a great deal of harmful toxic gases, and many others.) Beware that lots of firms boast themselves as eco-friendly but, the truth is, aren't.

Visit CCSTours and find a directory of reputable tour providers to help make your trip fun, enlightening, and unforgettable.




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