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Are you getting ready to go on your first Collette tour? Or are you still too nervous to book because you don't know if group travel is for you?
I am sure many of you are envisioning a bus filled with obnoxious tourists with a boring guide on the microphone drawling on while no one pays attention. Every day is long and rushed with poor meal choices and comically bad hotels. Movies have certainly led us to believe that this is what to expect, but the group travel space has evolved past these painful stereotypes.
I have been a Tour Manager with Collette for the last decade taking our travelers all over the world, and I have compiled a list of what to expect for your first Collette tour, and every one after, regardless of destination or travel style.
- Seeing the Highlights:
Through feedback from travelers and research by our product designers, Collette makes sure you hit a curated list of highlights in every destination. Long gone is the packed itinerary spending just a few minutes at each photo stop only to rush you to the next. Enjoy your time and feel confident that Collette has selected the best attractions to include. - Balanced Time:
Not sure if you want to spend all of your time with a busload of new friends? Collette itineraries are designed to give a good balance of structured time and free time. This allows you to make plans to visit other museums and attractions not included on the tour, go try a restaurant or food market, or relax at the hotel on your own. Hate making those kinds of decisions? Your Tour Manager is your 24/7 concierge and will help with suggestions and might also coordinate things for the group to do together if you are feeling extroverted. - Local Culture:
What's the best way to connect with a destination? Mingling with the locals! Collette strives to include visits with locals in destinations so that you are not only learning the history of the region, but also what living in it is like today. There are a variety of experiences worldwide that will enhance your tour. Everything on the itinerary is chosen with a purpose, so if you want to delve into local cuisine then choose the more adventurous options on the menu at dinner. Chat with the local guide during a coffee break about how the city has changed in their lifetime. Even tours in your own backyard will highlight the regional differences in a country you already know! - Expert Leadership:
Your Tour Manager is there to take care of all the details. That's why they are more than just guides! You don't have to figure out how to drive anywhere or what time to leave; someone else is handling all of the stressful bits of traveling allowing you to focus on enjoying yourself! From the moment they send a pre-tour email, you have a connection with a regional expert who will troubleshoot problems and help you make the most of your trip while also entertaining and educating you with lively commentary and local insights to only enhance your time in the destination even further. - New Friendships:
I admit before I had this job, I didn't understand why anyone would want to travel this way. Now I see it is for the people! Sharing experiences with other people brings us closer together, sparks conversation, and creates lasting memories. Every tour, I see travelers nervously enter the welcome briefing and shyly introduce themselves or make their spouse or friend do all the talking. Fast forward two days later and everyone is laughing together over dinner and spending free time together. It makes it hard to say goodbye when the tour comes to an end! There are guests from my first tour 10 years ago that I still keep in touch with.
Hopefully this list has helped to quell any uncertainty you had about your upcoming tour or has convinced you that group travel is worth trying! Collette is with you from start to finish, and my colleagues and I look forward to greeting you when you arrive on Day 1.
Hope to see you on the road soon!
