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package tour

Definition of package tour

Examples of package tour in a sentence.

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“Package tour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/package%20tour. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

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Definition of package tour noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• package tour
• self-catering

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Tour Package

Package holidays, popularly known as a tour package or simply the word ‘tour’ in the travel and tourism industry refers either to a package tour escorted or not escorted by the tourist guide.

When we say tour package, it means a pre-arrangement, prepaid trip that combines two or more travel components like airfare, airport transfer, accommodation, and other services . Practically, to define the tour package concept is complex one rather understand.

Holloway defines a tour package as “a total tourism product consisting of transportation from the market area to the destination, accommodation at the destination and recreational activities promoted by the tourists.”

According to Gregorg “a tour package is advertised journey including specific features, arranged and promoted with tour literature by a tour operator and paid for in full by the tourists  before starting the tour.”

Technically, a package tour/tour package is a total tourism product as it generally includes transport from the origin place to the destination, accommodation at an en route place or at the destination and other recreational or travel services. These components are purchased by an individual, firm or company called the ‘ tour operator ‘. He combines all the travel components in a package and sells them at all-inclusive prices to the clients.

History of Tour Package

The term ‘tour’ was in vogue as early as 1670. The Britishers traveled to widen their knowledge of the continent, especially to study the culture and social life. This practice was gradually adopted by other lovers of cultural centers.

The result of the process was that many European historic and cultural centers were opened to the British tourist. By the early 1730’s the small fishing resorts around the British coast begin to attract tourists seeking to their diseases by drinking the sea-water or by immersing themselves in it.

The introduction of a rail link between the major centers in 1830, had a profound impact on the pleasure travelers for the first time. Many entrepreneurs began to inspire rail travel by organizing excursions for the public at discounted offers.

However, to ‘the origin of package tour’ the credit goes to Mr. Thomas Cook in 1855 , Cook, extended his business operation to different countries by introducing the first ‘ inclusive tour ‘ to Paris.

Mr. Cook put together all the components of tourism products and sold them as ‘inclusive tour’ to the tourists. His pre-packaged tour inspired other tour organizations in the travel industry to organize similar tours to all parts of the globe.

Most of Cook’s tours were a linear tour i.e., the person went from place to place on a single destination. Basically, Mr. Cook developed the concept of ‘grand tour and escorted tour’, the concept which is still used.

Incidentally, World War II has tremendously developed the package tour concept because of the following reasons:

• Social and Economic Conditions
• Increase in Aircrafts
• Marketing Conditions
• Legal Requirements
• Integration took place.

Today, package tours are a vital segment of the world’s travel and tourism industry. According to WTTC, the package tour sales generate $25 billion annually in the United States, $18 billion in Europe, $19 billion in Britain, and $21 billion in Asia. Today tour sales represented 50 percent of all leisure travel sales and 35 percent of all travel agency revenues.

Types of Tour Packages

A travel agency/tour operator deals with variety of ‘tour packages,’ catering to the diverse needs of tourists such as adventure, beach, architecture, cultural, business, conference, incentive tours, ayurvedic packages, Buddhist, religious, incentive tour, special interest tours, cruise tour group tour, educational tour, heritage, monuments, wildlife lovers, etc. These are broadly classified into five categories :

• Independent Tours
• Escorted Tours

Hosted Tours

• Incentives Travel/Tours

Freedom Tours

Independent tour.

Independent tours are prepared/formulated for those tourists who want to travel independently. The components of such tours are air travel, air transfer, accommodation, travel documents, sightseeing, boat riding, entertainment, and other travel services.

However, in some cases, the tourists are free to purchase every single component separately. Thus, this type of tour provides the tourists considerable freedom to plan the activities according to their own choice.

An independent tour may or may not be an all-inclusive tour. Therefore, tour price varies depending on the type of air travel, air transfer, accommodation and is inclusive of other tour components. The foreign independent travel (FITs) and domestic independent travel (DITs) are examples of an independent tour.

Escorted Tour

When a travel agency includes the services of a well educated and trained tour manager in its package, the tour is called an escorted tour. Basically, escorted tours are meant for those travelers who are planning to visit a foreign country first time.

The escort’s responsibilities and duties are to provide comprehensive information and assistance to the group or individual traveler, at the origin, en route and the destination place. The excursion tours are the example of escorted tours.

A hosted tour means when an agency utilizes the services of another agency at a particular destination. Suppose a group of French tourists is coming to India. When the group arrives in India, they are greeted at the airports by TCI, which assists them in clearing their baggage and transfer them to the hotel.

Their tour-host (TCI) is available to offer device and information about the local attractions and entertainment. Further, when the group arrives at another designation in India, a different travel agency greets them at each tourist spot. Thus, a hosted tour provides the tourists maximum level of pre-arranged and personalized services.

