21 August 2008

Tour operators claim misconceptions abound

Most Americans prefer to make their own travel plans even though they might save up to 30% when buying the same arrangements in a vacation package or tour.

ThatÃ¢â¬â¢s the figure quoted by the US Tour Operators (USTOA), who point out that almost three-quarters of American travelers in a recent poll wanted to arrange their own trip.

Why the disparity?

According to the survey, Baby Boomers were the most likely to choose packaged travel, with 30% of that age group saying they enjoyed independent touring. This echoes findings of a 2006 USTOA consumer survey, which found that 70% of those aged 55 Ã¢â¬' 64 were likely to buy a tour or vacation package because of the savings.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœThe survey points out that clearly there are tremendous prejudices and misconceptions to overcome about packaged travel vs. independent travel,Ã¢â¬~ said Bob Whitley, USTOA president.

Whitley points out that many people donÃ¢â¬â¢t realize they can buy the same independent arrangements directly from a tour operator or through a travel agent, and save money.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœAs travel agents know, when it comes to tours, people think it means being herded together in a large group and on the go all the time. However, this is not the case. Tours today run the gamut,Ã¢â¬~ he said. He added:

Ã¢â¬ÅâœVacation packages provide all the elements for an independent traveler to do it all on their own, while an independent tour provides the framework of a pre-confirmed itinerary without the restraints of a group.Ã¢â¬~

The USTOA web site contains a drop-down list where people can choose a tour operator by activity, destination, and even by their personality preference.

USTOAÃ¢â¬â¢s 150 member companies send more than 11 million people on vacation annually to all corners of the globe.

Report by David Wilkening