To Tour or not to Tour, That is the Question

With the pandemic seeming to ease, many people are starting to think again about traveling. While international traveling can be an amazing experience, it can also be intimidating for some people. One option that many people consider is taking a tour. This method has become very popular, and there are many tour companies out there looking to get your business. The question then, is this a good option? I will lay out the pros and cons that I see for this form of travel so you can determine if this is a good option for you to consider.

I should begin by saying that I personally do not consider taking a tour usually the best option for me. In truth I have only been on one actual tour. That happened when I was a chaperone for 8th grade students touring Washington DC and the surrounding historical areas. I would also add that one can take tours of specific locations or sights, but that is not what this post is about. Here I am talking about participating in a tour group from beginning to end.

Let’s start with what I consider to be some of the positives of taking a tour. The first one is that tour companies make travel much easier and more convenient. The tour company makes all the decisions for you. All you have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip. They will determine your itinerary, make your hotel reservations, provide your transportation, and in general set everything up for you. Depending on the tour, they may also take care of your flights to and from your destination. This is not only convenient for you, but it also takes away the stress of preparation. There’s no need to pour over hotel listings or try to figure out how you are going to get from the airport to your destination. Everything is arranged.

Another positive feature of a tour is their ability to sources experiences. They will probably provide you with information and/or experiences that are not so readily available to someone traveling on their own. Tour companies usually have connections with the local scene which allows them to give their patrons some unique experiences. My daughter has taken a number of tours, and with those have come some fun experiences. In Sri Lanka she and the other women in the group had an opportunity to try on saris. When she traveled to Morocco the group had a trip out to an actual Bedouin tent traveling on a camel. These kinds of experiences are often more challenging to come by to the average tourist.

Besides experiences, tours offer great knowledge and information regarding the local area. This is especially true of historical sites and locations. When I traveled with the group in Washington DC, we had a guide with us the entire time. He was constantly giving us information and “little known facts” which I would not have received if I had gone to these places on my own.

My daughter’s experiences brings me to the third benefit of groups, having travel companions. Since my daughter is a single woman, it is hard for her to consider traveling on her own. As a teacher she found a tour company that specializes in tours for teachers, and she has gone on at least five tours with them. The trips have been well planned, and she has gotten to know the owner well. She has also made friends along the way and has traveled with some on more than one trip. She has also later visited some of them in their homes, expanding her opportunity to travel. In the group she feels safe and well taken care of. She has really come to appreciate this means of travel, and it has opened up opportunities she might never have had if she had to travel alone.

So this brings me to my next positive. A tour group can provide knowledge and the ability to visit a place where one might not feel so comfortable traveling on his own. I have no problem planning travel to first world countries. However, there are other places to which I would not be so comfortable planning a trip.

If I were to go on a trip to Africa to see the wildlife, I might well look for a tour company that would work out the details for me. Both of my mission trips to Africa were guided by people who lived there. While not actually tours, they took care of me while I was there. While some might feel comfortable traveling to Africa on their own, I would not. So any location that one might desire to visit, but causes some uncertainty, a tour might well be the way to go.

So what are the downsides of a tour? The first one is the cost. A tour will almost always cost more than a do-it-yourself trip if cost is a factor for you. Yes, one can certainly travel and go to the luxurious hotels and eat at the finest restaurants and a tour might well be cheaper. However, if one is budget conscious, cheaper accommodations can usually be found. Tour companies will usually find mid-range accommodations or higher for their groups. While they may get group discounts, most likely a person can still find something for less. Also consider that your tour is paying for a guide and most likely a driver throughout your trip. That provided convenience and information comes at an added cost. It should also be noted that in the end you may still be expected to provide a tip for both.

A second disadvantage is that your time is not your own. You are at the mercy of the tour group. You may find one part of the trip boring and wish you could move on, but the group remains. On the other hand you may want to spend more time at an experience, but the group moves you along. While tours will often provide their tourists with some free time for shopping or other activities, the main experiences are well timed to get everything in. I still remember one tired student on our DC tour. She said to me, “Mr. Lee, I don’t think I can see another monument.” Nevertheless, we were on to the next memorial.

A related concern is that while tours provide opportunities for relationships within the tour group, there are often no opportunities to connect with people in the local communities. Yes, tour guides may be locals, and often people will enjoy making that connection, but I am thinking of those unexpected connections. I remember on our visit to Lisbon we had breakfast each morning at the same cafe next to our hotel. By the third morning the waitress recognized us, knew what we wanted, and made us feel at home. Being in a large group often creates a barrier to those kinds of connections. I think the inherent nature of a tour group focuses on meeting the bucket list of places to visit rather than experience the location and culture that just wandering around a place allows for. Relationships within the group also take precedence over forming relationships outside the group.

Finally I would say that one’s personality influences the choice of participating in a tour group. While developing and enjoying the company of others is a benefit for many, to others it may be a burden. Someone who is quiet and reserved by nature or who is an introvert may find being around a group of people all the time a bit overwhelming. Other tour participants will most likely want to get to know you and share their experiences with you. If that kind of an environment doesn’t appeal to you, then a tour group may be more stressful than enjoyable.

If you do decide to participate in a tour, there are some things you want to know before you click the buy button. First, know what the tour actually provide. Does their price include airfare? What meals are provided? Tours generally provide breakfast as part of the price, but other meals may not be included. They might pay for specific meals that relate to certain experiences or perhaps a special meal with local foods. Other meals may be up to you to locate and pay for so be sure to read the fine print on that. Tours will also usually provide entrance fees to major attractions, but again not always. It’s important to read that fine print.

Two other issues to consider are group size and physical expectations. How many people can participate in the tour? If a tour is too large, one can get overlooked or have trouble participating in some of the activities. For someone with physical limitations, it’s important to know what activities and events are provided. If you are expected to walk for most of a day, make sure that is not a challenge for you.

So there you have it, my list of pros and cons of joining a tour group. It can be a great way to travel for some people, but it may not be your method of choice. My daughter loves to travel and being with a tour group allows her to do that without worrying about safety. I don’t like the constraints of a tour group for the most part, and I can be uncomfortable in a group of people I don’t know so I prefer to travel with just a few people I know. Whatever your preference, as you look toward a pandemic free future, I hope you have some travel plans of your own.

So what are your thoughts on tours? Did I miss an important benefit or challenge? Have you had positive or negative experiences with a tour group? Join the discussion below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Credit: The pictures of my daughter’s experiences including the leading photo were provided courtesy of Andrea Lee