Batch tour or independent trip. Cheap holiday: burning tour or independent trip? Compare the profitability of a self-trip and batch tour

It is believed to travel through travel agencies expensive and inconvenient. In fact, it does not always happen. We decided to explore this question in detail and find out what to pay attention to when buying a tour.

Travel agency and tour operator

Choosing where to acquire a ticket - at the tour operator or in travel agency, it is important to understand the difference between them. The tour operator is an organization whose task is to consider and organize a tour: its specialists agree with hotels, pick up the shuttle, count the route and program. While travel agency or travel agency is an intermediary between tour operators and a client, which, as a rule, sells tours of different tour operators, receiving his commission for it. Recently, travel agencies often act in the role of consultants, providing tourists with all the necessary information in different directions. The most important role of both the tour operator is also played by the manager, who is directly communicating with the client, is often to him, and not a firm people and trust their vacation. It should be borne in mind that a number of tour operators do not work with tourists directly, preferring to develop their agency network. Therefore, often under a sign with the name of the famous tour operator actually hides a travel agency that works on a franchise. Each Russian tour operator has its own individual number in the Unified Federal Register of Tour Operators - it can always be viewed in the appropriate section on the Rosturism website (russiatourism.ru/operators). It should always be specified in the contract. If you fear that the travel agency offers you a tour at an inflated price, you can call the tour operator's office, which organizes a trip, and clarify the cost there. She must coincide with the fact that calls you agency.

Why take tour

Book batch tours (which may include flight, accommodation, food, shuttle, excursions and / or treatment, as well as medical insurance) always makes sense on popular, mass directions. In Europe, they include, among others, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Croatia and Spain, in Asia - Thailand, Vietnam, India and Sri Lanka. Actually, the benefit of the batch round offered by the Agency does not depend on the direction, but from the reservation volumes, thanks to which the hotels go for concessions and offer special prices and conditions. This concerns, in particular, group transfers and flights of flights - blocks of places both by charter and regular flights. Expenditures in this case are divided between a large number of people and become low in relation to those who carry an individual tourist. In addition, tour operators and travel agencies are clearly established the process of registration of all documents in these areas, and therefore you will not have to spend over time. Finally, it is the travel agency will save you if the vacation has yielded unexpectedly - here you can find hotels at very attractive prices.

Do it yourself

If you do not want to spend your vacation on the beach, and love to travel yourself, in your pace and on your own program, then excursion batch tours are clearly not for you. Although sometimes they can come in handy, because the cost of the package with flight and rest in an inexpensive hotel may be lower than the ticket price on a regular flight (separate charters are sold so often). In addition, some firms offer direct charters in those directions where they do not directly share from Russia. Favorite flights more convenient flights, subscribing to updates to the areas of interest to you on such specialized sites, like Aviasales.ru, Expressavia.ru, Momondo.ru or Skyscanner.ru, as well as on Yandex.avia and Google.flights. Availability of hotels and prices are worth watching on the websites of Booking.com or Expedia.ru, rates for renting apartments - on airbnb.ru, on hostels - Hostels.com. The more difficult and longer than your route, the greater the likelihood that it is more profitable and it will be more convenient to organize such a trip on your own. After all, only you know how long you need to take to the inspection of the city, and how much - on vacation or shopping, on what can save, and that, on the contrary, requires additional investments.

Visa question

Travel companies often act as assistants and in making documents for obtaining visas, eliminating customers from filling out a questionnaire, and in some cases from visiting consular departments of embassies. Yes, to pay in this case there will be more, but you will save time. And if you are going to go, say, in Japan, without contacting the travel agency can not do. The fact is that in order to obtain a visa to this country, the original invitation from the company, which will be required for you by the guarantor. Hotels and hostels, as a rule, do not make such invitations, and the only option to get it is to turn to one of the accredited tour operators. Previously, in the travel agency, the decoration of a Schengen visa could be ordered, but since September 2015, it is possible to get "Schengen" only after putting the fingerprints. Do this is necessary personally in one of the visa centers. The good news is that prints are stored in the system for five years, - throughout this time you do not need to personally come to the visa center.

Cancellation of the ticket

By buying a tour, even a proven company, it is worth paying attention to those places in the contract that are written in small font. The most important of them is an item on the cancellation of you already confirmed by the ticket. In case of cancellation of the trip, the tour operator has the right to demand from travel agency (and therefore from you) reimbursement of the expenses already incurred by them, which, depending on the date of departure and the moment when cancellation occurs, can be up to 100% of the cost of the ticket. In the contract, it is spelled out something like this: "The client is informed by the travel agency that actually the expenses of the tour operator at the reserved tour enterprise can approximately be: for 25 or more days before the start of the tour - 10%, from 25 to 16 days - 50%, from 15 to 5 days - 75%, less than 5 business days before the start of the tour - 100% of the cost of the reserved tourist enterprise. " Often in the contract separately indicate the conditions for cancellation of "special" tours, such as New Year's, Christmas or those that include visiting certain attractions. A good idea is to arrange insurance from a unbearable, which will help return the money spent on the tour. In this case, it is required to have all contracts and checks.