Incentives Travel/Tour

It is a motivational programme or a fully paid holiday which is given to the employees by the enterprises as a reward. Mostly in medium and large-scale companies and usually too distant destinations to spur them in maintaining their track record, to increase output, improve the image and moreover to earn the long period loyalty of the employees.

There are a number of the other packages offered by a tour company such as a custom tour an excursion tour, an adventure, and special interest package tours.

Freedom tours are becoming very popular these days among the working class. These tours are designed as per the choice of tourists. The tourist is free to choose and plan how they want to travel and enjoy their holidays. These types of tours are meant for that kind of people who like to decide how, when, and where to travel.

This tourist may an individual, family, group holidays for families and group travel for business. These tours are promoted and developed by the ORBIT.

Components Of Tour Package

What is to be included in a package tour largely depends and varies from one tour organization to another, or from the one country to another, or from one destination to another and from one market to another market. But there are certain well-defined travel services which always turn a part of a package tour irrespective of the tour operator/travel agency, destination and even the market condition.

If we study and see the package tours offered by Thomas Cook and Sons Ltd., Cox and King Ltd., and other international travel companies, we find that a package tour has two major components. Therefore, a standard package tour has two basic components namely:

• Ground Arrangements

Travel industry experience has shown that the first component, i.e. ‘Travel’ is directly bought by the agency from the principal providers like airlines and transport operators and for ground arrangement, the travel agency management asks the ground operators.

The reason behind buying ground arrangement from a handling agency is that it represents as a ground operator at a particular destination for the numerous tour organizations. Secondly, the price offered by it are much lower than an individual agency obtain. Thirdly, it is very difficult to get credit from the supplier and finally, it ensures professional travel services.

Factor Affecting the Tour Package Formulation

Generally, the business of package tours involves great risk, high breakeven, high-quality product, and competitive prices. Therefore, the tour management requires in-depth tour planning and market survey. However, before a tour is designed the tour manager should take into consideration certain factors which are crucial in the formulation process.

These factors have a profound impact on the tourist’s satisfaction. The main factors are:

• Purpose of Tour
• Choice of Destinations
• Tourist Budget
• Legal Requirement
• Types of Tourist Accommodation
• Tour Period
• Departure and stay information
• Tour price; inflationary condition
• Tour Reference Tools
• Tour Features – political stability
• The relationship between the host and tourist generating nation

Tour Package Design and Selection Process

The quality of a package tour is entirely based on the above factors. Essentially, to design/formulate a travel product, the tour manager has to take the biggest responsibility, intuitiveness, imagination, and innovation coupled with a lot of business activities which range from finding new exotic destinations and planning, organizing or promoting such tour.

The following are the main stages in the tour design and selection process:

1. Initial Research

(i) the destination research.

The decision to develop and formulate a new package is a multi-stage process that involves various positive and negative points/steps. Normally, the idea for a new product comes either from the tour executive within the company due to a review of the questionnaire completed by the previous tour members because of the political, economic and social development in a particular area.

When a tour manager see that a large number of old clients are interested in taking a trip to particular destinations, naturally, those destinations become the nucleus of a new ‘tour concept’.

(ii) Market Research

Since tour package is a complete tourism product, obviously, before formulating/designing this product, market research needs to be analyzed and assessed in a systematic manner. Market  research provides us the answer to the following questions:

• What is the size of the tourism market?
• Who are the existing clients?
• Where do they live?
• Who will be their potential buyers?
• Who are their competitors – their strategy and area of business leisure?
• How many tourist ones want to cater?
• What price will the clients accept?
• What facilities are available and required?
• What are the constraints viz., license, permission, finance, restrictions, taxes, and others?

Once we know the basic components of the package tour, distribution channels, market conditions, constraints in the tourism market, we can develop the marketing strategy. It enables the smooth functioning of the agency and also offers a clear picture of the tour programme. Practically, market research is conducted by the private tour companies/ private tourism enterprises in order to penetrate the market.

2. Itinerary Preparation

By itinerary one means the designing of a programme which one wants to sell and it includes destinations, stopping points, number of days and the travel services that are to be included in the programme. Whether it is a lean season or an offseason, escorted or not escorted, consumer-oriented or readymade tour programme, the itinerary is prepared to identify the origin, destinations, stopping points, accommodations, sightseeing and other travel services on travelers’ trip.

3. Handling Agency or Destination Company

The appointment of handling agency not only ensure excellent travel services to the tourist but also make the operation smooth and profitable. It is a matter of great significance as the success of travel business largely depends upon the clients are actually taken care of during the tour.

