Should You Join a Tour for a Holiday or Go the DIY Route?
Visiting a country for the first time for a much-needed break from the daily grind can be exciting and scary at the same time. Hi, all! This is Mack Prioleau, and I am here to share with you my thoughts on signing up for a vacation tour or going it alone.
For my part, I’ve never really joined an official tour group—and by saying “official”, I mean tours designed by professional travel companies. Usually, my tour groups are comprised of my friends, family or colleagues. If I am visiting a country or city for the first time, I try to go with someone who knows his or her way around; someone who’s been to the place I want to see.
The pros and cons of joining a tour group
As with anything, there are always two sides to consider, the pros and cons. And traveling with a tour group is no exception. To help you decide which route to take, here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of joining a tour group on your holiday.
Pros
1. You’ll always have company. For the duration of the tour, you will be with fellow travelers who signed up for the same tour. If you’re traveling alone, this is a good way to ensure that you will never have to visit a tourist attraction on your own.
2. You can make new friends. Joining a tour for your trip is a great way to meet new people and make new friends. I even know of people who met their present partner or spouse this way. If you have a business to promote, this is a good way to network as well.
3. You have a tour guide. Naturally, you will have a tour guide and the most benefit you can derive from this is learning a little bit about the history of the sight you are visiting or having someone with you who is knowledgeable enough to answer your questions immediately.
Cons
1. You’ll always have company. I know I mentioned this above as an advantage, but on the other hand, it can be a disadvantage too. Sometimes, the best way to really get to know a place or visit an attraction is to do it alone—to spend as much time as you want enjoying the sights on your own. If you’re a private person, enjoy your alone time, and prefer to move at your own pace, then a tour group could be the last thing that you want with you at all times.
2. You have a fixed schedule. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. With a tour, everything is planned and timed. This means that you could be rushed off to the next agenda on your itinerary even before you’ve had time to really enjoy the attraction. This can be frustrating if you’re visiting a museum.
Personally, I’d like to spend as much time as I can viewing the exhibits. It allows me to truly learn the history and culture of the country I’m visiting.
3. Tours can be expensive. If you’re traveling on a budget, joining a tour group might not be ideal for you. Although there are budget tours that you can check out, you could still end up spending more than you can afford.
Thank you for reading my post! This is Mack Prioleau and I hope to see you all again here!