Transferring departure

The next question, which in the contract may not be registered, is the specificity of charter flights. Many tourists when booking a tour believe that the declared departure time and airline is a certain constant, while in the contract with small font it is indicated that the flight can be transferred. Suppose, initially departure was scheduled at 8:00 from Domodedovo ATair airline, and when issuing documents 2-3 days before departure, it turns out that the tourist will fly at 3:00 (that is, five hours earlier) or at 17:00 (that is, nine hours later) from Sheremetyeva "Orenburg Airlines". Flight transfer Suppose within a day, and the fact that a person loses half a day, does not formally decide anything, because the night paid by the journey, he will spend in any case at the hotel. At the same time, charter tickets included in the Turpaket are difficult to pass or exchanged - and this is one of the reasons for their low cost.

Hotel replacement

In the contract there may be another tricky item. It sounds like this: "The tour operator (the receiving party) has the right to one-sided replacement of the hotel." This is a common practice: it happens that the hotel closed on reconstruction or turned out to be crowded. Another thing is important here - for the above, the line must be followed by another: "The replacement is made only on the hotel of the same or higher category. The replacement for the hotel is no longer allowed. " If not, you risks instead of a five-star hotel to get a hotel level of two stars. And even the court will not help - because you yourself signed an agreement in which the possibility of such a replacement is.

When to buy a tour

If this summer you are planning to go to rest in such popular countries of the country, like Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, Montenegro, or Croatia, the tickets should be booked from February, and best - in March or April. Starting from May, prices in these areas traditionally increase by 30-40%, and tours in Montenegro are twice as expensive at all. Those who want to relax in the winter in the Alpine ski resort or meet New Year and christmas in one of european capitals, It is worth visiting the travel agency no later than October-November. In India and the countries of Southeast Asia, traditionally go on vacation in November-December, so that the tickets are best acquired from September.

At the last moment

If you do not need to prepare for rest in advance and pour leave from the boss to specific dates, you can try to catch a burning tour or special offer. Search for them best on the sites of Tury.ru, Sletat.ru and TourDom.ru. When the agency is experiencing problems with the implementation of turpakentes, it is often ready to sell it even directly, just to stay in the minus. For example, immediately after the May holidays, you can find a budget tour to almost any country in the world. Also, prices are significantly (20-30%) decrease at the very end of August - from the 25th to the 31st. This can be explained by the fact that aircraft are filled with deposits to Russia, and not from it. In the past years, many special offers for tours appeared on the market at the end of the January holidays, but now, due to the decline in demand and reduction of flight programs. russian airlinesTheir number decreased significantly. In addition, there are directions where prices for tours are about the same at any time of the year, are bus travel, sightseeing trips to Europe and places deprived of a mass Russian tourist - for example, Japan, African and South America.

Perhaps all modern travelers can be divided into two categories - those who are sent to unknown areas with the help of travel companies and those who organize their ride from and to independently.

Recently, people traveling without intermediaries are becoming more and more - both in the world and in Russia in particular. Obviously, independent tourism has received its distribution due to the development of the Internet and electronic technologies that do not require, say, even personal presence when buying tickets.

The maximum simplification of the design of documents, hotel hotel, buying tickets for all kinds of transport allowed people to expand the boundaries of the choice. And if earlier person had to go to travel agency to find out absolutely all questions about the upcoming journey, now we just need to enter any request in the online search line on the Internet and get a comprehensive amount of information.

Interestingly, according to some data, employees of a number of tourist firms are already saying that their business on the verge of extinction. Of course, completely disappear travel companies They will not be able - lazy, rich and older people will always crave a caring "hand" of the tour operator, but problems with the "passenger traffic" are increasingly and obviously begin to be felt by companies. After all, young people are mostly turned away from them - not afraid of anything and perfectly knowing how to find cheap flights from the air ticket, how to book the most suitable hotel rooms, how to place a visa and how to see the maximum attractions at a minimum of financial costs.

In this material, we will not discharge the unnecessaryness of the tour agents and praise independent travelers, if only because in the first and in the second case there are both their obvious advantages, and not so visible at first glance.

Here we will talk about how cheaper to travel - through a travel agency or yourself, which country is better to go through the tour operator, and in which you can move "by our own way", and also consider on the example - how to organize a trip on your own similar suggestion of travel agency, how much It will cost - what will be its advantages and disadvantages.

Let's start with the fact that the choice of the organization of the upcoming journey depends on a number of circumstances and factors. These include first dates of the trip, selection of dates and days for the flight or moving, the financial capabilities of tourists, The direction is that there are countries selected by them for recreation, as well as personal wishes in the level of the hotel, its location and so on.

As practice shows, people who do not want or have no sufficient time to engage in self-employed travel, citizens with a foreign language and need for a permanent accompaniment of a guide, as well as those who "Fall" on the last minute tours, are usually addressed; Vouchers that can be bought, roughly speaking, per day before departure at a super-low price.

It's as a rule, people who speak English freely speaking in foreign countries, who know how to organize the best leisure and conditions for their stay in someone else's country, not afraid of independent purchase of air tickets, visa solutions, and so on, as well as those who do not want Resting on a template as a given travel company.

And now we consider on the example of specific countries where our fellow citizens are still easier to travel through travel firms, and where it is more profitable to travel on their own.