It is a positive match between the promised services and tourist’s actual experiences or feelings. Thus, the tour operator should consider the experience of the handling travel agency in the business, the area of operation, reputation, credibility, professional staff, credit facilities and the competitive price in appointing a handling agency.

4. Negotiation

It is another important management decision area in tour designing and planning. Once the decision has been made regarding the destination’s concerning their date, duration and number of clients to be carried during the trip, the tour management starts negotiations with the principals’ suppliers for a normal contract.

Negotiation means talk between the travel companies and the principal suppliers for the terms, conditions, and prices of the components of a tour package. When both parties are satisfied, it leads to a formal or informal contract between them. The tour company negotiates with the following tour vendors/suppliers:

• Accommodation
• Transport Operations- Rail and Road
• Ground Operators
• Cruise Companies
• Car Rental Companies
• The overseas representatives
• Ancillary Service Organizations

5. Coasting and Pricing a Package Tour

The cost of a package tour encompasses the air ticket, the hotel room, car rental, entertainment charges, administrative costs, promotional costs, and other travel services. The confidential tariff helps the travel company in preparing the cost sheet which will enable the concern to determine its price strategy.

Tour pricing is a big factor in the success of the company’s tour programme. The price of a package tour is, whether it is an escorted, independent or hosted the tour, often lower than the combined costs of the same components purchased separately from the principals. However, the purchase price of a travel product is based on three factors: Cost, competition, and demand.

Every tour package sold by a vendor has a quantifiable cost. To produce profit the price paid by the tourists must be greater than the agency’s cost.

6. Tour Brochure

The tour package is an intangible product which has to be purchased by the tourists/clients without inspection and sometimes even without adequate knowledge. In these circumstances, the brochure becomes the principal instrument to perform the major tasks to inform the clients about the products and to pursue them to purchase it.

Designing, printing, and distributions of tour brochures require necessary skills and knowledge about the components of the tour package. Basically, in the era of specialization and intense competition, tour brochure creates awareness and provides the description of the holiday programme.

Thus, tour management should consider various pros and cons while preparing a tour brochure. A brochure should contain the following information:

• Name of the Travel Company
• Means of transport
• Details about destinations
• Accommodation, types, location, meals
• Name of the overseas representative
• Duration of each tour
• Booking, reservation and cancellation conditions
• Details of other services – insurance, currency, entertainmentTravel documents required
• Details of price

7. Development of Reservation System

The next step in tour formulation process is reservation system. The agency management in order to put a package into operation must develop and implement a scientific reservation system. The system depends on whether the reservation is to be handled manually or with a computer working on the distribution method.

Whatever method the agency may adopt, the agency management should always keep in mind the sole objective of the reservation system.

8. Marketing of Tour Package

Once a tour package is ready, travel agency management has to make a careful decision regarding promotion and marketing of the particular package tour. The basic objective of management is to make a tour package widely known to make it more and more attractive.

To achieve these objectives, the management must consider the budget available, promotion mix, potential market, easiest and most effective media, campaigning through the international, regional or the public/private sector etc.

The promotion of a package tour means increasing its sales potential and creating an awareness of the existing and potential markets. The following methods are commonly used to promote package tours:

• Middlemen – Retail Travel Agents, GSA, consolidators
• Familiarization tours
• Building Brand Loyalty
• Encouraging Potential Buyers
• Competitive Market

9. Tour Handling/Actual Tour Operation

After the successful marketing and achieving target sales, the next and final step in the process of tour designing is tour handling. It means an actual operation of tours, which generally includes administrative work and passenger handling like maintaining reservations, handling deposits, sending advice to ground operators, arranging travel representation, analyzing the feedback received from clients/escorts/ground operator and so on.

All this is not an easy task. At every stage, one has to face different types of queries and problems due to lack of coordination and communication.

Significances of Tour Package

Tour package is beneficial to travel companies, travelers, destinations and other organizations which are directly or indirectly involved in the tourism business. The main benefits are:

• Increase the seasonality of a destination cost/price
• Earn foreign currency
• Better quality of products professional services
• Wide-variety of the tour package
• Provide bulk business to organizers

Definition of 'package tour'

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The incredible package tourism industry- made SIMPLE

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

Package tourism is an important component of tourism . The package holiday market has boomed in the past couple of decades, and although people are not choosing to book their package holidays in quite the same way nowadays, package tourism is here to stay.

So what is package tourism and what does it mean for the face of the tourism industry? In this article we take a look at this important part of the tourism industry .

What is package tourism?

The history of package tourism, major package tourism tour operators, types of package tourism, benefits of package tourism, disadvantages of package tourism, the death of the package holiday, further reading.

Package tourism is when elements of a holiday are grouped together and sold as a package by a tour operator at an inclusive price. Typically, a package holiday will include the three core elements of; transport (e.g. flights), transfer (e.g. coach or car) and accommodation (e.g. hotel).

