Secrets Your Travel Agency Won't Tell You on Group Tours!

Group tours are currently still a mainstream way of travel, especially for outbound travel. Facing language barriers in foreign countries, many people often choose group tours, which is also a very worry-free and cost-effective way to travel.

However, many people have selection difficulties when choosing group tour products, not knowing how to choose. Why do seemingly similar itineraries have such different prices?

As an industry professional, I'd like to share some industry secrets to help you identify products and avoid being misled when choosing them.

First, let's introduce the relationships between group tour agencies, reception agencies, and booking agencies.

Tour products are different from tangible products; there isn't a particularly well-known brand like Gree and Midea. Travel agencies are generally just booking platforms like Tucuos and Ctrip. Most of the group tour products sold on these platforms are not organized by themselves, but by specialized travel product design and packaging companies, such as 'Xionglong Wanli Xing'. They rarely face tourists for brand promotion, which are group tour agencies.

Group tour agencies put their group tour products on booking platforms like Tucuos and Ctrip for sale. These platforms (Tucuos, Ctrip) are booking agencies. At the same time, group tour agencies package various single-item resources (flights, hotels, cars, meals, local guides) into group tour products. The overseas reception agencies are mainly Chinese overseas companies.

Therefore, when choosing group tours, don't just look at the registered booking agency. The role of the booking agency is mainly to provide good prices and good after-sales service. You also need to check the contract with the group tour agency and the local reception agency. It's recommended to choose larger group tour agencies because they have better purchasing power, better tour guides and leaders, and can better guarantee the travel experience of tourists.

Secondly, why do seemingly identical group tour products have such different prices?

Group tour products are packaged itineraries. A trip includes 'food, accommodation, transportation, entertainment, shopping, and sightseeing' – six elements. Most non-professional people rarely compare and research each element in detail. So, even if the itinerary seems the same, there may be differences in the standards of these six elements. For example, a group tour of France, Switzerland, and Italy may include the same national and scenic attractions, but the differences may be in hotel and dining standards. I'll list the main reasons causing price differences in detail:

• The difference between shopping and non-shoppingGroup tour agencies' shopping stores are usually signed contracts with travel agencies. If tourists spend money in the recommended shopping stores during the trip, the travel agency can get a commission. Due to differences in destinations, some regions have high shopping commissions. This is why we often see 999 yuan Thailand tours and 599 yuan beach tours. They often use low prices to attract tourists to sign up, and actually rely on shopping to generate additional income. The shopping stores in the itinerary can be few or many, the more shopping stores, the cheaper the group tour. However, there are also pure-play group tours with no shopping stores. In this case, the price will naturally be higher. I also remind everyone that even if you choose a group tour with shopping stores, you don't need to worry about being forced to consume. The country has regulations prohibiting travel agencies from forcing consumers to spend. If forced consumption occurs, the travel agency will face heavy penalties.

• The difference between self-paid and non-self-paidThe itinerary of a group tour may be completely consistent, but whether self-paid options are included outside the itinerary is also an important reason for price differences. Self-paid projects outside the country are generally more expensive, which is the extra income of the travel agency. Like shopping stores, self-paid projects are also prohibited from forcing tourists to sign up. If signed up, tourists need to sign confirmation. If there is no tourist signature confirmation, subsequent complaints will require the travel agency to refund the full fee. Of course, there are also group tours with all-inclusive self-paid projects, which include most scenic spots. This type of itinerary is more convenient for tourists, but the price will naturally be higher.

• The difference in team sizeGroup tours are a form of combination of scattered bookings. People sign up separately to form a team to travel together. Many costs, such as tour guides and transportation, are shared by the team. Theoretically, with the same standard itinerary, the larger the team, the lower the price. Therefore, when choosing, you must find out the total number of people in the team. For example, European tours, a team of 40 people and a team of 20 people, the single person's price may be 10,000 yuan different.

• The differences in hotel and dining standardsHotels generally account for a large proportion of the cost of group tour packages. The difference in hotel standards is significant, especially the five-star and four-star hotels overseas, the difference in price is very large. Even five-star hotels have international chains and local chains. In European countries, many countries' three-star hotels are not as good as domestic quick-chain hotels. Dining standards also cause price differences. If the itinerary includes local specialties, the cost will be higher. When distinguishing dining standards, you need to pay attention to the number of dishes and the number of meals per day. Once you are not careful, you may not be full when eating abroad, and it is difficult to eat by yourself afterwards, which will increase the cost.

There are other reasons for price differences, and I will continue to share them later.

Welcome to follow my Toutiao headline (Que'ou Travel), I will share interesting and useful information about European travel with you. You can also private message me, I will recommend or help you identify travel products and avoid being deceived!