All statistics show that Turkey, Egypt, Greece, China, Thailand, India and Spain are the most popular tourist destinations for Russians. The sample of these countries is naturally complemented by others, but even among those given here it can be seen that european states are mostly in demand, or countries south-East Asia . Nor Latin I. North Americanor Australia or average and South Africa In this top you will not find.

Tracting to Europe in our compatriots most often explained by the close location of countries, their rich history and saturation of the sights smoothly intermittent with the favorable Mediterranean climate. As for Asia, the Russians go there most often to get acquainted with the exotic, expand spiritual knowledge, and also attracts the cheapness of Asian life. However, about everything in order.

Where is it better to go through the voucher?

To begin with, we take such popular destinations from Russians as Turkey and Egypt. As a rule, these countries attract compatriots territorial proximity to Russia, resorts with access to the sea, warm climate and developed tourist infrastructure. Both countries in connection with their popularity in good account and Russian tourist firms. That is why to spend a week in the Egyptian Hurghad or in Turkish Antalya with the help of a tour operator, it is possible to easily for 14-16 thousand rubles, with flight, mandatory nutrition and drinks "all inclusive", in at least 4 star hotel with pool and water park on site.

Otherwise, the choice of tourists themselves - all 7 days to sit in the hotel, resting and hatching in the sun or combine a passive vacation with active trips By sights at an additional price. For example, at the same hotel, you can easily take a tour and go to the present safari or an ancient mysterious pyramids.

As practice shows, the countries under consideration are better and cheaper to go through the ticket. An independent trip by one to the tickets there - back will cost a traveler for the price of the entire voucher from the tour operator. And if it is added to this accommodation, food and entertainment, it will be required to overpay at least twice.

Of course, with a huge desire to Turkey or Egypt, you can go on your own. However, if you choose exactly beach restThis will make sense to overpay for it, using the individual search for hotels and good conditions in them - there is practically no.

It is known that such directions as Thailand, China and India are also widely mastered by tourist companies and, accordingly, the flows of Russian citizens. At first glance, the country's data is also easier, safer and more appropriate to visit on the proposed operators. However, it immediately becomes obvious that fly, say, to sunshine Thailand is more expensive than plunge into the warm sea of \u200b\u200bTurkey.

Usually suggestions for travel agencies in Southeast Asia for two milk by the amounts of almost 100 thousand rubles for a weekly rest, and here it is definitely not talking about any AllInClusive. Sometimes, of course, companies make "emissions" of unsold vouchers and Internet surfers, thirsting wanders catch a discount trip for 30-40 thousand, which, you see, noticeably cheaper than 100, but still more expensive than Turkish Pakhlava.

Which countries are cheaper to go to their move?

And then there are free travelers to replace the tour operators, those who are meticulously ready to tell that it is best to wheel in Asia.

First, it is important to understand that such resorts in Thailand as Pattaya and Phuket (the most popular among tour operators and tourists, respectively) every year exorbitantly, are expensive not without the help of our compatriots. Secondly, even in these who became expensive places In Thailand, independent wanderers find budget options and nutrition and accommodation, rather than what operators offer.

For example, in the "kingdom of smiles" it is not necessary to remove the 4 star hotel with a free breakfast at the well-known tour of the travel agency. With an independent search, you can easily find hotels or guest houses in two, and even three times cheaper, with the conditions practically no different from the hotel in 4 stars.

As for the air flight, if you plan a trip in advance, let's say, in three months - you can buy the cheapest tickets, and sometimes even straight. Sometimes independent travelers manage to grab tickets in both ends for 500-550 dollars. And if you have a housing rental, on average 500-600 rubles per room per day in a decent guest house, and daily meals for the same amount, then housing Plus food will cost a maximum of 8 thousand rubles per or at 12-15 thousand for two.

At the same time, you will not be stolen by a schedule, a given travel company, will be free to change the location of the dislocation in accordance with your preferences and budget, and you can also easily ride memorial places Countries without resorting to the help of guides and groups wanted to it. To implement the last paragraph, it will be enough to arm the area and a smile, even knowledge of English at a high level will not need.

If we talk about the trip to India along the tour, it is clear here to say that the benefit of such a trip will only be that the organizer will be responsible for you in some sense - for the flight back, checkout in the hotel and what - That's meals. Otherwise, it is necessary to know that rest in countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and, say, Vietnam - it is best to plan on your own, as such factors as housing, food and location of the hotel first, prioritize to determine on the spot And secondly, all this in the local market will cost for you at times cheaper than the tour operator will offer.

Thus, the countries of Southeast Asia in many indicators will be cheaper and more interesting to attend independently. Even in despite the fact that the flight to this far from Central Russia, the region takes a lot of time and is worth an order more expensive expensive In a clean and civilized Europe.

And what about Europe?

As for Europe, then opinions on how it is more profitable to travel - or through a travel agency in each case are ambiguous. In fact, it is impossible to say about European countries to say that they are all equally expensive, for example, as we confidently assure that all these states are approximately the same cheap.

The paradox of Europe is often the fact that it is quite cheap to fly away from Moscow or St. Petersburg, but in the very territory of Shengen, everything is not so available to our tourist. Suppose many travelers - it doesn't matter along the tour or their moves traveled to Paris celebrate the high cost french capitalThe inability is idle to drink coffee in the mornings in the coffee houses and afford to dine every day and dinner around the cafe. About Norway and Denmark are generally heard only the exclamations about incredible prices for everything, and not the stories about fjords at all.