Package tourism is traditionally associated with the production of mass, standardised holidays, for example beach holidays to Europe . However, in recent times tour operators have been promoting a wider range of package holidays that facilitate niche tourism and allow for tourists to design their own personalised tour packages.

The growth and development of package tourism is largely down to one (famous) name in travel and tourism – Thomas Cook. Thomas Cook wasn’t just a company- there was a face behind the name!

In 1841 Thomas Cook organised the first package holiday as we know it today. It may have only been a short trip between Leicester and Loughborough, but it was revolutionary in terms of the growth and development of tourism industry. In the proceeding years, Cook took many tourists on similar trips, which were becoming more varied and exotic. Increases in disposable income, having paid time off work, an increasing desire to explore new destinations and significant developments in transport and technology meant that Cook’s business grew and grew. You can read a detailed account of the history of Thomas Cook here.

In the years that followed, other tour operators and travel companies opened up, hoping to offer services similar to Thomas Cook, whilst many succeeded in doing so, none were ever real contenders for the package tourism giant. In 1990 the EU Package Travel Directive was introduced, offering protection to travellers in the case of a tour-operator or airline failure and by the mid 1990’s more than half of all holidays taken by UK citizens were package holidays.

Package tourism was an easy way to book a holiday. It wasn’t until the growth of the Internet that package tourism started to decline in popularity. The advent of Web 2.0 meant that tourists could now do their own research about their holidays and they no longer had to rely on the advice of a travel agent and for a tour operator to package together their trip for them. The growth of travel blogs, comparison websites and online travel agents all contributed to the gradually decline in the number of tourists booking package holidays.

Whilst package holidays do continue to be sold around the world, many of them are now known as dynamic packages, whereby the tourist selects the elements of the package and puts it together themselves, with the assistance of an operator, usually an online travel agent.

There are many different travel and tourism companies around the world that provide package tourism services and package holidays.

Up until 2019, Thomas Cook and TUI were the two major market players in the package tourism business. The companies held a duopoly, meaning that they were the two major companies that dominated the package tourism market and therefore had most of the business. However, in 2019 Thomas Cook ceased trading, leaving a monopoly- TUI remains to be the major market leader in package tourism.

However, there are also other companies that offer package tourism products. These include:

• Independent tour operators
• Online tour operators
• Niche tourism tour operators

Traditionally, package tourism is based on a holiday to a beach destination that includes a flight, transfer and hotel room. You can have all-inclusive package holidays, half-board package holidays and self-catering package holidays.

Travel agents will also often try to sell the tourist extra services in addition to the core package, known as ancillary products and services. This could include insurance, tickets to tourist attractions , car hire etc.

Nowadays, there are more options for package holidays than a sun, sea and sand holiday. For example, I booked a package tour when I went to the Galapagos Islands for my honeymoon! This tour included nights in 3 different hotels, multiple flights and a cruise- it certainly wasn’t your traditional package holiday! With the growth in popularity of holidays that are a little bit different (known as niche tourism), many tour operators are now offering bespoke, tailor made package holidays to suit the needs of their customers.

Another popular way to book a package holiday is on the Internet. Many tourists will choose to use on online tour operator to book their package holiday. There are plenty of companies that offer this, such as Expedia, On The Beach and easyJet.

Package tourism has been a popular type of tourism for many years, and for good reason!

Package tourism is easy and convenient for the tourist. There is no need to do any research, no need to research flight times or bus timetables and no need to do anything before departure except for packing your suitcase! Prior to the 2000s, this was perfect for many people. However, with the growth of the Internet, many people felt that they no longer needed this help and that they could now research and book these elements of their holiday themselves.

Package tourism is often cheaper than other forms of tourism. This is based on the basic rule of supply and demand- tour operators, using the traditional Fordist model of mass production, create standardised package holidays in bulk. Because they are putting together a large number of holidays, they are able to offer them at a cheaper price to consumers.

Booking a package holiday typically comes with added protection, at least within the EU anyway. ATOL and ABTA are two major organisations that provide insurance and legal security for tourists. Most package holidays are covered by these organisations.

There are also disadvantages of package tourism. One of the major disadvantages is that that package holidays often have few economic benefits of tourism to the local destination, especially if the package encompasses an all-inclusive hotel . This is because much of the money paid by the tourist will be retained by the tour operator and other foreign organisations- this is an example of economic leakage in tourism . This is a negative impact that hinders the ability for sustainable tourism to take place.

Another major disadvantage of package tourism is the association that package tourism has with mass tourism . Because package holidays are typically mass produced, the result is large amounts of tourists all visiting the same place often at the same time. This causes many problems, from environmental degradation to negative social impacts of tourism and more.

