What Influences the Tour Price

There are many factors that influence the price of your tour. Some are obvious, whilst other points you may not have thought about. Here is a checklist of the top ten ways to control the price of your tour.

1. Do you ask us to price the tour on a small number of participants, such as 10; or do you agree a price based on a minimum of, say, 20? Better the higher price but certainty of operating the tour, or better the lower price but more risk of cancellation if you do not get enough participants?

2. Do you ask us to include all sightseeing that might be possible on the itinerary, or just include a few key excursions and let the participants decide at the time of travelling if they want to take additional optional excursions for which they pay at the time? An all-inclusive itinerary or keep the basic cost down?

3. Do you include all meals, or only breakfast, for example? Take out the hassle of everyone arranging and paying for their own meals, or offer the freedom to try local restaurants?

4. Do you include all meals, or only breakfast, for example? Take out the hassle of everyone arranging and paying for their own meals, or offer the freedom to try local restaurants?

5. Do you prefer to use only 4 or 5 star hotels on your itinerary, or to use, say, three star hotels or a mixture of standards? Luxury, or keep the cost of the tour down?

6. Do you act as Group Organiser, distributing and collecting paperwork and monies? Or do you ask the groups company to deal with each group member separately? Keep the administration costs down, or save your time?

7. Do you ask for a number of free places on the tour – for yourself or one or two other key participants? Since there is no such thing as a free lunch or free tour place, the costs for such free places are added to the cost charges to paying participants. Have a free place or keep the costs down?

8. Do you ask us to arrange flights with a major airline flying directly to your destination, or do you use flights which are indirect and may require a change of aircraft at some point on the way? Convenient flights or a saving in cost? (This is particularly important with tours beyond Europe, of course).

9. Do you opt for air-conditioned luxury coaches, for example, for your transport, or just insist that the transport be safe and reliable but not necessarily the latest word in total comfort? Luxury or cost-saving (more relevant in hot countries of course).

10. Do you insist that all members of your group have a single room, or do arrange for them to share a twin room with another member of the group known to them? Privacy versus keeping the cost down.