What To Know About Designing A Custom Trip With A Tour Operator

By The Travelstride Team

October 29, 2021

Designing Custom Trips with a Tour Operator

There’s no better way to vacation than on an expertly-planned trip. If you’re not interested in taking a group tour with a bunch of strangers, or you have some specific things you’d like to see and do, then a custom trip designed by a tour operator is an excellent way to go. Before embarking on your trip planning journey, there are a few things to think about so you can make the most out of your experience.

How Tour Operators Work

From small regional outfitters to large global operators, there are many different types of travel companies out there. Most tour operators offer pre-planned itineraries like guided tours, but some also create custom private trips for travelers. For those that do, the process is fairly simple:

  1. A destination expert or general operator will speak with the traveler about their interests, wants, and needs.  
  2. The operator will draft an itinerary for the traveler to review and adjust as needed based on the traveler’s feedback.
  3. The traveler will give the company a 10-25% deposit to secure their booking.
  4. The company will book and reserve all the various parts of the trip.
  5. Once it’s booked, the company will send the traveler all the logistics for their trip and hand them off to their local guide on the ground. 
  6. The traveler will pay the remaining balance closer to their departure date. 
  7. Upon departure, the traveler will coordinate with the local guide if there are any issues or questions. 

Three things to keep in mind

When working with a tour operator to plan a custom trip, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

1. Phone calls are best

In our digital age, the knee-jerk reaction for some travelers may be to communicate solely through email. However, that’s often not the most practical or effective way to plan your trip with your chosen tour operator. These companies often get hundreds of inquiries from travelers via email that are often exploratory- meaning they aren’t ready to commit to booking a trip. If you call your operator on the phone, you’re signaling your seriousness in booking so they’ll expedite your request. Moreover, trip planning involves a lot of small details and questions from your operator. By speaking on the phone, you can hammer out more in 30 minutes than you would in 2 weeks communicating only through email.

2. Be realistic

Tour operators have worked with thousands of travelers and as such, are very knowledgeable about what it takes to plan a great trip. They usually specialize in a certain region of the world or type of trip, like African safaris or walking tours of Europe. Sometimes they are generalists and offer trips to all reaches of the globe. No matter their specialization, they’ve got experts on staff that will offer invaluable advice and can help to make your vision come true. However, sometimes not all of your requests can be met because of things like budget restrictions or logistical issues. In this case, they’ll offer alternative solutions that may actually be better than your original ideas- a win-win situation all around.

3. The more specific, the better

In order to make the most of your custom trip, you should have an idea of a few specific things you need and want. That’s one of the benefits of choosing a custom trip over a pre-planned private itinerary: you can personalize it to your unique interests. When working with your operator, make sure you relay these specifics, no matter how small they may seem. The more information they have, the more likely you’ll be satisfied with your custom itinerary. Before meeting with your operator, there are a few questions you should consider so you can be prepared with these helpful specifics:

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Questions to consider 

What’s my budget?

It’s important to be realistic when it comes to your budget. And this is one of the first things you should consider before speaking with the tour operator or moving forward with any trip planning. 

There are many “hidden costs” that can increase the price of your trip- a great tour is more than a flight and hotel. Things like drivers, snacks, and entry tickets to attractions will add to the final cost. Your operator will try their best to accommodate all your requests within your given budget but it’s not always feasible. 

However, there’s a silver lining: your tour operator will have access to discounts on hotels, tickets and more. They’ll also help you make the most out of your budget and won’t send you on over-priced tours, to expensive restaurants that hand out referral commissions or exorbitantly-priced souvenir shops. 

We recommend coming up with a soft and hard total budget to give your operator. The soft budget is what you expect to pay, whereas the hard budget is the absolute maximum you can afford. It’s good to have both numbers in mind so you can remain flexible and have a bit of wiggle room to accommodate any can’t-miss activities your advisor suggests.

Where do I want to go?

Of course, this is one of the most important questions to ask yourself. Given the ever-changing travel climate, it’s helpful to keep an eye on COVID restrictions. Destinations can close at a moment’s notice or change entry requirements- both of which are out of your travel advisor’s hands. 