From the tourists’ perspective, package tourism isn’t always the best type of tourism either. This is because it is not personal and it is not (usually) tailored to the needs of the specific tourist. In recent years we have seen consumer desires change- people want to see new things and explore new places outside of what the traditional package holiday model typically offers. People are more interested in niche tourism than ever before. Whilst there are some packages that cater for this, this often comes at an expense for the tourist and it isn’t so easy to come by.

Many people have suggested in recent years that package holidays are dying, heck- the collapse of Thomas Cook told us that was probably the case! However, I disagree with this, yes- the traditional package holiday is dying, people are less interested in sun, sea and sand holidays than before, but there is most certainly still a market for package holidays, they just look a bit different nowadays!

Many people are opting to book dynamic packages. This is when the tourist can select their own elements of a package (i.e. which flight they prefer, which hotel they like the look of) and combine them together to create a package. People tend to prefer this because they can tailor their holidays to better suit their needs and requirements, yet still have the ease and protection that comes with booking a package holiday. Many people don’t realise that they are booking a package holiday when they book their holiday through websites such as Expedia or easyJet, but in fact, they are!

Alongside this, niche holidays are also growing in demand. A person may be interested in painting or diving, for example, but they don’t know where the best place to go for their specific interest is or how to organise their trip. This is where a niche tourism tour operator comes in, who can develop a package for them.

If you enjoyed reading this article, I am sure that you will love these too!

• Types of travel agents
• What is a tour operator and how does it work?
• Association of Independent Tour Operators: Purpose and responsibilities
• Are airlines the new tour operator? Dynamic packaging in aviation

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Package Tours: Pros & Cons

Most fresh-faced travellers find themselves with a very difficult question: should I book a package tour or not? Even seasoned travellers have to ask themselves this from time to time. Is it better if someone else is responsible for your trip? It really comes down to personal taste and your preferred style of travel. Package tours definitely come with plenty of benefits, however, there are just as many negatives. So let’s analyze some of them, shall we?

Table of Contents

What is a Package Tour?

Many tour agencies across the world offer all-inclusive tours through various destinations across a country for a set number of days. Every step of your adventure is arranged beforehand, including every form of transport, every hotel/hostel and even a few of the best activities and outings.

These packages can range anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months and can cover the entire spectrum of travel! From leisurely trips in luxury hotels to camping in the wilderness with nomadic tribes, there’s so much to choose from!

Packages tours can be incredibly advantageous, particularly if you’re new to travelling. They’re also perfect for those who want little to worry about or just aren’t comfortable with arranging everything for themselves. Even for seasoned travellers, this can be a relief from time to time.

Don’t Have to Plan Anything

Without a doubt, the most stressful aspect of travelling is arranging everything. Booking tickets, finding hostels, picking out the right tours, it can be quite a daunting task. With package tours, every single step of your trip is arranged for you before you’ve even arrived. You don’t have to figure out how to buy tickets or stress out trying to pick the right accommodation. You don’t have to do anything!

Tour companies have a wide selection of packages which vary in the destinations they pass through and the length of time. You just need to find the right package for you, and they do the rest. Many companies might even alter their packages slightly to suit your needs.

Find out whether you should plan or not by reading Which is the Best Way To Travel: Plan or No Plan .

They’re Practical

Going on from the last point, the beauty of package tours is the ease of it. You’re simply given an itinerary detailing everywhere you’re going and everything you’ll do. All you have to do is turn up where they tell you to! For new or less-confident travellers, this is such a relief and makes travelling accessible to anyone! There’s a reason they’re also popular with the older generation.

While some want to organise every step, others go with the flow, but which is best.

Let’s find out whether you should plan when you travel.

Click here!

There to Support You

As everything is arranged by a tour agency, you have someone to fall back on if a problem occurs. It could be an issue with the hostel or a cancelled bus, you’ll have someone to help find a solution. If you were travelling independently, you could be left stranded. As part of a package tour, it’s the agency’s obligation to sort things out. After all, the lifeblood of tour agencies is their reviews, and they can’t afford a bad one.

Meeting Fellow Travellers

Package tours are also the perfect choice for the social bugs amongst you! The same group of people might travel together for the whole trip or you could just end up running into the same people that travel along the same routes. along the way. Either way, it’s a great way of meeting new people along the road, and an opportunity to share your experience with like-minded people! Unless you’re unlucky enough to be stuck with a group of assholes…which is a possibility.

Hitting all the Highlights

Some people don’t want to explore the obscure corners of a country, some people just want to see all the highlights. Obviously, tour agencies base their tours on what most people want to see and experience. Most are focused on hitting the iconic sites, particularly if time is short. For longer tours, there are plenty of extra treats thrown in along the way. If you have a bucket list of thing’s you want to see when in the country, this kind of tour is the most efficient way of doing it.

