In my capacity as the UK director of operations for One World Tours Limited, over time, it came to my attention as to what a minefield in can be booking a vacation in a destination like Egypt thru the myriad of’internet’ based travel companies ; especially local Egyptian companies
I therefore though it could be useful to suggest a kind of’checklist’ of things to search for and questions that should be asked’prospective’ holiday suppliers.
one. Are they a travel agent or a Tour operator ?
particularly at a local level, service from a tour operator is often higher than that of an agent as tour scheduled through local agents’can’ risk the undeniable fact that the agent is only passing on your booking to a third party. This is not always the case, but it is’s something to think about. Comeback if you have Problems is also to be considered as an agent can blame the 3rd party and vice versa.
two. Do they need a deposit or are they offering payment in full on arrival ?
If the company you are probably booking through accept payment in full on arrival, it suggests one thing - your aren’t prepared. While will a company risk booking hotels, tour guides, drivers etc on the of chance you’ll basically turn up ?
three. Do they accept visa cards as payment ?
This is vital whether you are planning on paying that way. Accepting credit cards ( particularly in travel fields ) will probably mean the company has been pretty well vetted and certainly will offer you some added assurances ( and of course protection )
4. Do they offer Testimonials… ?
The second half of this question maybe the most important part,’Do they offer Testimonials…and can you contact them’ ? If their testimonials are genuine then surely there is no reason why they can not be contacted.
5. Do they have a recognised complaints procedure ?
Any forward thinking and fair company will know that there’ll always be the odd problem. Having a dispute procedure in place shows the company will not just try and fob you off, but from the ground up, they will try to fairly look after any problems you may have.
Hopefully these 5 things may help you with regards to your future plans when considering a visit to a country like Egypt.
Do you enjoy reading this? If yes, you may also visit famouswonders.com to read more about some of the best places to visit in the world and have a look at Suez Canal length.
