Methods for choosing the most suitable tour

Both Nguyet Digi (30 years old, Khanh Hoa) and Thuy Binh (35 years old, Thanh Hoa) are avid travelers, but they can't always travel independently and need to research available tours.

According to Nguyet Digi, for some destinations with complex travel requirements, she would purchase an outbound tour or a land tour depending on the situation. On one hand, buying a tour helps optimize costs and provides more interesting experiences only offered by travel service companies. On the other hand, for Thuy Binh, traveling with a tour program ensures greater safety during the trip. They both shared some ways to choose and decide on a suitable tour program at a reasonable price.

Understand your own needs and capabilities.

First and foremost, you need to clearly understand your travel needs and financial capabilities. Nguyet prioritizes trips that offer many experiences and opportunities to interact with locals. Therefore, she always looks for travel programs that suit her desires and meet her needs.

She explained that most travel companies nowadays offer detailed tour programs (proposals). Therefore, customers can freely analyze, compare, and contrast these programs to suit their travel needs and budget. So, what factors should be considered to purchase a reasonable tour program at an affordable price?

What factors should be analyzed and compared before purchasing a tour package?

• Tour itinerary

First, you need to carefully check all the activities in the tour program. You should also note down the service providers (accommodation, food, transportation) to see if you are receiving the services agreed upon in the contract.

Next, you need to know the exact departure date of your trip. Many travel companies are vague about the "expected departure" time in order to collect deposits from customers. This can significantly alter your itinerary and disrupt your existing plans.

In reality, many travel companies prioritize maximizing profits and reducing customer experience time by emphasizing shopping activities. This can detract from your travel experience, so if you want a more enriching trip, it's best to avoid tours with excessive shopping as much as possible.

• Trip costs

"Depending on your financial capacity for the trip, you can balance it by discussing with travel companies," Nguyet Digi shared. She gave an example: if you only have 60,000,000 VND for a trip to Mongolia, while the tour price offered by the company is 70,000,000 VND, you can negotiate with the company to reduce the number of destinations or change some accommodation and dining services to reach a price that suits both parties.

Therefore, based on your budget, you can absolutely discuss with the company to find the best solution instead of necessarily "chasing" the published tour price, which is both financially disadvantageous and negatively impacts your mood during the trip. It's also important to check if the published price is all-inclusive, whether it includes taxes and fees, or if there are any special additional costs.

• Organizing company

Currently, countless tour packages are being offered everywhere, especially on social media, with itineraries and prices that don't differ much. You also need to be wary of some surprisingly cheap "shock sale" programs to avoid losing money unnecessarily. It's not uncommon for travel agencies to simply resell tourists to other companies for profit, without regard for customer needs.

Besides information on websites and social media, you can also check reviews from people who have previously purchased tours to "verify" the company's reputation. For Nguyet Digi and Thuy Binh, who have considerable travel experience, they choose to rely heavily on recommendations from acquaintances in the travel community. This way, they can both assess the company's reputation and verify the tour programs offered.

How can I book a tour to get the most discounts?

In reality, the earlier you book a tour and the larger your group, the more cost-effective it will be. Additionally, group travel allows for more memorable moments with people you know, who share similar personalities and travel styles. Don't worry if you're booking a tour alone, as it's also a great way to have more exciting experiences and make new friends. However, your trip might start later, and you might have difficulty negotiating itineraries and pricing.

Based on her accumulated experience, Thuy Binh believes: "Researching is one thing, but the more tours you participate in, the more you truly understand which program and company suits your style. I think each company usually has a standout product or specializes in a particular type of tourism, such as mountain climbing tours, pilgrimage tours, experiential tours, etc. Once I feel satisfied with a tour program, I will continue to choose that company for my next trips."

Bi Le