Good for a Tight Schedule

We can’t all live our life on the road, most people have too many responsibilities. Thus, most people have very strict time-limits. Luckily, package tours operate on a tightly followed schedule. You just need to find tours that fit your timeframe. There are plenty to choose from as tours can range from a day or two up to a few months! Not only that but you know exactly where you’ll be and when.

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Exploring the Unknown

If you wanted to travel through Australia, Japan or Western Europe, it would pretty easy to arrange everything for yourself. However, if you wanted to explore Central Mongolia or the Amazon rainforest, not so much. For some places, package tours are almost a necessity. Even seasoned travellers would struggle with trying to arrange these things for themselves, and often times you’d need the help of a local to achieve it. With these types of tours not only do you have someone that can help you arrange it but also there every step of the way to be your guide as you explore.

Disadvantages

Most seasoned travellers find plenty of disadvantages to this sort of travelling. Backpackers will especially stay away from these tours as they tend to be incredibly limiting, constraining and not worth blowing an entire years travel budget on.

Package tours are ridiculously overpriced! They cost so much more than arranging the trip yourself. Even if you booked the exact same things, the tour agencies need to make money somehow, so they add a little extra on top. You’re only paying for some practicality.

The differences in price can be extraordinary. Where you could be sending a couple of hundreds you end up spending a couple of thousand! Some of the hostels or activities the agencies pick probably won’t be the cheapest option out there, so you’ll spend more than you actually need to. 

Take this example. A month-long package tour across Japan can cost almost £6,000, where I spent around £1,200 over 3 months. This is one of the biggest reasons long-term backpackers avoid these tours.

Find out how I travelled through Japan for 3 months for £1200 by reading in The Ultimate Travel Plan: Japan on £15 a Day .

You Don’t Get to Choose

As an independent traveller, you can choose exactly where you want to go, how to get there and how long for. You lose this luxury with package tours. You might be able to edit some of the details of your trip, but overall it’s the tour agency that chooses the venues. There are just some things on the itinerary you won’t be able to change, or if you can, you might have to pay for it. This is one way the cost is affected, as they might pick a more expensive option.

Many travellers face a tough decision; should you travel as a group or travel solo?

It’s a big decision, so here are the pros and cons!

This is an enormous problem for many travellers. Once you’ve made your choice, you’re stuck with it. You may be able to adjust a few minor details of your trip while you’re on it, but generally, Your plans and schedule are already set, and they can’t be changed. You can’t suddenly go somewhere you hadn’t planned for! What happens if you meet a group of awesome people that are heading somewhere you’re not, tough, you can’t join them. 

Not to mention you’d have to go through with the tour until the end, or you would have wasted all your money. You might find a couple of days into your journey that you made a big mistake, but tough titties, you’ve got no choice now.

Doing Everything as a Group

If you’re hoping for a unique independent adventure, this isn’t the option for you. Unless you’re willing to pay many thousands, every step of your journey is going to be shared with a group of people that you don’t know. Every transport, every tour and even every room if you’re staying in hostels, you’ll be sharing the experience with someone. Maybe that’s what you prefer, but sometimes you wish you could have a bit of alone time.

If you don’t want to be stuck with a group, then check out A Guide to Solo Travel: Pros and Cons .

No Stepping Outside the Box

This isn’t true for every package, as there are plenty of adventure tours out there, though they are seriously outnumbered! Generally speaking, package tours are more focused on the basic and comfortable aspects of travel. Tours typically cater to all age groups and offer the safer vanilla option that everyone would be happy with. Grandad rather stay in a cosy hotel than having to spend the night in a tent on the edge of a mountain.

It really is a hard choice that all travellers have to make, and there’s no right or wrong answer. It generally boils down to the type of traveller that you are. Backpackers prefer independence, lack of restrictions and the cheaper option. Thus, package tours just aren’t for them. For less-confident or newer travellers, families, or those that want nothing to worry about their journey, package tours are worth considering!

Thank You for Reading! Check Out These Other Helpful Links!

Thank you so much for reading Package Tours: Pros & Cons ! Now check out these other helpful articles!

• Which is the Best Way To Travel: Plan or No Plan
• Being a Volunteer: The Key to Budget Travel
• How to Take Photos While You Travel Solo
• 18 Ways to Save Money While You Travel

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What Does a Tour Package Include? Essential Components Explained

When planning a trip, it can be challenging to organize all the necessary details, including accommodation, transportation, meals, and activities. This is where a tour package comes in handy, as it includes all these elements in one convenient package. This blog post will explain what a tour package entails, the available types, and how to choose the right one.

Table of Contents

What does a tour package include?