Pro Tip: Check out our interactive map that includes global travel restrictions, visa requirements and more. 

Your chosen destination will also affect the total cost of your trip. Irrespective of flights, hotels and other costs are cheaper in some countries. Access is another factor: some destinations may require extra transportation to get there like a boat to an Amazon lodge or chartered flight to a safari park in Namibia

Your chosen destination will also affect your travel dates. There are “high” and “low” seasons for each place, and this can affect the cost of things like hotels and flights. High season is popular for a reason- this is often when families have vacation time (like during the summer), when the weather is best or when certain activities are possible (like seeing the Northern Lights). On the other hand, low season is great for avoiding crowds and getting better deals. If you have firm dates for when you can take your vacation, then you’ll want to consider the tourism seasons when picking your destination.

What type of trip do I want?

No two travelers are the same, which is why it’s a good idea to have an idea of your preferred style of travel and interests before meeting with your operator. Do you want a culturally immersive experience or one with lots of adventurous and physically challenging activities? Are you a wine lover, a hiker, or a scuba diver? Perhaps you want a restful retreat to recharge your batteries rather than a packed itinerary that will exhaust them. 

Here are a few things to think about:

  • How much physical activity can you can handle/want to do
  • Your favorite activities and interests (see our list here)
  • Whether you want to see classic highlights or off-the-beaten-track attractions
  • What type of accommodation you prefer
  • What pace you’d like to travel at
  • How independent you’d like to be on your trip (ie. do you want a guide)
  • What modes of transportation you prefer 

What are my must-haves?

After you’ve done some research on your chosen destination(s), you’ll probably have a list of things that you really want to do and just can’t miss. These are your non-negotiables and your tour operator will build your itinerary around them. For example, you might be planning a trip to Peru to check Machu Picchu off your bucket list but only want to stay in luxury accomodation- in this case, your operator will know not to plan a Inca Trail trek that involves camping and will skip stops that only offer homestays.

Your operator may recommend prioritizing your must-haves if there are too many of them to fit into your timeline or budget. In this case, rank your ideas in order of importance to you so your advisor can have an easier time creating an itinerary that meets all of your wants. 

What am I willing to be flexible about?

There’s a difference between “wants” and “needs”. When planning your trip, you’ll need to determine which ideas are actually just wants, meaning your vacation will be just as enjoyable if you skip those things. Besides activities, this can also include dates and timing, accommodation type, type of transportation, among other things. 

It’s best to be as flexible as possible and listen to your operator’s expert advice. They have lots of experience planning trips for people with similar expectations as you, and will know what will work best, what’s realistic in terms of your budget, and how to maximize your vacation time. 

Do I need any extra accommodations?

Some travelers may need their advisor to accommodate situations like medical concerns, physical handicaps, or young children. It’s crucial that you outline these needs in the first conversations with your tour operator so they can keep them in mind throughout the entire planning process. 

There are some things that you may not even realize need accommodating. For example, if you require a CPAP machine while sleeping, your operator will make sure to only book you in hotels that are in an area with stable power grids or have backup generators. Because of this, it’s a good idea to take note of anything and everything you think may pose a risk to you or your travel companions so you can discuss them with your travel advisor.

COVID and trip planning 

The pandemic has certainly complicated things when it comes to international travel. Now more than ever a tour operator is an invaluable resource for navigating the changing restrictions. Your operator will keep an eye on the visa, vaccination, testing, and quarantine requirements for your destination and will update you if there are any last-minute changes. They’ll also notify you of flight delays and other cancellation issues that may arise. 

Be aware that your tour operator may or may not be responsible for any cancellations or disruptions that occur during your trip due to COVID- it really depends on their cancellation policies. Be sure to check how flexible their policies are before booking if you’re concerned you may experience disruptions. Most operators ask for 25% of the total trip cost up front as a deposit, and it is unlikely that it will be returned if there are avoidable circumstances that prohibit you from traveling. 

COVID travel resources >>

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