However, the old woman of Europe, our tourist still does not bypass the side, despite its entire courage and high cost. There are also corners here, which from year to year attract the streams of Russians. For example, Spain, Bulgaria or Czech Republic.

Traveling to countries in most cases will cost cheaper during independent planning. Unless you want to visit one of the marked countries, and not a few weeks in the bus tour.

For example, in Czech Charles Vary tourist voucher On average, you can go for 1000-1500 euros for 7 daysThis amount included flights, as well as accommodation in 4 stars with daily breakfast.

If you organize a trip myself, then there is a chance to reduce the costs twice, that is, for 500-500 euros. All that this will require this plane directly to the capital of the Czech Republic - Prague on average for 120 euros for both tickets, from where and then you need to go on your own in Karlovy Vary about 50-60 euros one way, the hotel was reserved in advance for 240 Euro for 7 days.

As for such countries as Spain, Italy, France or Greece, then they are only insignificant in them, but still cheaper to ride their own. Among the advantages in such a holiday there will be absolute freedom in movements and plans, among the minuses - the full organization of the trip is starting from the independent selection of visas to the search for a better and inexpensive hotel in an unfamiliar country.

By the way, it's time to tell you about all the delights of independent and organized travel intermediaries. After all, in the end, the tourist should clearly see the difference between the first and second, in order to choose for itself the most optimal plan for holding a vacation or another segment of his life in a foreign country.

First we will examine on points pluses of trips abroad through tour operators:

• The minimum time costs for the preparation and organization of the upcoming journey, the acquisition of a full package of services in a short time.
• Immediately at the time of rest you will not need to take care of the hotel's booking, nutrition and visiting sights.
• A tour operator will answer any questions to you or his representative in Tour.
• If you do not own english language - not trouble, the tour will be organized using Russian-speaking guides, hotels will meet you by speech on native language, to communicate on broken English practically do not have to.
• Organized excursions will be held in the specified routine guides and speed, there will be no time to think about any other tourists. All traveler decisions will be accepted at the moment when they will pay a trip to travel agencies in their native country.

As you can see, a trip through a tourist company can be pleasant to those who are not ready during the holidays to deal with some household problems, as well as those who love a clear, someone specified routine. In addition, the services of the tour operator will be happy to take advantage of people employed in ordinary life, wealthy compatriots and other categories of people, for some reason who do not want to plan their own rest.

However, let's see also what are the advantages of individual travelers:

• The ability to adjust the route of travel, both before the start of the trip and during the triple itself.
• The ability to independently choose the most suitable level of hotel, food, ways to move.
• The chance to purchase air tickets in advance at the discounted low cost and the opportunity to shift the date of departure or arrival, as well as an independent tourist always in the right, if necessary, pass the ticket, paying the airline minimal penalty. For example, from the voucher of travel agencies to refuse without tangible damage to the a priori wallet is impossible.
• The free traveler is fully granted to himself, so it can consider the sights as you like, to change the route at will, return to your favorite places or more intensively learn new ones. You can only dream of such freedom in organized tours.
• An independent organization of travel with a attentive approach will cost an order of magnitude cheaper than a tourist trip.
• In addition, making up a travel plan individually a tourist, as a rule, truly penetrates the culture of an unknown country, expands its horizon, lives his journey from the very beginning and to the very end consciously, independently, freely.

Usually, young people, who have no money for organized tours and there is no desire to go for some reason, to be limited in actions and aspirations are sent to their travel. Also, individual trips to priority in people more than once beyond the border and "fastened" organized tours, thirsty of real adventures.

Among the independent tourists you can meet people of medium, even elderly. As a rule, these are people who have not lost interest in life, seeking to more fully familiarize themselves with the local flavor of countries in which they are sent, as well as understanding the value of their time and what is better than themselves, no one can organize a good journey for them.

In principle, choose how it is better or cheaper to go to distant countries - the personal matter of everyone. Because for some people, the thoughts about an independent organization of a trip abroad will seem to be a nightmarish bed, while for others they will open "second breathing" and will be incredibly inspired.

Finally, I want to bring you an example of how you can organize your trip cheaper than to use the services of travel agencies, even with the fact that you are planning to buy tickets and all the trip in a short time.

As a direction, we choose solar and distant Thailand. A ticket to the famous island of Phuket, so loved by Russian tourists, for two first, the travel agency sells for 76,737 rubles for two. This cost is included Air flight, accommodation in 4 stars for 6 nights from May 9 to 15, a complimentary breakfast, insurance and transfer.

But let's see, at what price this trip will come in with an independent organization. Turning to the first logostera (Sites selling tickets with discounts, cheaper, cheaper than the airlines directly), it turns out that fly away from St. Petersburg to Phuket and back in the period on May 9 - 15HO will cost 29 643 ruble per one. That is, two tickets will cost 59,286 rubles, including fuel fees.

We go to Bucking and find the desired 4 star hotel. The price for a double superior room with taxes included in the cost and breakfast is 168 euros for 6 nights. Translate them into rubles at the current course and get 8370 rubles.

We summarize - Tickets Plus accommodation without a trip to our progress will cost us 67,656 rubles.

