Should you use a Tour Operator to book your holiday?
By Theodora Taylor Franks on 19th July, 2023
What even is a tour operator?
Holidays aren’t cheap and they certain don’t come around as often as many of us would like, so should you really trust someone else to plan your valuable getaway? Doesn’t that create more stress?
Well, think back to a time when the planning of a holiday stressed you out so much that the trip itself was no longer enjoyable.
The hours of research, the endless notes, the dreaded FOMO… the ‘is the taxi going to show up?’ trepidation. By the time you’ve made it through those two valuable weeks, you’re so frazzled by travel admin that the joy of the holiday itself is long gone, and you’re not even home yet.
When you book a holiday with a tour operator, that all disappears.
Is a holiday with a tour operator the same as a group tour?
No, if you book with a tour operator it does not mean you’ll be going on a group tour. Let’s just make sure that’s totally clear from the off!
A tour operator creates a bespoke holiday, just for you. It’s called a tour, because it’s a bunch of stuff all together: the hotels, the transfers, some excursions, a cookery class – but it certainly doesn’t mean following someone with a flag and a bunch of people you don’t know.
When you book with us, you tell your your Fleewinter expert what you want, and we make it happen. It’s as simple as that.
Keen to see the Big 5, without compromising on luxury? You need to head to the Madikwe Game Reserve.
Looking for world famous Peruvian cuisine after you zipline from valley to valley? Central Restaurant in Lima is where you need to go (caveat: though our Peru expert Jenna is a holiday-planning wizard, even she needs some time to get a reservation there!)
Fly, flop, massage, beach? The Seychelles.
Whatever floats your boat (luxury sailing? We’ve got just the trip for you!) you can rest assured that once you call us, we’ll be doing the planning, so you can focus on packing and daydreaming as your holiday gets closer.
Is booking a holiday with a tour operator more expensive than booking directly?
Booking with a tour operator doesn’t mean you’ll pay more than when you go direct. Tour operators spent years forging strong relationships with hotels that they trust to look after our guests, and who subsequently give them (and you!) great prices and first choice on rooms.
While we can’t send people on holiday for free (though wouldn’t that be amazing!) at Fleewinter, it’s the hotels and our partners that pay us, not you.
In brief, a you-scratch-my-back-I-scratch-yours scenario.
The tour operator liaises with their guests before arrival, does the organising and makes sure that the transfer is going to drop them at the most convenient place. The tour operator also make sure they have all important details – making their busy lives easier.
In return, hotels pay tour operators a commission. Note, this is not deducted from inflated room prices, because at Fleewinter we don’t work with hotels that do that – so the price you’ll pay for your hotel is the same as whether you book directly or via Fleewinter. Quite often we get preferential rates, too: another tour operator perk…
Crucially, when you organise your holiday via a tour operator, you don’t have to think about anything other than saying ‘yep, book it‘ and turning up in the taxi that’s been arranged for you, ready to relax.
Luxury.
What if you don’t know what you want?
Panic ye not! That’s also one of our jobs. What’s the point of being an expert if you don’t share your expertise!?
Planning a holiday is daunting. As we said earlier; the process can be tinged with the dreaded FOMO, and the internet certainly doesn’t help.
Asking AI to plan your holiday is an option of course, but we don’t think Siri, ChatGPT or Google Bard know how or where to find the best street food snacks, or find a bar that makes you feel like you’re 21 again…
The team at Fleewinter are a chatty bunch, and the thing we love to talk about most is your holiday. In fact, we’re obsessed with it.
So don’t panic if you’ve googled ‘Mexico holiday’ and had 24 million results: instead, speak to someone who’s lived there. Used the public and private transport systems there. Knows where that street food cart is on a Saturday, or where the most lively Mariachi band plays. (PS, that’s Elena)
Strictly no FOMO here.
So… should you book a holiday with a Tour Operator?
We’re biased, but yes. We really think you should.
Booking a holiday with a tour operator removes the stress from your valuable time off, and saves you hours of research.
Trust the experts. When you travel with Fleewinter, you’ll follow the locals, not the masses.
Written by Theodora Taylor Franks
Top Travel Tip
“Don’t go sailing with expectations, the wind is rarely playing the same game you are. Sailing is the art of taking ages often going in entirely the wrong direction and still being pleased about it. Just take each moment as it arrives and if it’s all feeling a bit slow, switch the engine on and make a cuppa. Same can be said for life, really.”
– Theodora
