Tour guides drop all sorts of knowledge bombs. They’ll tell you about why a bridge has that name and explain how some cultural practices might seem strange to outsiders.
They also take care of planning the itinerary, arranging transport and booking accommodations. It makes it easy to just show up and explore.
Learn About a Place
Guided tours offer a unique opportunity to learn about a place with the help of a knowledgeable expert. Whether it’s the history of a city or the culture of a country, the guided tour will give you an in-depth look into the area that you are visiting.
Guides also have the advantage of being familiar with local customs and traditions. They can provide a unique perspective that is often difficult to find through books and online research. For many travelers, this is a very important aspect of learning about a new place.
Tour guides can also help with logistical aspects of the trip. They can make sure that your group has access to sights that require reservations or tickets and can ensure that you have an itinerary that fits your schedule. In addition, they can help with things like navigating complex public transportation systems or finding the best places to eat.
If you are a travel writer, guided tours can also be beneficial because they can provide a wealth of information that is useful for your assignments. In fact, if you do your homework ahead of time, you might know as much or more than your tour guide! However, if you aren’t the type to plan every moment of your trip, a guided tour might not be for you.
A good tour company will have a team of passionate people who are dedicated to making your experience as enjoyable as possible. They will have a rolodex of restaurant recs, cultural knowledge and free-time suggestions to share with you. In addition, they will have protocols in place to deal with any unexpected challenges on the trip, such as a lost hotel room or weather problems. This will allow you to relax and enjoy your vacation knowing that everything is taken care of. This way, you can focus on enjoying yourself and making new friends.
Explore a New City
If you’re a traveler who loves to explore new places, guided tours offer a way to see more of a destination in a shorter amount of time. Tours can also save you money by arranging group discounts on flights, lodging, meals and admissions to attractions.
Plus, the most well-run tour companies will often have a rolodex of restaurant recommendations and cultural knowledge to share with you. Many of AAA Member Choice Vacations’ tours, like our Reflections of Italy or our Wilderness Escapes in the US, include experiences that take you beyond tourist traps and allow you to interact with local communities, such as dining with multi-generational families at their vineyards or staying overnight in historic castles.
Another reason guided trips can be great for travelers is that they reduce anxiety. A guided tour guide will make sure you don’t end up in a bad neighborhood, for example. And they’ll help you navigate a foreign language and culture, making it easier to engage with locals (something that can be particularly daunting for first-time travelers).
If your idea of a perfect vacation involves plenty of adventure but not a lot of planning, a guided tour might not be the best fit for you. Guided tours have a specific schedule, which means you’re generally limited to stops on your itinerary and can’t stay in a place for as long as you want to without leaving the group. But that’s not to say you can’t visit interesting places en route to other destinations or make note of an attraction and revisit it on your own later, when you have more flexibility.
Build Relationships
A guided tour isn’t the place to be an introvert — in fact, it’s often one of the best ways to build connections with other travelers. Whether you’re sharing reactions to the sights and sounds or chatting about travel tips, a group of people can create a bond that lasts long after your tour ends.
Creating that connection starts with the tour guide from Mountain Goat Tours. Good guides have an engaging personality, a clear understanding of their talking points and are confident fielding questions from their guests. They also know their destinations like the back of their hands, meaning they can recommend restaurants, add-ons and other things to do.
They’re also able to engage their audience with stories that are relevant to the destination, its history and culture. This helps them connect with their guests, and it’s a skill that can be learned. Taking an improv class can be helpful, as well as studying up on storytelling techniques.
Good tour guides know their audience well, which means they can anticipate what their guests are most interested in learning about and tailor their information to the individual group. This is especially important when it comes to answering questions, as different tour groups may have completely different interests and needs.
Throughout the tour, a great guide can encourage interaction by inviting feedback or requesting that their guests stay in touch after the trip. This shows that they’re genuinely invested in the quality of their service and is an excellent way to build trust with potential future clients.
While it’s not the responsibility of a guide to take selfies with their group, they can make sure the experience is memorable by giving their guests some great photo ops. From a scenic viewpoint to an old-fashioned stodgy, they can point out where the best angles are for getting the perfect shot.
Have a Great Time
Whether your tour is a hike through the mountains of Utah or a walking tour of Paris, a knowledgeable guide will make the experience fun. If you’re a foodie, your guide will find the best restaurants and give you tips on where to shop. If you’re a history buff, your guide will explain how the place you’re visiting has changed over time and what it meant to people at different times in their lives.
A great guide will also be able to explain the culture of the region you’re visiting. This can include customs, etiquette and religious practices, as well as the language spoken. This can be a huge benefit, especially when you travel to countries that aren’t your own and might not speak the language. This is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of the region you’re visiting and will help you become a better citizen of your destination.
The best guides know how to have a good time and are skilled at getting their groups to interact with each other and become fast friends. They’re experts at sharing their favorite secret spots, tips and laughs with the group and know how to get everyone involved in discussions. This can help you feel at home in a new country and can even reduce your fear of traveling alone.
Guided tours are the perfect option for a solo traveler who wants the security of a planned itinerary but isn’t ready to take the leap of traveling on their own. The relationships you build with fellow tour members can last long after the trip is over and may even inspire your next adventure!
Today’s guided tours offer exciting daily events and meals, lodging and transportation, but they often include built-in free time for travelers to explore as they please. This allows them to venture down a scenic backstreet, visit that restaurant they’ve been eyeing online or grab a coffee with a local. A guide can also provide assistance if an unexpected problem arises, such as an injury or weather issue. This shows their dedication to making the trip enjoyable for their guests and is a big part of what sets them apart from a standard travel agency.