I.e with an independent organization you can save up to 10 thousand rubles! For someone, of course, this is not money, but for some categories of citizens and such a difference will seem noticeable. In addition, it can be significantly increased if, say, not to stop at the designated hotel, but in a guest house with the same pleasant and cozy rooms, but without breakfast included in the price. It is fairly easy to find a decent guest house in Phuket with accommodation per day for 600 rubles for two, which will be twice as cheaper.

However, in the independent journey, not everything is so cloudless as it may seem. Naturally, savings sometimes require some victims, for example, time. Unfortunately, I have no data on what flight a travel agency to Thailand from Russia is offered - direct it or with transfers. But most often, such tours are trying to organize with direct displacements. In the meantime, with independent planning usually, the cheap ticket is formed due to the fact that you are flying with transfers, perhaps even by different airlines.

In our example you can see it. Flight to Phuket will be with two transplants and on average in both directions will be 20 hours on the way. As you can see, you will have to sacrifice a few hours of calm sleep, in order to save on the journey. Therefore, choose how best to go on vacation, I repeat, everyone's personal matter.

Do not forget that when organizing a trip, much depends on how much you started to plan a journey, as a rule, the earlier tickets purchased them are cheaper. In our example, the timing is really quite compressed, and the dates are not the best in price, so the difference in price between the offer of the tour operator and the independent trip may seem too tangible. But even with such an organization, it is obvious, which means that ride independently in Thailand will be cheaper anyway than through the company.

Summing up, I would like to say that naturally a single opinion on the expense of how best to travel the world - does not exist. Every person has its needs, its own comfort zone and its financial opportunities. That before it is cheaper to ride abroad, I think, as part of the article, I managed to show you that there are certain trends, based on which you can plan your trip and know what country it is better to go to your course, and in what through the tour operator .

Yes, as like. Personally, I hate organized tours.

Cons of organized tours:

often they include unnecessary sponsorship excursions to the jewelry store or fur coats (faced in Paris and Turkey);

you partially depend on other tourists in your group (they need to pee, souvenirs, they cry the child in the bus);

tours are usually the most popular places For excursions for which you have already paid. And if you want a tourist place, and you are going to Versailles with a bus - you feel sorry to refuse, paid already.

Pros of organized tours:

do not think about something: how to take yourself how to get to the museum where to eat what to see. True, it is not a fact that all places will be good.

it is usually cheaper at the expense of travel agencies, hotels on the outskirts or those in which travel agencies have special prices, sponsors, in whose store you will be brought on a tour, etc. Also bus tours, Type 7 countries in 5 days, very cheap.

there are very steep tours, which are not for everyone, but especially for you. For example, in Ukraine there are guys who are in the tours of designers and architects. They plan cool and with them you can get, for example, in the workshops of famous architects, where you would never get. Or there is photo tours. In short, highly specialized tours that you will be interested in. Or very expensive and rare tours, such as a cruise near Antarctica.

That is, in the tour, you can enjoy if you fall into your hysterics and if you are not very stealing about what you look at the trip. Paris and okay, it doesn't matter what you see (Eiffel Tower and Louvre you will see 100%). Or if you find a unique tour.

If you are still important independence and quality, it is better to do everything yourself.

Pluses of independent tours:

what you want, then you are doing - visit the places you want, a plane or bus - choose yourself, the hotel choose yourself, everything is on you.

selection sites, hotels, restaurants, institutions and entertainment give full freedom (Tickets.ua, TripAdviser.com, Hotels.com, Anywayanyday and other hundreds of sites).

the guidebook (book) often tells everything you need, and if it is competent to choose, you can do without a guide by bus, as in an organized tour. Internet, again, knows everything.

you can get to not tourist placeswhich you will learn about any local site, and not in the tourist intersection of the place where the quality is calculated that you will never return, and tomorrow others will come.

many interesting routes are not the subject of organized tours. Would we see the Scottish Northern Castles, would go to the most high point Great Britain, visited Glasgow, Edinburgh, Oberdin, Inverness, Loch Ness, Sky island in one organized tour. And independently it is quite real.

Cons of independent tours:

you need to plan a lot and rely on yourself. Often it means to buy tickets to the museum on the Internet, otherwise you will find a huge queue (Uffizi, Louvre);

you can get on a bad hotel with a clouds (Paris :)), travel agencies usually choose proven hotels, because reputation and all business;

you can only get into some places with a group, or it is easier to get with a group or an organized tour (in some excursion collections only for groups, cruises, etc., most often this is an organized tour).

it's a little harder to find a guide. I do not know, somehow we have no practice to order a guide to the city from the Internet without recommendations. It is always or a blogger-guide, which I read long before the trip (London, Stockholm), or on the recommendation of acquaintances (Tallinn).

In short independent trip It is usually easier and more pleasant to organize yourself in simple places (cities and countries of Europe and the USA). In exotic countries it is easier and calmer to take a tour as I understand

It's not the same for everybody. My friend and I were looking for where to rest, I was looking for options where you can worship (I dreamed of trying for many years). The newcomers themselves, they did not know anything. They wanted to get there at first, find the rental of boards and themselves trying to try, and in the end they decided to choose a paid surf tour. And you know, we did not regret Nirazu! They chose the surfvan camp at their own peril and risk, - thank God. Everything went very cool))))

To answer

Better independent journey. Get out of the comfort zone, pump languages, go to local public transport, remove the accommodation at the local, eat with the local, do not go there, where everyone, see what does not show the gangbhars, get into the stories that it will be interesting to tell. Risk and open a new one. And you will be happy!

