Warning
To Internet Surfers
In
an effort to provide some advise to travelers, I would like to say that
what you see or book on the internet is not necessarily a product with
the standard of quality you expect, it may not be an appropriate tour
or lodging for you and your family, or the best product available on
the country you plan to visit.
A particular hotel is not likely to publish on their website the complaints
they receive, the disadvantages of its location, the run down conditions
of their rooms, the decline on the quality of their services, etc.
The local Incoming Tour Operators will not tell you their buses are
beaten down, old and noisy; their tour guides lack of knowledge or speak
broken English, their itineraries are poorly designed and do not fulfill
the expectation of their clients, etc.
Not even the countrys Government Tourist Office can give you this
information. For this information you should trust a reputable tour
company that specializes on the destination, with a staff that is constantly
traveling to do itinerary and hotel inspections; a tour company that
is continuously sending clients to this destination and always receiving
comments from these clients about their trips, this allows us to know
how the suppliers were performing last week instead of six months ago
when we went to inspect their services. Look for a tour company that
you can reach by phone and have a feeling of their expertise on the
destination. Your vacation is on the line! Contact a tour company that
can tell you the pro's and con's of the hotel you want to reserve or
even the pro's and con's of the hotel they recommend, you will be amazed
with the stories we hear about well known hotels with the most wonderful
websites, or about the small deluxe Inn with the most arrogant and helpless
management. And also check them out, call the Better Business Bureau
and ASTA (American Society of Travel Agencies) to find out the complaint
history of the Tour Company you have selected.Once again, keep in mind
that you vacation is on the line, the quality of the suppliers involved
will make a difference. And remember...
The
bitterness of poor quality remains long after
the sweetness of lower price is forgotten.
I
hope this letter helps you in planning and getting the vacation you
are expecting. It is based on my personal experiences as a Tour Operator
since 1974