• Accommodation: A tour package typically includes accommodation in a hotel, resort, or other lodging facilities. The type of accommodation provided will depend on the tour package you select.
• Transportation: Transportation is another essential component of a tour package. It can include flights, trains, buses, and even private cars or vans. The mode of transportation provided will depend on the tour package you select.
• Meals: Most tour packages include breakfast only to all-inclusive dining. The number and type of meals provided will depend on the tour package you select.
• Activities: A tour package may include various activities such as sightseeing, cultural experiences, adventure sports, or shopping. The type and number of activities included will depend on your selected tour package.
• Itinerary: A tour package will provide you with a detailed itinerary of your trip, including the date, time, and location of each activity, as well as any free time you may have.

Types of tour packages

• Inclusive tour package: This type of tour package includes accommodation, transportation, meals, and activities, all for a fixed price.
• All-inclusive travel package: This tour package is similar to the inclusive package, but it also includes drinks, tips, and other extras.
• Budget tour package: This package is designed for those who want to travel on a tight budget. It usually includes basic accommodation and transportation but limited activities and meals.
• Customized tour package: This package allows you to choose the specific activities and accommodations you want, giving you more control over your travel experience.
• Luxury tour package: This tour package provides premium accommodation, transportation, meals, and activities for a higher price.

How to choose the right tour package?

Choosing the right tour package can be a daunting task, but here are some tips to help you make the best decision:

• Budget: Determine your budget and look for tour packages that fit within it. Remember that a higher price may mean better quality, but finding a balance between affordability and quality is essential.
• Destination: Consider the destination you want to visit and choose a tour package that offers the best experience in that location. Look for packages that include the attractions you want to see and the activities you want to do.
• Travel Style: Think about your travel style and the type of experience you want. Do you prefer a leisurely vacation or an adventure-packed trip? Make sure to choose a tour package that aligns with your travel style.
• Reviews and recommendations: Read reviews and ask for recommendations from friends or family who have traveled with a tour package before. This can give you insight into the tour package’s quality and other travelers’ experiences.

In conclusion, choosing a tour package can make travel planning more manageable and less stressful. With various tour packages available, selecting the one that aligns with your budget, destination, travel style, and preferences is crucial. When selecting a tour package, read reviews and consider recommendations from other travelers. By following these tips, you can have a stress-free and enjoyable travel experience.

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Package tourism

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Package tourism is formed when several tourists travel in an organized way by using pre-arranged services. It is produced, marketed, and sold by commercial tourism companies (tour operators/wholesalers) at an inclusive price. Package tourism was initially based on the mass production of standardized inclusive tours offered to tourists searching for sun, sand, sea, and sex holidays at competitive prices. The related term “ mass tourism ” sometimes carries negative connotations, even though it is based on the simple motivational premise that mass tourism’s positive offerings are predicated on matching the touristic desire for safety with the comfort zone of familiarity.

Evolution of the concept and practice

Official data on the global economic scale of package tourism are incomplete. Often based on different forms of assessment, in many cases the statistics significantly understate reality. As a result, misconceptions occur when trying to understand mass and other forms of tourism....

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Aramberri, J. 2010 Modern Mass Tourism. Bingley: Emerald.

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Buhalis, D. 2000 Relationships in the Distribution Channel of Tourism: Conflicts between Hoteliers and Tour Operators in the Mediterranean Region. International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration 1:113-139.

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Čavlek, N. 2013 Travel and Tourism Intermediaries: Their Changing Role. In Handbook of Tourism Economics: Analysis, New Application and Case Studies, C. Tisdell, ed., pp.191-206. Singapore: World Scientific.

Holloway, J. 1998 The Business of Tourism. Harlow: Longman.

Mundt, J. 1993 Reiseveranstaltung. Munich: Oldenburg Verlag.

Sheldon, P. 1986 The Tour Operator Industry: An Analysis. Annals of Tourism Research 13:349-365.

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Department of Tourism, The Faculty of Economics & Business, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Nevenka Čavlek

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Correspondence to Nevenka Čavlek .

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Jafar Jafari

School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

Honggen Xiao

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Čavlek, N. (2014). Package tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_423-1

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Individual trip vs. package tour: these are the differences that you need to know!

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Two terms appear again and again in the media: package travel and individual travel. What did the two terms actually mean? What are the differences and what do you have to pay attention to? Aviation.Direct answers exactly these questions on this page and provides valuable tips that you should consider when booking your trip.

First of all, the most important tip:  Compare the prices! The internet is not always the place for the best prices. Sometimes you get a bargain at the travel agency around the corner or if you book directly at the hotel (for example by telephone) they have a great deal for you.

