How Do You Choose the Right Operator?
by Tanya
4-minute read
With our love for travel and having worked for various tour companies in the last 15+ years, we have experienced the travel industry from the perspective of a tourist as well as from that of a tour operator. Over the years, we have developed our own guidelines when it comes to choosing the right tour company. We understand that we may not follow the same standards as that of others. After all, each one of us is different.
It goes without saying that there are practical aspects to consider when choosing the right tour outfit. The most important one being: Are they a legitimate business? You then proceed with a comparison of the different travel companies in terms of pricing, guest reviews, booking and cancelation fees. Before-sales experience with customer service and their booking platform may also be a factor for you.
Our checklist of intangibles for choosing the right activities provider involves a bit of research before booking. Some details are quite challenging to obtain, so you might not want to go through the hassle. That’s okay, too.
1. Are they sincere?
They say a good salesman is able to sell even a molecule of air to the highest bidder. But how much of the information that you find on the potential tour company’s website and social media pages is real? It’s hard to tell the difference nowadays. Conducting some fact-checking through other sources, both online and offline, wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
2. Do they treat their staff as well as they treat their guests?
Those who work in the service industries, including travel and hospitality, are experts in separating their work from their personal lives. They may be crying inside, but they always do their best to serve customers with a smile. Their employer may be taking advantage of them without us realizing it. For example, is it acceptable for employees to be paid well, but they work in poor conditions and sleep in cramped quarters?
It’s a tough ask, but let’s try to assess staff well-being through independent sources instead of relying on “happy crew, happy life” stories that we see on a company website.
3. Do they invest in the local community?
Some industry giants are proud to say that they contribute to the local economy through the jobs that they provide. Others declare that they work with local companies by hiring their services. That’s great!
While we love those ideas, let’s not forget to verify that they’re not just paying lip service. It would also be worthwhile to look into the sustainability of the projects: whether the salaries are enough to cover the cost of living, if the contracts are on a long-term basis instead of a one-time agreement, etc.
4. Do they share our values?
Aside from the first 3 items, there may be some other things that also matter (or are not as important) to you. Do they respect the environment/genuinely care about nature? Do they prefer luxurious touches vs. down-to-earth experiences? Are they a well-oiled organization with strict protocols or a family-run business with standardized processes?
The list above is not meant to make you feel like you’re being tasked to submit an investigative report. (It’s more of a fact-finding mission!) This is just a reminder to take things with a grain of salt. Social media have made it more difficult to tell fact from fiction nowadays. In the end, it’s up to you to choose the tour operator that’s right for you.