A better independent journey is definitely, and that is why:

Independent planning is a way to travel to any budget. No one in the chain between you and the computer has no own margin for food, flight, accommodation and all that.

Self-organizing is Zen. Nobody besides you are not responsible for shoals, finding and failures. And since there is no sense to blame itself, you will only have to take the universe with all his surprises.

Full freedom of movement. Nowhere will you never feel so much emotions as on the Bangkok railway station without a scoreboard and pointers.

Dare, friends.

Better than water Or beer?
That's here the same. We must ask yourself a few questions, in the spirit "What do I want to get from the trip? What resources I have (temporary, cash, etc.)?", And accordingly, based on the answers it will be clear that in this case it is better.

If you want to be sought on the beach week in Turkey, because the budget is limited, too lazy to engage in the organization and also do not know the languages \u200b\u200band are afraid that they are needed (there is really no) - then why not buy a tour.

And if you are interested in walking in Venice, then on the contrary, it makes no sense to contact the company there is no - you overpaid for the tour, and the hotel will most likely offer horseradish knows where.

1) If it is a European city, then, of course, the journey. Book a hotel at one of the numerous sites, on arrival to buy "NameGorod_card" (in many European. Cities are sold such cards for a period of one to 3 days, they usually give free travel to public transport and free or partially with a discount in museums), to The suburbs goes public transportThere you can take an audio guide, and if you come before discovery, then go through the sights in front of all tourist crowds. Nishtyaki from such a trip: you do not depend on anyone, you wish where you want, eat where you want, merge with the city, and not with a herd of a guide. But for this: you need to plan in advance that you will visit tomorrow, after tomorrow, etc., do not spare your feet, for a lot of walking, it is advisable to know English.

2) If it is a trip around the country, then the question is in the budget. Everyone writes about tours, as a huge buses filled with women who have been forgotten by women who have discerned men and their scratch siblings (hello, typical Turkey). Of course, such a journey compare with the descent to hell. Another case: the driver-guide on a good car for a small company or family (suppose you do not drive / are afraid to get confused in the cards / not cope with the control on the unusual relief / relax from the steering wheel and calmly look out the window) - this is, believe me, very Good and helps learn the country from the inside. However, this is a tour, not an independent trip.

3) There are conceptual tours, it is generally another story.

4) Direction: The difference between East and West is great, if you are not going to arrange an experiment, having placed yourself in the condition that the chick is just hatched, it is better to use the tour operator.

Agreeing with all unsubscribing to add that if you are just starting traveling abroad, do not speak the local (where you drive) language and not very much in the subject where something to know-buy-live-be, I would advise you to travel a couple of times with the group. You look, learn the basic things that concern travel, etc. And then you can already go to an independent level. For several years I went with groups, and then it happened that I went to Ireland "Dickarem" - with a compiled plan, armor of the hotel, paid a tour of the cliffs. After that, Trypa, I realized that I would not go with the group more))) it is such freedom! But it requires at least minimal traveler training :)

For me, an independent trip is preferable. Sometimes you begin to prepare for six months, and this is already a great pleasure. I buy a bunch of books, a map, I watch historical films, read reviews of other travelers. Housing search is a special pleasure. On travel in Europe, we ignore hotels, book accommodation at Airbnb.com We always take country houses nearby in the area we want to explore. The presence of good cuisine is so important! Very cheap can be stored in the real medieval house! But about the value of an independent travel, I do not agree with those who write that you can save. Traveling on a rented car in Europe will still cost at least 2 times more expensive than a batch tour, although it costs it.

It depends on what you want from this journey. I will write about the excursion trips, because I am not a beach holiday fan.

By buying a ticket through a travel agency, you, of course, are overpaying, but you do not bother with a route (just choose from several presented), housing, excursions, guidebooks, way of movement. Sometimes you still do not bother with food. You just take you at the airport, put on the bus and drive where they planned. You can only relax, listen to guide stories and buy souvenirs. And another bonus: most often in the group museums pass faster than individual visitors.

Planning a trip on your own, you all take on yourself. You need to shift a lot of information about the city or country, where you are going to find out where and why you need to go there :) You buy Flights, look for accommodation, find out how you get to this housing. If you are moving, you need to buy train tickets / bus. But here there are advantages here: you go wherever you want, you do not need to listen to the ranting of guides (if it dedicates it) and keep track of how to keep up with the group; You are the king and the booh of your journey, everything completely depends on you; You can go to super-interesting, non-addiction; You go to bed and get up when you are comfortable. And it is much cheaper!

Personally, I went to the tours, and in independent travel. I love both that. Mostly I go on my own, but when there is extra money and there is no strength to study the country (previously waiting for travel planning), but I want to go on vacation - I go to travel agency

There is no unambiguous answer to this question. Depends on the direction and on what you want.