Travel completely individually

As the name suggests, individual trips are trips that you put together and book yourself. You book your flight with an airline, if you want yours  Rental car  with one of the many providers, your hotel directly in the accommodation or via a booking platform and, if necessary, transfers or tickets directly from the service provider or via an agent.

The advantage of individual trips is of course that you can choose and book every detail yourself. You can get hold of the cheapest airline tickets and are absolutely free to put together the building blocks of your trip. You can save a lot of money compared to a package tour, but sometimes you can also pay heavily, because the organizers often have very good contracts with airlines and hotels. It depends on the individual case, so you should definitely compare the prices.

However, individual trips also have a decisive disadvantage: You have no insolvency protection. If the airline or hotel you booked goes bankrupt, your money can be gone. If you book within 24 hours of purchasing the ticket via the airline's links, this can result in a connected travel service, which must then be insured against insolvency in accordance with the package travel guidelines. Pay close attention to the small print as there are hooks and eyes.

Especially in times of Corona there are valuable tips that you should consider when putting together an individual trip:

• Check whether you are allowed to enter the country at all.
• Keep an eye on the current situation in the destination country, but also bear in mind that the government of your home country could declare your holiday destination a risk region and you may have to be quarantined after your return.
• If possible, book a rebookable or, even better, a refundable rate with the airline. Sometimes it is more expensive, but you are on the safe side if you cannot travel at short notice due to COVID measures.
• Only reserve rooms in the hotel that you can cancel shortly before you travel. If possible, choose the payment at the hotel option.
• Reserve services such as rental cars, tickets or transfers just before you start your journey. Don't worry, you will get a rental car. If possible, do not pay a deposit for rental cars, but book tariffs with payment on site. More tips on rental cars at  this link .
• Make sure that you have all the documents you need for entry and, if necessary, QR codes with you. Otherwise you run the risk that your vacation will end at the airport and the airline will refuse you transport or you will be refused entry in the destination country.
• If you want to take out travel insurance, please find out exactly what is actually covered and under which circumstances the insurer is completely free of benefits. This can be the case with travel warnings of the highest levels. Have your most important questions answered in writing or by email before you close.

Travel all-inclusive and get everything from a single source

It is a little different with package tours because you buy your trip from a single source and only have one contractual partner. At the same time, you benefit from the fact that your money is protected in the event of the organizer's bankruptcy.

One of the biggest advantages of package tours is that there are extensive legal regulations. These are quite consumer-friendly. Your money is - as mentioned - secured and under certain circumstances you can withdraw and get your deposit back. There is also the possibility that you can subsequently assert various travel deficiencies and request a price reduction. Especially in times of Corona, the package tour is the better choice, because you can invoke your rights at home, have only one contact person and do not have to deal with many individual service providers and local law. More details  here .

The main disadvantage, however, is that the trip cannot be put together quite so individually. However, many organizers offer attractive modules and no one prevents you from organizing excursions or tickets yourself. Please note, however, that if you book through your organizer, there is cover, what you book elsewhere is not covered.

With package tours, it makes no difference at all whether you book at the travel agency around the corner, through an internet broker or directly with the tour operator via the web or by telephone. Your rights remain the same. Tip: Compare prices and don't think that everything is always cheaper on the internet. Especially when it comes to package tours, the good old travel agency around the corner often has the cheapest offer for you and that has another advantage for you: you have a personal contact who you can turn to if you have any problems.

Pay attention to the following points when booking package tours, especially in times of Corona:

• Check if you are allowed to enter the country and keep an eye on the situation. Also make sure that your home country declares the holiday region a risk area and that you may have to be in quarantine when you return.
• Don't cancel too early! Only shortly before departure (about a week in advance) can you object to the  free withdrawal with full refund  can claim. Before that, it can happen to you that you have to pay hefty cancellation fees.
• Make the final payment shortly before your departure. In order to avoid any reminder fees, explain your reasons for this to the organizer. Preferably in writing by registered mail.
• Always compare prices. The travel agency around the corner could be cheaper than online providers.
• Do not buy any travel insurance that is offered to you immediately! Compare the prices and services and please find out exactly what is actually covered and under which circumstances the insurer is completely free of services. This can be the case with travel warnings of the highest levels. Get answers to your most important questions in writing or by email before closing.
• Make sure you get your security certificate from the organizer, agent or travel agency. On this you will find important data on how you can get your money in the event of bankruptcy.
• Be sure to read the cancellation clauses and the costs due in the event of cancellation. Some organizers have very customer-friendly conditions, others more like gag contracts.

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Meaning of "package tour" in the English dictionary

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TRANSLATION OF PACKAGE TOUR

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FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «PACKAGE TOUR» OVER TIME

Examples of use in the english literature, quotes and news about package tour, quotes with «package tour», 10 english books relating to «package tour», 10 news items which include the term «package tour».

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