The choice of a tour operator is a responsible task that everyone has to solve to have a good rest. It is from him that your impressions of the rest and the quality of the latter depend.
How to choose a tour operator? How not to make a mistake? What to look for? Let's try to answer all your questions.
Large selection of tour operators: plus or minus?
Nowadays, the presence of a large number of tour operators gives everyone the opportunity to organize their holidays. Basically, these are large companies that have already established themselves in the market of travel services. There is no fundamental difference where to go. The differences are not so much in the quality of the services provided, as in their cost, maintenance and timing.
Before, when small and unreliable companies could get caught, making a choice was much more difficult. Things are different today. Among the most popular tour operators today are Pegas Touristik, TEZ Tour, Anex Tour, Sunrise Tour, S7 Tour and many others. The list includes a little more than fifty tour operators. Perhaps the best option for vacationers would be to use Word of mouth and draw conclusions based on feedback from friends and acquaintances.
What are the direct responsibilities of each tour operator?
So, which tour operator to choose? To make the right decision, you need to be well-versed in the responsibilities of the company, so as not to blame its employees for what they are not responsible for. The essence of the work of such a company is the formation of a tourism product.
Simply put, the tour operator must guarantee the reservation and payment of the hotel, book a flight, provide transport upon arrival, organize excursions and other things that are included in the tour. The organization also sets prices, determines the discount policy for customers. The company develops a tour and promotes it in the market, its employees take part in specialized tourism fairs, organize advertising, publish booklets and catalogs.
The tour operator is fully responsible for the services that tourists provide. He is responsible for the accuracy of the information provided. It is the operator company that informs travelers about the rules of entry into the desired country and what kind of living conditions, features, climate it is. Tourists also receive information about the location of the Russian consulate in a foreign country.
In addition, the tour operator informs the client about the date of departure and entry, describes all the services booked, the cost and payment procedure, and other nuances, and prepares documents. To summarize, formulating the main responsibilities of the tour operator:
- Concluding an agreement with the customer and accepting payment.
- Providing the travel agent with all documents for departure.
- Provision of a full package of services paid by the client.
- Compliance with all clauses of the contract that was concluded with the tourist.
- Providing information that will help find the answer to the question: "How to choose a tour operator?" - reviews of other people. Study them carefully.
For which the tour operator is not responsible
Often the operator suffers for what, in principle, should not be responsible. Do not blame him for the abrupt change of weather or the cancellation of a flight. Despite the negative emotions caused by such incidents, you need to stay calm and deal with situations.Before departure, ask the tour operator or travel agent to advise you in detail so that you know who to contact with a specific problem.
How not to make a mistake in choosing?
Before choosing a tour operator, you need to study and compare all the options. First decide where you want to go. As a rule, different companies specialize in different areas. So, for example, if you are looking for the answer to the question: “How to choose a tour operator to Greece?”, Try to find out which of the firms has proven itself better than others by organizing holidays in the mentioned country. This approach will help you choose an operator with a certain experience, who will surely exclude possible force majeure and other problems.
Visit the company's online resource
When choosing a travel agency, pay special attention to the sites of companies-applicants. A good organization will answer all questions already on the site, after viewing which the potential client will become very clear. Poorly designed simple resources are certainly not an indicator of competence and quality. It is possible that a company without a site will be able to organize a good vacation, but why take the risk?
Compare prices for similar offers
When comparing prices for identical or similar offers from different operators, cheaper trips should seem suspicious. Here we are not talking about burning tours, but about attractive and interesting offers with an incredibly low figure in the "Cost" column. Perhaps some crucial information is being kept silent. There is a possibility that you will have to pay extra for something on the spot. If you still want to take advantage of such an offer, take the trouble to ask the company manager about all the nuances of the trip, without exception.
Do not rush to sign any papers. Arriving at the tour operator’s office, evaluate its signboard, interior, employees' appearance, the presence of promotional products, its style and design. Everything should inspire confidence and look solid. The smallest detail that arouses suspicion may be the tip of the iceberg, behind which lies deception. Pay attention to how your questions are answered.
It is worthwhile to ask what company flies, who will meet you, where you can exchange currency, what exactly is included in the price of the ticket, who and how will organize your meals. We remind you that every little thing is important, because rest should be impeccable! If you do not know, let's say how to choose a tour operator in
Turkey, choose the company where you will be provided with the most complete information about the country and the features of communication there. It is important that the tour operator is well-versed in such matters and can solve problems that may arise as a result of communication with local residents.
When you study the contract proposed by the travel agency, be sure to check that it contains all the points that were mentioned orally. Perhaps you were promised something, but this is not in the contract, and you will not be able to submit any claims later.
How to choose a tour operator: useful tips
- Do not save on a tour operator. It is better to choose a trusted company and overpay, than to give preference to a young, not-well-established company and risk a vacation.
- Avoid operators who shy away from answers or are not able to immediately provide all the information you are interested in.
- Analyze the work of the company before signing the contract.
- Ask as many questions as possible.
- Be mentally prepared for problems and be sure to fully understand who is right and who is to blame. Perhaps only you are to blame.
- Control the cooperation of the tour operator and travel agent.
What is the difference between a tour operator and a travel agent?
As it became clear from the information presented above, the tour operator is the "producer" of the tour. He is engaged in the creation and implementation of his product with the help of travel agencies. On the purchased package you can see the logo of the operator, but not the agency.Therefore, it is the tour operator who is responsible for the quality of services and acts as the main defendant in problem situations.
Travel agent - a company that implements a tour. He informs, advises and sells tours to the consumer. The agent does not develop a tour, he does not bear any responsibility for the quality of services, however, he is responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information provided. The issuance of a tourist package also belongs to his duties. This does not mean that it is better to buy a tour from the operator. As a rule, its cost is the same.
Conclusion
How to choose a tour operator in Egypt, Turkey or Greece? The country actually does not play any role. The important thing is how responsibly you will react to the choice of travel agency, how much time you will spend on it. When choosing a country for vacation, immediately find out which tour operators have been working with it for a long time, and how successful their cooperation is. Do not be afraid to ask a lot of questions. They are the key to your relaxing holiday and an unforgettable experience! Good luck in choosing a company that can make you the best deal! We hope that we helped find the answer to the question of which tour operator to choose, and this is no longer a problem for you.