Usually organized tour, especially if it covers several countries or cities, allows you to free your head from organizational issues and put all the forces on the perception and mastering seen. For relative comfort and efficiency in terms of time, you are here paying standardization and a few incubator approach.

An independent trip is more interesting, since you can fully adapt it to your needs, interests, budget and the pace of material development. However, this requires large temporary, emotional and physical costs that are rewarded with interesting discoveries and adventures.

Some companies offer a combination of these two approaches, and this is probably the most prominent option. Last year I had a chance to visit Vietnam's two-week travel with the world-famous company Intrepid. We organized basic things, somehow moving between cities and overnightlies in hotels. Everything else was optional - additional excursions, entertainment, exits in light, dinner and so on. And we ourselves as of Lego collected the most interesting and relevant program, while there were enough time and opportunities to master the terrain on their own.

I am always for an independent journey, because it assumes that there will be unforeseen circumstances that will need to decide, you can run into any adventures and so on, in general, everything will be monotonous.

I look at a lot of opponents of an organized tour of the tour and your five kopecks in the protection of tours. Firstly, an organized tour is often cheaper, it concerns certain areas of reference. Let's say the flight with a straight, accommodation, transfer and insurance come out cheaper than if you collect all yourself, all thanks to charters from the operator, and by the way a big plus often direct flight. Secondly, you will not hold anyone in the hotel, you will be brought to tell what to do what and what you do what you want, you want to travel around the country it is already like an independent journey. In fact, the operator does not limit your journey, he just delivers you to the place and takes away and then you are wave to do what you want.

Russian tourists who organize their holiday abroad on their own, while little. The ratio in the percentage of such travelers from the entire flow of tourists is equal to 15%, but at the same time, every year the indicator increases.

Rest, organized independently

According to statistics from 2014-2015, the number of tourist companies has decreased by almost 70%, from 2050 to 650. However, experts say that the bankruptcy epidemic remained behind and in the near future travel companies will feel comfortable, since only the strongest players remained on the market. .

Alone organized tourism increases due to the fact that russian tourists Wish to conquer not standard and new places to relax. At the same time, if we talk about places in popular resort countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Greece, it is more convenient to buy batch tours here. This is how most of our compatriots make, namely, tourists with children and relax lovers on the system "all inclusive."

But, during the rest inside the country, resting is much easier to book a hotel and tickets on their own.

Distribution of countries

For your convenience, we have made 6 groups of recreation countries:

1. The first group includes countries where recreation savage is much more profitable than in a ticket. Difference in money can reach up to 50%.

2. In the second group of countries benefit up to 20%.

3. In the third group, the costs of the junction and independently organized rest are the same.

4. On the fourth group included countries where rest in a ticket is more profitable by 15%.

5. In the fifth group there were countries in which 65% is more profitable to relax over batch tours.

6. In the sixth group of the country where you can travel only on your own.

Compare the profitability of a self-trip and batch tour

So, if you decided to escape to some exotic place, you definitely need to study recreation planning yourself. But the one who wants to relax without unnecessary adventures and hassle, can boldly choose a tour of the ticket. Note that in both cases, you will need tourist insurance upon departure abroad you can choose directly on our website using the price comparison calculator below.

What is better and more profitable to travel or trust travel agencies? The question is not idle. From this may depend on the most important thing - our impression is our vacation memory. Let's try to figure out. Pros and cons has every option.

Pluses of the agency.

1. The main plus agencies - the possibility of one shot to kill three hares. Flights, hotel, transfer. Everything is presented on a saucer "with blue cutting". In our personal voucher. And if you're lucky with a professional manager, then the time to select the hotel will spend a little.
2. Insurance and visa, if necessary, the Agency will also help to do.
3. At the airport we will meet a Russian-speaking guide. The hotel will also be a guide to which throughout the vacation can be contacted with any questions that have arisen: from the burned light bulb in the room before currency exchange.
4. He will not hurt a head about excursions. Choose what you want, the main thing to meet the budget. The guide is likely to also be Russian, and with a lot of useful information.
5. During the rest, except Thank You and Hello in a foreign language, you can not talk words.
6. We will most likely relax with compatriots. Tour operators on popular directions Prefer to work with the same hotels for years and book them at the maximum (though, for someone it is a doubtful plus).
7. You can take things with you at least two suitcase, not afraid of the advantage, and every day to change outfits three times.

Now about the minuses of the agency.

Underwater stones when buying in travel agency, too, have enough.

