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What is the Real Value of a Guided Tour?
Written by Finn
From group discounts to ultra-exclusive experiences, travelling on a guided tour saves more than just time and effort.
Behind all great holidays there stands a person willing to do a lot of number-crunching, scheduling and timely booking. It’s no secret that planning travel can be an intricate and time-consuming task, but with a well-chosen guided tour, not only can you lock in your dream itinerary – you’ll also cut substantial costs and do away with annoying fees, making setting an effective budget a breeze.
We’ve asked Luxury Escapes Tours expert Meagan Fox why choosing a guided tour offers incredible value. Read on to discover more.
Group bookings help keep costs low
Beyond daydreaming about your next destination, travel requires a lot of booking. And with hotel rooms, transfers, day tours, experiences, restaurant reservations, gallery and museum admissions, these costs can quickly add up. That’s where a guided tour can spare you the headache (and the hit to your wallet).
Thanks to an established relationship with local hotels, guided tour teams can lock in allocation for a group of rooms at a cheaper rate than you’ll find yourself. It’s essentially an in-built discount for buying in bulk.
“We negotiate competitive group rates with hotels and experiences,” says Meagan. “This lets our travellers enjoy a great quality tour with unbeatable value.”
That means securing the best price for that Barcelona city tour or Tanzanian game drive that’ll take your trip to the next level, rather than cutting corners on quality.
Gratuities are clearly communicated
Guided tour providers run a tight ship – getting you from A to B and beyond – and they’ll plan for many of the travel’s classic pitfalls. One question that’s sure to arise is how to handle tipping.
Whether included in a tour package or not, travellers will receive clear guidelines on tipping standards and how gratuities will be collected.
As Meagan explains, “Our tour guides ensure you’re well-informed of local customs so you can be confident about what’s fair – and expected – when tipping.”
A one-time tip collection at the beginning or end of your experience can help alleviate unnecessary stress, while recommended tipping information can help mitigate mind-bending currency conversions when it comes time to recognise your expert on-the-ground guides.
Hard-to-lock-in experiences confirmed ahead of time
Ugandan gorilla trek permits, reservations at Colombo’s Ministry of Crab, skip-the-line access to the Vatican Vaults… whether due to ecological or operational constraints, many travel highlights are kept extremely limited, requiring you to jump through hoops to secure your spot.
“Our team work hard to pre-book those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that make a tour special,” Meagan says. “That way, we ensure travellers have access to a destination’s must-visit sights and attractions.”
Savvy local experts help avoid unnecessary expenses
It’s impossible to put a price on expert knowledge. While plenty of exciting experiences can be organised while you travel, it’s not uncommon to find yourself in a tight spot when you’re quoted inflated prices for popular tourist activities.
With the know-how of industry experts – and on-the-ground support from savvy local guides – you can avoid any extra fees or premiums.
“We know because we go,” says Meagan. “Our tour-designing team travel frequently and extensively research each destination to ensure the best value on amazing experiences.”
You can compound your savings with LuxPlus+
There’s a lot of noise to filter out when trying to find the best deal that still delivers on that stellar standard.
“With our LuxPlus+ travel club, members can save even more on our extensive range of small-group tours across the globe,” says Meagan. “This includes many of our tours across Africa, Europe, Canada and more.”
And with sizeable savings knocking hundreds of dollars off the face value, you can spend that much more on those unforgettable experiences. Become a LuxPlus+ member now.
Coach, rail, cruise and flight travel are accounted for
One of the biggest costs of travel is… well, travel. Sure, you could take a 17-hour overnight bus ride to cut down on expense, or you could trust the pros to book a comfortable sleeper train at the best price, balancing the cost across the finer points of a multi-day itinerary.
“In addition to taking the guesswork out of your holiday, a small-group tour will allow you to make the most of your time away,” Meagan points out.
Sometimes that slightly more expensive cruise offers a once-in-a-lifetime unique experience, while at other times a private coach is the ideal way to get you from go to whoa. And for those hard-to-reach destinations? Pre-arranged transportation can open the door to remote monasteries in Bhutan, distant desert temples in Egypt or the glacial grandeur of Patagonia. “With all the transport details taken care of you can explore each region more easily and more authentically.”
Discover Tours
Keen for more tour inspiration? Check out 8 Benefits to Booking a Guided Tour.
Feature image: Fushimi Inari, Kyoto.
