George's Journal: a Collection of Articles Peace Arch News Article For August 16th Travel Section
On a daily basis in our travel agency we see people comparing two or three tours to decide which one to buy and go on. This is not often an easy decision to come to unless they are honest with themselves about their own needs and wants. Comparing tours can be a simple process as long as you compare more than the price. Other important considerations, all of which affect the price, include the reputation of each tour company, how long they have been in business, type and location of hotels used, the pressure of the daily itinerary, group size, tour inclusions, and escorted or driver/escorted. For this article let's pick one, say group size, and look at it in relation to the tour price. When tour price is an important consideration, and it always should be, then travelling with a large group is, more often than not, a key factor. One way the tour operator will be able to keep the cost down is by dividing the many fixed costs by a large number of tour members; say 30 to 45. On the other hand, a small tour group of 10 to 20 members will have, for example, a smaller and less expensive vehicle but still will have higher per person vehicle costs. Fortunately, there are many advantages to the small group size, which override the increased price. Generally for those who prefer the smaller, more personalized group size, price is less important than the experiences which are expected and which will provide heightened memories of their excursion. In our company, we custom design tours for both tour types and make a distinction between these two important groups and adjust our tour planning to reflect these differences. We refer to the people who prefer the lowest cost and larger group size as tourists and the others who want a slower pace and smaller group size as travellers. Neither group receives any preferential treatment but we must be sure to design each programme type differently. The tourist, which makes up the majority of all those wishing to travel in groups, is willing to receive value in terms of seeing as much as possible in a shorter period of time at a lower cost. They acknowledge that many admissions and additional charges will be paid by themselves as they come along while on tour. Travellers would prefer to pay almost everything beforehand and also have a slower tour pace to enhance each experience as the tour proceeds. With fewer people in the group, each experience is often much more personalized and thus more memorable. George Bell, |
Bell Travel Services- Providing Custom Travel Services for
24 Years.
Toll-free: 1-800-665-8488 Vancouver: (604) 535-2587 Fax: 604-538-6646 info@belltours.com
12894 - 16th Avenue, White Rock, BC, CANADA V4A 1N7