A quick Google search will find any major travel agency operating in the city, or one that pays to advertise and examine search results. But you’re looking for the right guide to change your understanding of a new place and avoid the tourist traps.
The problem is made even more difficult by the proliferation of third-party companies and unauthorized guides at tourist attractions, scooping up tickets and inflating prices. Travel is already complicated. It should be easy with a guide.
I found many reliable tour guides through social media. Airbnb experience. Before my trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, I used Instagram to research local food influencers and travel agencies. Along the way, I found a guide named Lily Palma. Zapotec Travel by Lily. We coordinated a custom experience through her WhatsApp, I sent the deposit in advance, paid the rest directly, and had a magical time with one of her guides.
Much less trawl fishing with Airbnb Experience. I searched for local guides and strong reviews for gourmet tours in Southeast Asia. PhuketThailand, and Vietnam And I am satisfied with the result.In Bangkok I take a risk new tour Looked unique but didn’t have any reviews. As a result, I had a great time learning to cook. Prawit “Wit” Chankasem With her mother Mae Woo in a coconut plantation.
To start my hunt, I circled Casablanca Airbnb experience option and thought History and Gourmet Tour Sounded like a solid pick. In many detailed reviews, customers say Moroccan guides are flexible, adaptable, informative and detailed. You can join his small group his tours for $60 per person or you can book private his tours for $300 per person. another guide is similarly acclaimed, and his tours have been described by customers as “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunities.
I was curious about what other travel professionals were doing, so I asked hotel concierges, trip planners, and tour guides for advice. Several industry insiders have warned against using mass-market sites like Viator and Tripadvisor (search aggregators, not travel agencies themselves).
“The challenge for some large operators is the difficulty of scrutinizing all experience providers and the resulting lack of consistency,” said Annie Shim, Founder and CEO. talk. A table that is rarely visited.
Su Yun, VIP Concierge Supervisor at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel in Vancouver, Canada, said: “They had paid in advance, but nothing and the driver never showed up.”
Yun said the hotel always selects local guides who have personally vetted it, and recommends that travelers always ask the hotel for their opinion, even if they have already booked something. Many will gladly reconfirm your choice. In your case, ask your cruise concierge.
Katie Parra tour guide The Rome resident and cookbook author recommends finding locals who specialize in your area of interest. If you’re more interested in food than museums, find a food historian or food writer in town who can run tours on the side. Look for expert titles in Guided Search. A “certified guide” won’t tell you as much as an “art historian” or “ex-chef”.
Aaron Miller is a British travel writer,armchair explorerOn the podcast, he said some of his best experiences were working with experts in the field, including biologists from Costa Rica and paleontologists from Utah.
“You’ll get not only next-level insight, but passion,” Miller said in an email.
You can also consult proven travel advisors and planners without searching on your own. Help coordinate a custom trip with one of your favorite guides. These companies tend to have decades-long relationships with independent guides that can guarantee service, said Haisley Smith, vice president of product development at . Internova Travel. They will carefully select guides that suit your travel style. “For example, a guide that specializes in food, architecture, history, or is family-friendly,” Smith added in an email, recommending you try it. Abercrombie & Kent Morocco Office.
Hiring a professional usually doesn’t cost more than that. But Clio Mollikini, head of travel and events, said: Italy Segreta, a magazine and travel planning company, says you can expect a higher price point from local hubs or boutique operations, such as those typically found on Viator. But it’s worth the money, says Morichini. Because not only are they qualified, they are likely to have vetted an interesting guide many times beforehand.
Finally, Front Office Director Seda Meral said, Hotel Nikko San Franciscorecommends crowdsourcing information through Facebook travel groups, Reddit, or going to the city’s tourism office. She plans to contact London Tours to find a tour for her upcoming trip to the UK.