Global tourism is experiencing a boom. And with that has come a slew of tour companies vying for your attention and dollars. But what should you be looking for in a tour company? With the most popular destinations having hundreds to choose from, it can be overwhelming. So I’m going to explain a few things that every reputable tour company should have and why I think Club Adventures tours have these qualities in spade.
Flexibility
As a travel photographer, organized tours are always a problem for me. The relative rigidness of itineraries makes it challenging to explore and understand a culture truly. Let alone photograph it. But what I found with this Club Adventures tour was the freedom to explore. Not only were our guides extremely open to us exploring organized activities more, but allowed us to add random things as well. One day we wanted to do some souvenir shopping before leaving Cambodia. Instead of letting us go to a generic souvenir shop on our own time, our guide organized a visit to one of Siem Reaps hidden gems. Artisan Village.
Expertise
The difference between someone with passion and someone just doing a job is clear. In the way they speak, move, and operate. Thanh and Chansip not only love what they do, but they have amazing life stories. As representatives of their countries, they felt an obligation to not only show us the best side of their homes but the bad as well. Transparency and honesty are the marks of an excellent guide. And Club Adventures has vetted theirs quite well.
Comfort
Style of travel is the first question I ask people when they approach me for travel advice. And oddly enough, it’s the hardest thing for people to convey accurately. Unfortunately, many don’t know what their travel style is. Sometimes because they’ve never traveled and other times because of financial hardship. What your tour company should be able to do is show you EXACTLY where you’ll be staying. For you to get a look. Safety, security, and comfort should be things you immediately recognize.
Club Adventures is first class all the way. From airport pickup to hotel selection, they’ve gone above and beyond to ensure your traveling in style and comfort. Your driver is a local expert that ensures you’re safe, cool, and hydrated. With ice-cold water and air on deck, your rides are simply luxurious. Each hotel was world class with more amenities than we could hope to experience. There’s nothing like coming back after a long day of exploring a room that’s cool, clean, and comfortable.
Group Size
One of my biggest pet peeves is large groups. There’s always someone that’s complaining, or late, or flat out annoying. And in the case of my trip, physically unable to participate in all activities. After all, it’s an adventure tour. But that didn’t stop us, and part of that was because of our small group size. Which is common with Club Adventures.
We both received personalized service, and the entire tour felt like a family outing. Old friends getting together to explore. You’ll rarely find this experience with larger groups.
Problem Solving
Unfortunately, a companies problem-solving ability isn’t something you can plan for. For one, most companies go out of their way to ensure there aren’t any problems. And two, these issues are rarely discussed. But I want to talk about an issue that could have been an absolute disaster and why it’s now made me a Club Adventures advocate.
My fellow traveler wanted to leave our homestay early. Due to no fault of Club Adventures, she decided she would feel more comfortable elsewhere. When she conveyed her desire to our guide, he immediately began trying to figure something out — reorganizing a day and a half of accommodations and activities on the fly at no extra cost. Truly something impressive.
It can be challenging to choose a tour company. With glistening reviews, splashy websites, and ads often presented a skewed view of reality. But spending time on the ground with Club Adventures and their brilliant team, I’m even more convinced that some companies are heads and tails above the rest. And Club Adventures is one of those. Their motto, Travel Unscripted. It is truly fitting for a company that’s mastered creating unexpected and life-changing moments.
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Club Adventures is a small group travel company powered by AAA. They believe in creating unscripted travel moments and utilize local guides to give each tour a local perspective. Here is the tour that I did if you want to check it out!: https://clubadventures.com/tour/journey-through-vietnam-and-cambodia/
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