If you’re looking for a Thailand group tour, you need to find the right company. You see, travel is a multi-billion dollar global industry. There is no shortage of service providers. I wish I could tell you that all Thailand group tour service provides and operators are created equal. I wish I could tell you that you can safely expect the same level of professionalism, comfort, and attention to detail from all the tour operators you’re considering. I wish I could tell you that buying tour services and experiences is not much different from going to your nearest grocery and buying packs of tomatoes or selecting typical boxed merchandise off the shelf. Unfortunately, if I were to do that, I would be flat out lying to you. In many cases, the difference between one Thailand group tour company and the next is like day and night. You are, after all, buying services.
If you want to get the most value out of every hard-earned dollar you spend on your upcoming Thailand trip, you need to pay attention to what I have to say below. You have to follow the tips below because they maximize your chances of not getting ripped off.
There are wide-range providers out there, and it’s too easy to get confused
It’s too easy to get confused among the different Thailand group tour operators because they describe the experience in pretty much the same way. They often package Thailand trips in confusingly similar terms. It’s easy to think that once you’ve tried one tour company, you’ve pretty much tried them all. Unfortunately, if you think this way, you increase the likelihood of getting ripped off or otherwise getting disappointed.
The truth is there can be quite a bit of difference between one service provider and the next. You just have to know how to ask the right questions. You also have to look at the whole process of filtering tour operators with the right mind frame. Think of it as like comparison shopping. Just as you would want to get the best price and value when looking for a new computer, you should have the same attitude when looking for a Thailand group tour provider. Keep the following in mind.
Tour experiences can be standardized
The first thing that you have to remember is that tour experience can be standardized. As long as an company meets certain standards, you can use these standards as some sort of template or objective criteria to judge one particular service source against another. Don’t fall for the trap of thinking that each and every business is unique. Don’t fall for the sales hype. This is exactly how they want you to think because they want to charge a premium for their service while essentially offering the same low-quality and low-priced service. Do you see how this works? You end up overpaying.
Risks can be quantified and worked around
Another hallmark of a great Thailand tour company is that they quantify your risks. They let you know what risks are involved and most importantly they teach you how to work around it. A truly responsibility service provider would anticipate risks and guide their customers on how to mitigate or override these risks. Beware of operators that assume that you know the risks or simply neglect to tell you.
System redundancy is crucial
You know you’re dealing with a professional outfit when they have a system in place. The moment your plane touches down in Thailand, the right Thailand group tour company would have a bus system. They would have a network of hotels that they’re going to send you to. Everything is taken care of, from travel to accommodation, to food. Everything is not only anticipated, but standardized.
Economies of scale are crucial
Proper service providers pack in all sorts of services into one price package. They get these services at a discount. They then pass some of the discount to their customers. Of course, some companies are more likely to do this than others. Beware of discount companies. Usually, discount companies have a lower margin and they make up for it in terms of volume. The problem with this situation is that they’re providing a service and their services are less elastic as far as quality is concerned than merchandise. Keep this distinction in mind.
It’s too easy to think that just because a particular Thailand group tour company has an economy of scale that you are going to get full value for you hard-earned dollars. You’re only fooling yourself if you think this way. This doesn’t happen automatically. Some do a better job of this than others, so know the difference.
Each part of the system’s quality must stand on its own
Don’t think that just because a tour company has a sleek package that everything is smooth. For example, you might be impressed by the slick design and extremely professional design of a company’s brochures and online presence. They might present you with all sorts of materials that seem to highlight a high degree of professionalism and attention to detail. You might want to reserve judgment until you have gotten back from your trip.
From my personal experience, I’ve gone on group tours where everything’s going well until the food arrived, and it was a complete disaster. In your experience, it may be the food, or it may be the transfer service from the airport. It can be any other detail. It’s important to understand that you have to assess a system based on each part of that system.
Finally, you need to pay attention to staff training. A lot of tour operators operate on a mass scale. As a result, they make their money through volume because they don’t charge that much per individual customer. The problem here is that in many cases, they cut corners by not training their staff adequately. This can take the form of a rude tour guide. This can take the form of a negligent tour guide. All sorts of disasters can happen because of improper staff training. Be aware of this.