If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you will know I’m more of a rough and ready traveler. I’m the girl running for the plane because I decided to save a few $ and catch the public but forgetting I’d need an extra hour! I stay in budget accommodation with the occasional luxury stay. But this way of traveling really isn’t for everyone.

Planning

Not everyone wants to plan every part of their trip, and most people who travel for a vacation don’t really want to be roaming the streets looking for budget digs for a few nights. For those of you on a budget and want to plan a trip yourself, I wrote an ebook to help guide you through the confusing world of finding bargain flights, budget accommodation, doing your research and even how to start saving.But for the rest of you who just want to escape from the day job for a few weeks and enjoy some luxury then going with a tour company is your best option.

Why book an organized trip?

There are many reasons people book organized trips/ tours, here are just a few of them:

You have limited vacation time and want to make the most of every moment of your trip.
With a lot of organized tours, you can also pay a deposit when booking and then pay off your trip in installments. This makes it so much more affordable for many people.
You want to see more than one place and don;t want the stress or trying to navigate across a country you don’t speak the language of.
You are traveling alone and prefer to go as part of a group rather than completely by yourself. I have so many female friends who travel every year with a tour company for this very reason.

How to decide where to go?

The first thing I do when planning a trip is to write a list of things I want from my trip.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Do I want adventure?

Do I want to relax?

Luxury or budget?

How much do I want to travel?

How much do I want to stay in one place?

Hot or cold?

Nature or city?

Do I want culture?

Now write a list of the things you know you want from your holiday, what’s important to you, number them from most important to least.
Next, write a list of the places you want to visit.
At this point, I like to do a quick visualization meditation to really get it clear in my mind.
Ok so last step, now you need to cross-reference both lists and work out which country/ region is going to give you the most things that you want from your vacation.

How to find the right tour company?

You should by now have a better idea of what you are looking for you need to find the right company for you. And don’t forget the golden rule, do your research.

There are a few fundamentals you want to check before parting with your hard earned $

ATOL protected- Never book through a travel agent who does not clearly display this.
Money back guarantee – If you are booking a tour you are likely to be spending a fair amount of money up front. It’s always good to book with a company who has a 21 day cooling off period, just in case you get cold feet!
Payment options – part of the attraction of booking a big trip with a tour company is that you can often get a payment plan. So if you know that you want to pay in installments then make sure the company offers this. That way you can book a year in advance, pay your deposit and pay off your trip monthly.
Customer Service – Make sure they have it! Is it 24/7? Is it toll-free? Do they have someone you can live chat with? If you have any issues these things are a must. No one wants to be stuck on hold for 3 hours waiting to speak to someone on a toll-free call!
Customer Satisfaction – This is a must, check their website, check trip advisor and also do a google search. Something like “[company name] customer review” you will normally find several forums full of information.

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