Greetings. I'm planning a trip in October with 8-12 friends, couples mostly, and am wondering which tour operators/planners can provide us with the best value and flexibility. We like the idea of a tour but we like the idea of controling the pace, number of pints and locations - even though we'll need guidance and recommendations on where to go when.
All I've seen on the Internet seem like the same packages being resold by other retailers. Can you offer any suggestions?
Welcome to the forum! From what you have told me so far, it seems that you want to have a customized tour for you and your friends so you can do as you please but with some structure built in.
I did just such a plan for a family reunion. I am not a travel agent, so couldn't book airfares. What I did was plan the whole land portion of the itinerary including sightseeing, overnight stops, recommended lodgings, recommended places to eat, etc. All this was done according to the exact requirements of the group. I recommended a company that has limos to small buses to large buses with chauffeurs. The group that I was working with booked a small bus and chauffeur. They were very pleased with the results.
If you feel that you need more and want a dedicated travel agent who can book your airfare and everything else, you might consider 1 2 Travel.
Whatever you decide on you need to start planning right away. Such a trip requires intense planning and October will be here before you know it.
Thanks. I found the forum on a search engine and just visited the rest of the site today. This sounds like a good option for us. The airfare might be the easiest part it seems.