Traveling Alone vs Group Touring

Summer holiday is almost upon us. Many have or are making plans on whether to travel, where to travel and how to travel. But travelling is not just in the summer. Summer is almost the only time families can travel. Those without children are more free to choose the time of the year to travel

The question tour and travel alone or group tour. Some know their preference, but that preference may not necessarily be the best choice.

All inclusive package holidays are a holiday package, where everything is included, from flight
to hotels, sightseeing, entrance fees to sites and other attractions, as well as land transport
and guide.

The advantage of this type of holiday package is that once you have purchased the package, you have nothing much to worry about, except packing and getting to the group meeting place. From the moment you meet up with the other participants and the group leader, everything is done for you. If you don't know your way around somewhere, there is always someone to ask.

When you buy this type of holiday package you will know from the very beginning, what your
itineray will be, what places you will visit, what tourist attractions are included. You will also know all travel details, departure and arrival, as well as what hotels you will be staying at. This last can be extremely valuable information to leave with other family members, who are not joining you on the tour.

Once the group has arrived at its destination, it will be met by a local guide, who takes over from there in cooperation with the tour host. Transport will be waiting, usually in the for of a bus (coach).

The guide, the tour host and the driver are totally responsible for the group to get to the various places. Not only are they responsible, they will make sure that everything promised in the itinerary will be completed.

Another advantage is of course the price. A holiday package is generally much cheaper than
traveling alone.

The disadvantages are that you give up the freedom to go and come, when you want. The tour will depart at a pre-set time every day. If you feel you have had enough one day, you cannot just leave the tour, but have to stay with it the full day.

Being part of a group package may also be a strain on personal relations and communication, if you don't get along with the other members. On the other hand, if you do get along with the
other members, you are never lost of company.

Free Individual Traveler (FIT)

Free Individual Traveler does not necessarily mean alone. It means from one to several people, but traveling on their own, making their own plans and getting around on their own.

When you travel FIT, you are of course completely in charge of your tour. You have full responsibility to yourself on getting around. You are responsible for the planning, for the finding of hotels, and for deciding what to see.

If FIT means traveling with one or a few other people, it also means being responsible for each other, as well as taking the various members' interests into consideration. Traveling FIT gives much more freedom. Freedom to decide when to start the day, when to end the day. Freedom to decide what and how much to tour on any given day. Freedom to decide where to eat, and what to eat. It also gives the freedom to choose mode of transport.

The downside is that you may be spending a lot of time finding your way around. When you get to a site, you don't know, you may be spending a lot of time reading about it, time that could be spent seeing more. If you have not planned the trip in details prior to departure, you may also be spending a fair amount of time looking for places to stay.

Even with planning you may not know the quality of accomodation beforehand. Advertising, also via the internet, can be misleading. However there can also be many wonderful positive surprises. The price of traveling FIT at the same level as in a holiday package tour will be  more expensive.

Traveling FIT you will probably have more opportunities to meet the locals, who hopefully speak your language.

Privately guided escorted tours

Privately guided escorted tours are tours where you will be hiring your own private guide and tour vehicle to fit the size of your party. You will have been responsible for the booking of hotels and flights.

You may have been in touch with the guide prior to arrival, and have worked out an itinerary. If not, you will work it out on meeting.

The advantage in this type of travelling is that you have complete freedom to decide, when to start and end the day (within the stipulated working hours). Even when an itinerary was worked out prior to the beginning of the tour, you still have the right to change on the spur of the moment. You can add or detract from the itinerary.

Another advantage of course is that you don't have to find your way around by yourself, saving precious time. You also have the advice of the guide on things like where to eat, how to dress, what is appropriate, and so on. Being with a tour guide you will have someone to explain the site, its history and other points of interest.

The disadvange is the generally much higher price. In fact, of the three options this one is by far the most expensive, since your travel fares will be like FIT (unless you have a lot of mileage) and you will bear the full burden of the cost of the guide and transportation.

There is only one person, who can decide which way to travel, and that is you. Each of the three options have their advantages and disadvantages. It all depends on the type of person you are, where you are travelling, your budget and possibly travel companions.

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