I don't want to be on a bus with 50 other people

​There’s a misconception about tours. Popular thought is you are on a bus with 50 other people for a week and you have no free time and someone telling you what to do the entire week. Well, there are tours like that but not any I would recommend.
Tours are, for the most part, divided into 3 different types. Escorted, Hosted and Independent.  Each one of these is for different people and as we go through the article you will see which one you would fit into.
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Escorted Tours. These are tours have a set schedule and usually include hotel, some meals, some attractions and you are with a Tour Director for the entire tour. Now the inclusions can vary by tour operator. For example, Globus will include some meals usually breakfast and mid-level hotels. Tauck on the other hand will include all meals, gratuities and more extravagant hotels. Of course, as you could imagine there is a price difference.
This type is for someone who likes a schedule and maybe is a novice at traveling. Or you may be experienced but you want to see several countries and this will make sure you stay on track to see them all.
 
Hosted Tours. These tours are a little more independent but give you the peice of mind of a local host being available. Rather than being greeted by a tour director like on escorted, you are greeted by a local host and although that host is available for questions and to assist with your trip, they may not escort you to all your activities. These tours sometimes will give more time in a city.
Hosted is good for someone who likes a schedule but does not need someone with them always. But they are great for new destinations just so you don’t waste a lot of time trying to figure things out.
Independent Tours. These tours have no escort and you are for the most part on your own. No groups or big tour buses. They still provide structure with maybe 2 or 3 nights in a city with hop on hop off tours and attraction tickets included. A lot of times, you can combine these to see a couple of different cities. For example, 3 nights in Paris and then 3 nights in London.
Independent tours are for those who like to plan but don’t want a set schedule.
These options are available in most places around the world, Europe, Asia, Central or South America.
So, with so many choices, which one is right for you? Well, that is where me as a professional travel agent come in. We will work together to find out the best option for you and your family.
I hope this was helpful and appreciate your feedback and or questions in the comments below.
 

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