Planning a successful trip takes a considerable amount of time and expenses. There are several parties involved in the process, including airlines, restaurants, and accommodations. It requires quite a bit of expertise to pull off a successful trip with completely no hitches, a task which can be a little daunting for some people. Luckily, there is a workaround to all this. There is a way to make the whole process much simpler, giving you your peace of mind while making everything else efficient. The answer is simple: Hire a Tour Operator and Guide.
Here are some of the reasons why you absolutely need to heed this advice and get yourself a reputable operator with a guide for your next trip:
1. It saves you time and energy
A tour guide can plan your entire trip for you, so you can focus on other things that will make your experience even richer. With a tour guide, you do not have to lift a finger. From your transportation to accommodation and meals and finally to all the interesting sites you can visit, tour operators will plan everything for you to the last detail, saving you time and energy.
2. Buying Power
In the travel industry, people who have connections can get you the best deals for your trip. Hiring a tour guide is the best way to get discounted prices and special travel considerations because they leverage their industry experience and relationships and use them to bargain on your behalf.
3. Insurance
Most tour operators are insured. They have general and professional liability insurance, meaning that if something happens to you or to someone at your party and they get hurt, their insurance will cover the costs. This cover also extends to your property, such that in case of property damage due to one reason or the other, you are secured.
4. Due Diligence For Safety
If you are traveling as part of a very large group, for example as a group of students, safety becomes a primary concern. Tour guides will go the extra mile to ensure that all the stakeholders in the trip are compliant with the required safety standards, such as having insurance, meeting the federal safety standards and generally having the required business practice standards appropriate for the group on the trip, be it very young children or the elderly.
5. Knowledge of The Destination
Travel guides will usually have visited the area you are going to before. They have a very authoritative knowledge of your travel destination, so you can trust them. They can also harness this knowledge to recommend all the best places to visit, dine or seek accommodation, making your experience as fun, enjoyable and stress-free as possible. Having a tour guide with you is the perfect way to navigate a new town or city.
6. Cost Efficiency
When you hire a tour guide, you will probably have to buy an all-inclusive package. This allows you to budget your finances more efficiently, and to be certain about where your money is going. Having only one payment to make also takes the stress out of the equation since you also have only one person to consult with and confirm all the necessary arrangements you may have made. Tour guides also usually have options of setting up special payment plans that suit every budget, which is great for someone who would like to plan ahead, say, by having a vacation at the end of the year.
7. Experience
You can almost never go wrong by having experienced staff help you out with your plans. If you are working with professionals who understand how things are supposed to go, you end up falling for fewer pitfalls and having a much easier time than someone who decides to do it all on their own for the first time.
8. Smooth Operation
When you work with someone who has done it before, chances are they have an existing operational structure and way of doing things in place. They have a step by step process that allows them to perform every task more efficiently, ensuring the highest quality of services standards. You can rest easy knowing that there is someone paying attention to all the details on your behalf.
If you have been planning a trip, hiring a tour guide or a tour operator to help you streamline the entire process is the best way to go. If you are planning on visiting Santiago, also consider finding a local to give you a free walking tour to help you get the most out of the city. It is the number one way to guarantee that you will not get disappointed in your experience.
