Escorted holidays often get a bad reputation. This is largely down to the classic image of oversized buses pulling up at a sight of interest, depositing hordes of people onto the streets and then picking them up again later. However, this image doesn’t fairly represent group travel, especially in recent years and especially the types of tours we offer at Fred. Holidays.

Whilst some people prefer exploring on their own, there are plenty of advantages to travelling in a small group and along a pre-defined route. Here are some great reasons to choose a small group tour for your next holiday.

Stress-Free Travel

It’s all very well planning your own itinerary, but there are certain stresses that come with this. Piecing together every aspect of your trip is no mean feat and there is always that feeling in the back of your mind that you may have forgotten to book something. This is something that you will never have to worry about with an escorted tour, as everything will be arranged by people who have done this hundreds of times before.

You also don’t have to worry about the hassles involved with travelling from place to place. It’s those innocuous journeys from the airport to the hotel, or from one town to the next, which can often cause the most stress. And that’s without even considering driving in a foreign country. When you choose a group tour, you can simply relax, sit back and enjoy your surroundings as you are chauffeured around.

Make New Friends

Travelling as a couple often means that you have very little contact with other tourists. Yes, you might have the odd conversation here and there as you cross paths with people, but it’s nothing like the camaraderie that is built up during a group tour. You will be travelling with like-minded people, who are just as passionate about the destination as you are. This, and the fact that you will have plenty of time to get to know each other, creates the perfect environment in which to make new friends. This will only enhance your trip and allow you to share your experiences with others.

Learn From Expert Guides

Unless you pay for a guided tour at the attraction, there can be very few opportunities to learn about the local history and culture whilst on holiday. However, having an expert guide with you at all times will mean that you have someone to answer all your questions, someone to show you the best sights and someone who can give you all the background information that you need to enjoy the things you see.

These guides pride themselves on local knowledge and will add an extra dimension to your trip that you just don’t get when you travel on your own. Whether this is by pointing out things by the roadside, recommending somewhere great for lunch or by helping you cross the language barrier, they are always happy to help.

Better Value

Have you ever glanced down at the group prices for an attraction and immediately wondered how many other people you could get to buy tickets too? Group entrance prices are always cheaper than standard admission and this is something you can take advantage of when travelling on an escorted tour. The buying power of these companies means that they can purchase tickets at better prices and then pass these savings on to you. Therefore, when you pay the overall price of your holiday, it will offer much more value than if you were to pay for it all separately and do it on your own.

Experience Hidden Gems

When travelling to a foreign country, it can be hard to know the best places to visit or stay. There is a plethora of information available online but sifting through it can be hard work and even then there is no guarantee you haven’t missed anything. In contrast, choosing a carefully planned escorted tour is an easy way to ensure you experience some hidden gems along with the main tourist sights, especially when you travel with just a small group.

Your itinerary will feature towns and cities that you would have never thought to visit, largely because you didn’t know they were there. Your expert guides will know all about the local spots that are off the beaten track, enhancing your trip by giving you surprising and unexpected encounters.

We have a wide range of small group escorted tours available for you to choose from, including newly launched itineraries for 2018. Call us on 0800 988 3369 to start planning your next holiday.