1. Pug. Not a fact that buying a tour in April, we will fly to July in July warm sea. Even if bought on July 10, already on the 12th we can hear in the news that the tour operator or the air carrier declares itself bankrupt. And this means that instead of planned walks on a snow-white sand begins walking in the flour (VIM-Avia - in 2017, Transaero in 2015, and about 2014, when it really seemed that all the agencies have a lid, and I don't want to remember).
   The sake of objectivity, I will give an example from personal experience: when I didn't fly to Tunis with my family for good reason, the travel agency returned to us most of the money spent.
2. Charter. Of course, it is cheaper regular flights, but not more reliable. Which of the flying charters did not come across the delay of the flight, and then the transfer of the clock for ten. (According to Russian laws, the transfer of charter flights for up to 10 hours is allowed. If the airline will delay the departure longer, then the law "On the protection of consumer rights") is entered into force). Here is a case of life: somehow I hopelessly late for a charter. I also reached the airport because it was impossible to turn around in traffic. Imagine my joy when I learned that the departure was detained for three hours. Even in Duty Free managed.
3. Tours. Excursions at the tour operator are always unreasonably overestimated. "On the street" they are at times cheaper. Professional guide, safety, clear organization is, of course, worth the money, but I would like cheaper. Excursion group Man 35-40 and to hear the guide, it is necessary sometimes "elbows to work."
4. Rest with compatriots. Everything is ambiguous here. Someone is eager to communicate in their native language, someone wants loneliness. Although no one is insured from the meeting at the hotel with Russian Tagil, and then she wants loneliness. But if you talk about my personal experience, then we, Russians, with rare exceptions, very comfortable neighbors on holidays.
5. Non-free. Here is the main minus travel agency. It only seems to have a choice. In fact, travel agency dictates hard conditions: you fly there, you live there, breakfast at such a time, etc. And no one worries that you dreamed of a noise of waves, and not under the screams of the disco. For the apparent nurse of choice full non-free. Do not want how everything is goodbye. Here is the main slogan of the tourist industry.

Pluses of independent rest.

If the advantages of vouchers are material, then the benefits of self-rest are rather emotional.

1. Freedom of choice is the main advantage of an independent traveler. He is free to do anything. Fly anywhere. Not in Pattaya, as you were programmed in a travel agency, but on Samui. Before this a couple of wonderful days spend in Bangkok. And home return through Singapore. To fly when and how much you want. Not on Wednesday evening, when the anniversary at the head, and on Friday, at 10 am sleeping out and rested.
2. Savings (not always and not in everything, of course). But if you know:, then you can save.
3. The ability to get completely different impressions of the country in which I drove. One thing to sit at the airport into the bus carefully driven by the tour operator, and quite another - ride on the metro station to the bus station, transfer to a regular bus and get to the selected hotel. And this is a small adventure.
   You can not settle at the hotel. Remove on airbnb.ru one (2, 3) room apartment on the coast and live two weeks like local. To have breakfast at home on your own balcony, and lunch and dinner in different cozy restaurants, every day in the new. (If you want to save on souvenirs by my own, then you can dinner at home.)
   Power, too, by the way, a separate impression. It's one thing - a buffet at the hotel, and completely different - mesa in the Cyprus Tavern. And there, and there - the goal is achieved: Hunger is thin. But you will remember the tavern for a long time. And what was for dinner at the hotel, forget the next day.

1. Positive emotions are starting to get long before landing. Planning the route, find accommodation, choose attractions - challenges complex, but architectural. Anticipation of the trip - as in childhood, waiting for the new year with gifts.
2. Ability to diversify rest. You can have a whole vacation in Rimini in the sandy sandpaper and return home with a chocolate hare, or, which is much more interesting, ride in Italy, see 5-6 cities and the remaining days to poke the Adriatic Sea.

Cons of independent recreation.

There are enough of them on a self-trip too.

1. The main minus - you answer for yourself. You must foresee. The travel agency with which the contract was concluded, we even have the right to submit to the improper fulfillment of obligations. But if you did not register online baggage and "hit" at the airport for money, then you are to blame for this. And if it was late for the last train, because I looked at last year's schedule, you also guilty. And so on.
2. On regular flights you need to be careful with the luggage. Most likely, you will have to leave home a couple of evening dresses and related accessories that take "just in case." Suddenly grows or wanted to go somewhere in the evening. Or throw out 5-6 extra kilograms or supplement 5-6 thousand rubles, not unnecessary.
3. The remaining minuses flow from point 1. Transfer, insurance, visa. And housing, communication with local population, food. Everything can become a fat minus. Or a cheerful emoticon, if you do everything right. Better let the emoticon, and the terrible ending it turns out.

So what is more profitable?

With the final choice - independent holiday Or a ticket, you need to still take into account several factors.

1. Direction. Want to relax in Egypt to "all inclusive", then, of course, contact the travel agency. If you think about Greece, then both options are good. Sit and count what is profitable. Going to Barcelona - for self-trip The most suitable direction.
2. Purpose of the trip. The easiest example is Turkey. One thing is a beach holiday in Antalya. But absolutely another is a trip to the city of Kontrastov Istanbul. In the first case - a travel agency, without options. But Istanbul is better to go to myself, and do not depend on the pleasures of the tour operator.
3. Resting-place. Ten days unwashed in Hainan or two-week trip: Beijing-Shanghai-Hong Kong Hainan. In all cases, the choice is obvious. The more movements are planned, the more necessary freedom. You can admire the world and from the window of the excursion bus, but from the rented car the world looks a little different.
4. Price. If the holidays in Cyprus in a five-star hotel for ten days you have the price of the airfare: Moscow - Lutraki - Moscow, then sin does not take advantage of this offer (another plus agencies - a burning offer).
5. And the most important factor is human. If you are too lazy or terrible to independently do your own holiday, then the choice is obvious: a ticket. To be trusted to professionals, and they will do everything for you. Even individual tour Around the globe.

We have been traveling and independently and using travel agency. And we also advise our readers: before each trip, first weigh the pros and cons, and then decide: how profitable.

Here are some (not obligatory, but interesting) recommendations for solving: