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The 15 Best Tour Operators in 2022

These are the companies Travel + Leisure readers trust to provide them with travel expertise and memorable experiences.

Note: If you’re looking for our most recent recommendations, check out the 2023 list of our favorite tour operators .

When it comes to an itinerary, Travel + Leisure readers want more than a string of photo opportunities — and the right tour operator makes all the difference in creating a trip of a lifetime versus one that simply checks off a list of sights. This year, our readers were especially drawn to companies that utilize local expertise and experience to thoughtfully design trips that will entertain as well as inspire.

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey , T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated tour operators and safari outfitters based on their staff and guides, itineraries and destinations, activities, accommodations, food, and overall value.

The top picks were noted for their deep knowledge of destinations and guides who "go the extra mile." One reader who has been traveling for more than five decades said a trip with Classic Journeys (No. 2) was the "very best" they had experienced. Others noted attention to pandemic safety details, while one who went to Norway was charmed by a "wonderful surprise dinner in Bergen out on the water that was fantastic."

Tour operators that seamlessly navigated the logistics of a trip also came out on top. Quasar Expeditions (No. 9) was noted "for really planning out every detail" so that "all you have to do is show up and have a great time." Meanwhile, of TCS World Travel (No. 10), a guest said: "You never lift a finger and just spend your time actually exploring the destination." They even added that they "learned so much" along the way.

Among the five companies on this year's list that weren't on last year's were two women-only tour operators that cater to travelers of all ages. AdventureWomen (No. 14) has multiday tours designed by women from Bhutan to Yellowstone National Park, while Explorer Chick (No. 15) has everything from day trips — like glassblowing in Baltimore and cave rappelling in St. Louis — to full itineraries in Machu Picchu and the Galápagos. One reader said her Everest Base Camp trip with AdventureWomen was filled with "like-minded women" who "bonded so well," while another said she felt it was a "safe tour group for women."

No matter which tour they chose, readers were most taken by the people they met along the way, as one said of Trek Travel (No. 13): "By the end of the trip, a group of strangers felt like longtime friends." Find out which other companies round out the list of the best tour operators below.

1. DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co.

A tour with DuVine goes far beyond just riding a bike — it's a way to really see the character of a destination. Case in point: even those who say they're not necessarily cycling fans have been converted. That's part of what helped the tour operator — which runs trips in Europe, the U.S., Latin America, and Africa — skyrocket from No. 14 last year to this year's top spot. Its "top-notch biking equipment" and "challenging but doable itineraries" didn't hurt either. One reader was especially taken by a guide picking figs off of a local tree in Puglia for an extra energy boost during a tough climb, as well as another guide singing to the group after dinner. As another reader put it simply: "They exceed your expectations."

Score: 99.12

More information: duvine.com

2. Classic Journeys

Score: 99.04

More information: classicjourneys.com

3. Artisans of Leisure

Score: 98.38

More information: artisansofleisure.com

4. (tie) Black Tomato

Score: 98.33

More information: blacktomato.com

4. (tie) GeoEx

More information: geoex.com

4. (tie) Wilderness Travel

More information: wildernesstravel.com

7. Inside Japan Tours

Score: 98.14

More information: insidejapantours.com

8. Kensington Tours

Score: 98.03

More information: kensingtontours.com

9. Quasar Expeditions

Score: 97.84

More information: quasarex.com

10. TCS World Travel

Score: 97.78

More information: tcsworldtravel.com

11. Butterfield & Robinson

Score: 97.33

More information: butterfield.com

Score: 96.95

More information: tauck.com

13. Trek Travel

Score: 96.90

More information: trektravel.com

14. AdventureWomen

Score: 96.11

More information: adventurewomen.com

15. Explorer Chick

Score: 95.87

More information: explorerchick.com

Related Articles

Tour Operators

Tour operator is an organization, firm, or company who buys individual travel components, separately from their suppliers and combines them into a package tour, which is sold with their own price tag to the public directly or through middlemen, is called a Tour Operator .

More precise tour operators are primarily responsible for delivering and performing the services specified in a given package tour. They can provide these services themselves as some have their own cars and coaches, hotels, and other travel-related services or can obtain these from the other suppliers. That is why they are called manufacturers of tourism products .

Tour operators are sometimes called wholesalers but this is partially true because a wholesaler buys goods and services in bulk at his own account to prepare a tour package and then retails it through the travel agencies or directly to clients. However, a tour operator who has his own one or more tourists products components, (SOTC, TCI, Thomas Cook, Indo Asia KUONI formulates a new tourist product for example ‘ inclusive tours .’

Tour operators generally offer a variety of package tours to cater to the needs of different kinds of travelers.

Definitions of Tour Operator

Poyther (1993) defines, “tour operator is  one who has the responsibility of putting the tour ingredients together, marketing it, making reservations and handling actual operation.”

Holloway (1992) stated that tour operations undertake a distinct function in the tourism industry, they purchase separate elements of tourism products/services and combine them into a package tour which they sell directly or indirectly to the tourists.

Today, tour operators have become highly competitive. They endeavor to achieve a high volume of turnover, and maximum International and domestic market share by effectively operating. Moreover, the success of many developed and developing nations as tourists destinations depend heavily on a tour operator’s ability to attract tourists, development and promotion of tourism plant, diversification of tourism product and their social responsibilities to develop a remote and backward area.

Types of Tour Operators

Tour operators are basically categorized into four types . These are categories on the basis of their nature of the business and its operations.

Inbound Tour Operators

Outbound tour operators, domestic tour operators.

• Ground Operators

These are also known as incoming tour operators . Technically, the operators who receive guests, clients/tourists, and handle arrangements in the host country are c alled inbound tour operators . For example, a group of American Tourists is coming through TCI Ltd. to India and the company makes arrangements and handles the group in India then TCI is called an inbound tour operator.

Incidentally, the inbound traffic to the country for the last two decades has been decreasing. Essentially the tour operators need to adopt innovative marketing strategies and should introduce a special interest tour to cater the special needs of Japanese, Americans, French and British people.

Tour operator who promote tours for foreign destinations, maybe business tour or leisure tour is called outbound tour operators . For example a group of American tourists going to a trip of India and Thomas Cook handle arrangement in America like as ticket reservation, hotel booking etc. then Thomas Cook is called Outbound Tour operators in the context of America.

Domestic tour operators are those who assemble, combine tourist components into inclusive tours and sell it to the domestic travelers. In general, these tour operators provide travel services within the tourist’s native country.

The domestic tour operators operate within the boundary of the home country and offer package tour to the travelers viz. Domestic inclusive tours or independent tours.

Ground Operators/Destination Management Companies

These are commonly known as handling agencies and their main function is to organize tour arrangements for incoming tourists on the behalf of overseas operators. Let us take the case of India as a destination that – has a varied culture.

When a tour operator himself promotes beach holidays, wildlife holidays, adventure tours, heritage tours at the different places, the difficulty arises. It is the ground operator then who by handling the incoming travelers in the same season but at different places ensures that the entire operation is according to the package tours or agreements.

Sometime when a handling agency is at a prominent tourist place i.e., Delhi and it has to make arrangements to Goa, then it contracts (If it has no office of its own) with a local operator (known as excursion agent) to handle the arrangement on his behalf.

Why Ground Operators?

Obviously, the tour operation companies do not have close contact with suppliers, governments, destinations and so on. It leaves no choice with the companies but to appoint handling agencies at the destinations.  The main reasons are:

• Introduction of new products or plant to promote an exotic destination.
• Lack of Government regulations.
• Lack of personal contract.
• Language problem.
• The company cannot establish its own branch.

Recognizing the very fact that the reputation, performance, and profitability of tour company in its own market largely depends on the efficiency and effectiveness of ground operators, it has because necessary for the company to consider various factors before the selection of a handling agency, they are:

• Size of business
• Professional staff
• Length of business
• Area of operation/Product line
• Market share

Functions of Ground Tour Operators

Over the years of functions and activities of the destination, companies have changed drastically to cope with the changing environment of the tourism industry. In fact, today’s destination companies have become more professional and are bound to provide personalized travel services to the tourists. The following functions are performed by ground tours operators:

• Land arrangement
• Contract and Negotiate with other vendors
• Handling of Arrival and departure procedure
• Planning and organizing local package tour
• Escorting the tourists
• Providing market information
• Costing and pricing package tour

Practically, if we see the working of the travel agencies and tour operators in the industry we find that most of the organizations are performing different types of activities like the retail travel agency , wholesale travel agency, and tour operators.

The travel agency business is no longer an amateurism. Over the last two decades, the pattern and structure of travel agencies have changed to meet tough challenges in the international market. Today, small-scale agencies are finding the travel industry increasingly complex.

Thus, the small and medium scale travel agencies are disappearing or merging or falling instead of rising. On the other hand, a new concept has also emerged i.e. tour operation business . The tour operation business is new but a maturing business at the global level.

Functions of Tour Operator

A tour operator is an organization, firm, or person who is responsible for the actual arrangement of transport and accommodation facilities on any tour or vacations. They are also responsible for operating and providing vacation through contracting, booking, and packaging together of the various components of the tour such as hotel, transportation, meals, guides, optional tours, and sometimes flights.

A tour operator is like a service provider, providing the most convenient option for tourists to stay, visit, as well as leave from the city. A tour operator owns a high volume of travel services across carriers, services, and accommodation. Some most important functions of the tour operators are following as:

Planning a Tour

The most important functions of the tour operators are planning a tour. Tour operators plan a tour and make tour itinerary which contains the identification of the origin, destination and all the stopping point in a traveler’s tours. A prospective tour operator also gives advice to intending tourists in various types of tour programmes, which they may choose for their leisure or commercial travel.

Making Tour Package

Tour operator buys individual travel components, separately from there suppliers and combines them into a package tour. Tour operators make tour package by assembling various travel components into a final product that is called tour package which is sold to tourist with own price tag. Making tour packages is also an important function of Tour Operator.

Arranging a Tour

Tour operators make tour package and also arrange a tour according to tourist demands. Tour operators arrange the tour package and various tourists activities to provide the best experience to tourists/traveler.

Travel Information

Whatever the size of tour operators, it has provided necessary travel information to the tourists. This task is utterly difficult and very complicated. A tour operator must give up-to-date, accurate and timely information regarding destinations, modes of travel, accommodation, sightseeing, immigration, health and security rules about various permits required to travel in a particular area etc.

Reservation

It is a very important function of all type tour operators and travel agencies. Tour operator makes all the reservation by making linkages with accommodation sector, transport sector and other entertainment organizations to reserve rooms, and seats in cultural programmes and transportation.

Travel Management

Tour operators manage tour from beginning to the end of the tour. A tour operator has the responsibility to look after the finer details of a vacation or tour such as hotel, accommodation, meals, conveyance etc. Tour operators provide travel guide, escorting services and arrange all travel related needs and wants.

Evaluate the Option Available

Tour operators evaluate all available options to provide a unique or unforgettable travel experience to tourists during their journey. Tour operators evaluate the various options available for a tour package and provide best of them to tourists.

Tour Operators makes tour packages and promote them into various tourists markets at domestic as well international level. Tour operators promote a travel destination to attract a large group of tourists at domestic as well as international level. In the promotion of tourist destination, tour operators play a key role. Travel agencies or tour operators are called as image builder of a country.

Sales and Marketing

Tour operators do sales and marketing of tourist products. Tour operators buy individual travel components, separately and combine them into a tour package, which is sold with their own price tag to the public directly. Tour operators do marketing of tourist destinations and tourism product to attracts the attention of the tourists/travelers.

Taking Care of Glitch

Tours operators are also called handling agencies which handles tour package and take care of all the glitches and problems arises during a tour package. Tour operators fix the glitches and provide the best available alternative to tourists during their journey.

Importance of Tour Operators

Tours operators play a key role in the tourism sector. Tour operators create tourist products, promote them a finally sold them to tourists.

Tour operators provide the best and competitive price to the tourist. Tour operators negotiate with suppliers of tourism products such as hotels, airlines and provide the best possible price to the tourist. Tour operators buy tourist products in bulk and get huge discounts from suppliers. So that they provide tourist products at a cheap price.

Tour operators organized a tour in the best way. They personalize and make sure each and every component of the tour is well-taken care. Tour operators provide the best travel experience during a tour. Tour operators save tourists time and money.

Tour operators provide immediate support systems at the host country as well as a foreign land. When tourists travel to a foreign land and things get uncertain, maybe its a health or loss of documents and need to return back or change of travel plan. A qualified tour operator takes care of all these unseen events with efficiency.

Tour operator caters to the needs of tourists on the based on their taste of travel. Tour operator provides all the best available option according to tourist needs and demands

Difference between Travel Agent and Tour Operator

There is a lot of confusion about the difference between tour operators and travel agents what exactly makes them different. The main difference between a Travel agent and Tour operator are following as:

• A travel agent is a person who has full knowledge of tourist product – destinations, modes of travel, climate, accommodation, and other areas of the service sector. He acts on the behalf of the product providers/principals and in return get a commission.
• Tour operator is an organization, firm, or company that buys individual travel components, separately from their suppliers and combines them into a package tour, which is sold with their own price tag to the public directly or through middlemen.
• Tour operators are like wholesalers and travel agents are the retailers.
• A tour operator makes the package holidays up and the travel agents sell them on.
• Tour operator taking up the bulk of the responsibilities and his fee is obviously much greater than a travel agent.
• A tour operator has the responsibility to look after the finer details of a vacation or tour such as hotel, accommodation, meals, conveyance, etc.

The wholesale travel agencies may offer or operate the package tours or may specialize in developing tours for inbound as well as outbound travelers. They are often referred to as tour operators, but there is a difference between Wholesale Travel Agencies and Tour operators .

The best tour operators in the world: 2023 Readers' Choice Awards

By Condé Nast Traveller

It’s been a challenging few years for tour operators but the names below are in it for the long haul (as well as the short and medium), honing itineraries and managing expectations. So who prepared your travel documents this year? Red Savannah and Black Tomato scored highest for first-hand knowledge, and Exodus Adventure Travels and Abercrombie & Kent for on-the-ground support. But when it came to all-round endeavour, Scott Dunn and The Turquoise Holiday Company were leaders of the pack. Both report a surge of interest in Asia, as well as multi-generational travel, solo adventures to Namibia, Bhutan and Mexico, and authentic experiences such as outback stations in Australia and bear lodges in Canada.

These are the best tour operators in the world, according to the 2023 Readers' Choice Awards . The scores below are percentages representing overall average levels of satisfaction.

The best general tour operators in the world 2023

15. Cox & Kings. Score 88.00

14. Hayes & Jarvis. Score 89.44

13. Carrier. Score 90.73

12. Simpson Travel. Score 91.48

11. Kuoni. Score 92.82

10. Mr & Mrs Smith. Score 93.29

9. Kensington Tours. Score 94.14

8. Audley Travel. Score 94.77

7. Original Travel. Score 95.44

6. Cazenove + Loyd. Score 95.92

5. The Ultimate Travel Company. Score 96.75

4. Abercrombie & Kent. Score 97.12

3. Elegant Resorts. Score 97.39

2. Red Savannah. Score 97.96

• The Turquoise Holiday Company. Score 98.42

The best travel specialists in the world 2023

15. Wild Frontiers. Score 94.81

14. Martin Randall Travel. Score 95.17

13. Intrepid Travel. Score 95.40

12. Wilderness. Score 96.54.

11. Inntravel. Score 96.88

10. Oxford Ski Company. Score 97.15

9. Kirker Holidays. Score 97.47

8. andBeyond. Score 97.61

7. Ampersand Travel. Score 97.65.

6. InsideJapan Tours. Score 97.79

5. Steppes Travel. Score 97.88

4. Black Tomato. Score 98.03

3. Exodus Adventure Travels. Score 98.15

2. Healing Holidays. Score 98.35

• Scott Dunn. Score 98.70

What is a Tour Operator?

Embarking on a journey to a new destination is an exciting adventure that brings with it the promise of discovery, cultural immersion, and unforgettable experiences. While the allure of wanderlust beckons, the complexities of planning a seamless trip can sometimes be daunting. This is where tour operators step in to create a bridge between your travel dreams and reality. In this blog, we’ll delve into the world of tour operators, highlighting their benefits and comparing them to traditional travel agencies.

A tour operator is a travel professional or company that designs, organizes, and sells comprehensive travel packages that include various elements such as transportation, accommodation, activities, meals, and more. These packages are carefully curated to offer travelers a hassle-free and well-structured experience. Tour operators work closely with local suppliers, hotels, transportation providers, and guides to ensure that every aspect of your journey is thoughtfully planned and executed.

The Benefits of Choosing a Tour Operator

Expertise and Local Insight: Tour operators possess in-depth knowledge of the destinations they offer. They have the ability to craft itineraries that showcase the must-see attractions as well as hidden gems that might go unnoticed by the average traveler.

Saves Time and Effort: Planning a trip can be time-consuming and overwhelming. Tour operators take the burden off your shoulders by handling all the logistics, from booking accommodations and arranging transportation to organizing activities.

Tailored Experiences: While group tours are popular, tour operators also offer customized itineraries for travelers who prefer a more personal touch. They consider your preferences, interests, and travel style to create a journey that suits you perfectly.

Seamless Transitions: Moving from one location to another can sometimes be tricky, especially in unfamiliar places. Tour operators ensure smooth transitions between destinations, taking care of transportation and minimizing any potential stress.

Access to Exclusive Experiences: Tour operators often have established relationships with local guides and suppliers, granting you access to unique experiences that might not be available to independent travelers.

Safety and Support: Traveling to a foreign country can present unexpected challenges. Tour operators provide a safety net, offering assistance and support in case of emergencies or unforeseen circumstances.

Tour Operators vs. Travel Agencies

While both tour operators and travel agencies play pivotal roles in the travel industry, they differ in their approach and scope:

Tour Operators: As discussed, tour operators focus on crafting comprehensive travel packages that encompass various aspects of a journey. They specialize in creating cohesive experiences, handling everything from accommodations to activities.

Travel Agencies: Travel agencies primarily assist with booking individual components of a trip, such as flights, accommodations, and car rentals. They offer flexibility but often require travelers to assemble these components into a coherent itinerary themselves.

Why Choose a Tour Operator?

Holistic Experience: Tour operators offer a complete, well-rounded experience that takes the stress out of planning.

Local Insights: Their expertise ensures that you gain insights into the culture, history, and lifestyle of your destination.

Time and Effort Savings: With all the logistics managed for you, you can fully immerse yourself in the journey without worrying about details.

Peace of Mind: The support and assistance of a tour operator provide a safety net, enhancing your sense of security while traveling.

Exclusive Access: Tour operators often provide access to unique experiences that are carefully curated to enhance your journey.

In the realm of travel, tour operators emerge as true architects of unforgettable experiences. With their dedication to crafting seamless journeys, local insights, and personalized touch, they stand out as ideal partners for turning your travel dreams into reality. When considering your next adventure, think beyond the conventional travel agency and embrace the benefits of choosing a tour operator. Your voyage awaits – let Juniper guide you on a path to remarkable discoveries.

Thanks for checking out Juniper Tours’ Travel blog! We hope you enjoyed your read and if you’re looking for more content please check out our other blog posts ! If you’re looking for help planning your next travel adventure then book a FREE travel consultation with one of our Travel Specialists today!​

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The 10 Best Group Travel Tour Companies for 2023

Caroline Morse Teel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her adventures around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

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For those truly epic, once-in-a-lifetime destinations, you want to leave your itinerary to the experts. Whether your dream is to see the Big Five on an African Safari, trek tall mountains, explore European cities, or something even wilder, a group tour is the easiest way to do it.

However, picking the wrong group tour company is the quickest way to ruin your trip. Make sure you choose a tour company that aligns with your goals and travel styles. Do you want an intimate group tour or do you prefer to make lots of new friends in a big group? Does the price line up with what you like (luxury vs. budget)? Is the itinerary going to all the places you want to see? 

We’ve done the research and found the very best group travel tour companies for 2023 for every type of traveler.

Best Overall Group Travel: Exodus Travels

With trips on every continent, Exodus Travels covers anywhere on this planet that you could possibly want to go, from popular destinations like the Amalfi Coast to well off-the-beaten path adventures like Tajikistan. This award-winning group travel company boasts thousands of repeat customers who sign up for trips year after year (97% of past participants would recommend Exodus Travels to a friend). 

These small group tours operate with only around 12-16 people, and always feature experienced local leaders who can give you a unique insight into your destination. Exodus Travels caters to any type of travel style, including trips broken down by type of activity (think walking, cycling, multi-adventure, winter, or cultural) as well as type of traveler (family, age group, etc.). There are curated collections (coastal, “away from it all”, European wilderness, and trips of a lifetime) to inspire you, as well as self-guided options for when you want all the benefits of a group tour planner without the actual group. Looking for that special safari? Exodus Travels just partners with the African Wildlife Foundation to create carefully curated luxury adventures that go above and beyond the standard safari. 

Exodus Travels tours work for almost any budget, with options that range from affordable to premium. 

Top Trip: Explore under-the-radar Europe by foot on Exodus Travels’ Lakes & Mountains of Slovenia walking tour .

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Best Adventure Group Travel: World Expeditions

World Expeditions has been taking adventurous travelers to remote locations all over the world ever since its first group trek through Nepal in 1975. Today, World Expeditions offers active itineraries on every continent. Intrepid travelers can opt for trips themed around mountaineering, rafting, cycling, hiking, and more. 

World Expeditions aims to leave communities and places where they operate tours better than they found them. Trips are created using the company’s Thoughtful Travel Charter as a guideline, which emphasizes respect for the environment, sustainability, having a positive impact on local communities, protecting wildlife, and more. 

World Expeditions’ trips are capped at just 16 people to provide a good experience for participants, and there are no single supplements for solo travelers willing to share a room with someone of the same gender. 

Top Trip: Summit Africa’s tallest mountain on a fully-supported trek up Kilimanjaro on World Expeditions’ eight day trip up the beautiful Lemosho Route . 

Best Budget Group Travel: G Adventures 

For travelers on a budget, G Adventures offers cheap group tours that make dream destinations accessible to nearly anyone. (Think: sailing the Galapagos for just $1,124 , criss-crossing India’s Golden Triangle for $559 , or spending 8 days in Bali for less than $800.)

G Adventures is one of the best tour companies for solo travelers as well, as most trips don’t have a single-supplement. You can choose to share a room with another G Adventures solo traveler, or pay extra to have your own space.

G Adventures keeps costs down by opting for cheaper hotels and local meals, and making certain activities optional (for an additional cost). Pick your travel style—options range from “basic” to more luxe tours run in partnership with National Geographic. Family tours, local living tours (featuring homestays), and wellness-focused tours are also available. 

Top Trip: G Adventures’ China Express trip is a great way to see the highlights of China if you’re short on both time and budget. 

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Best Educational Group Tours: EF Go Ahead Tours

When you really want to learn about a destination, consider a group trip with EF Go Ahead Tours . EF is the world’s largest private education company, and the Go Ahead Tours arm capitalizes on the company’s relationships with local educators, historians, and tour guides to create group trips that take you deep into a destination. 

These small group tours generally cap at 38 travelers, and feature unique educational experiences. For a bucket list trip, EF Go Ahead Tour’s special event tours are particularly enticing, as they offer behind-the-scenes access to tough-to-plan trips like Oktoberfest in Munich or Cherry Blossom season in Japan. 

Intimidated by solo travel? EF Go Ahead Tours is a great option for solo travelers, since it offers designated trips for solo travelers , where everyone is traveling alone, making it less intimidating.  

Top Trip: Bring the tastes of Italy home with you on EF Go Ahead Tours’ Food & Wine: Piedmont & Tuscany tour (operated in partnership with America’s Test Kitchen), where you’ll learn how to make local dishes. 

Best Responsible Group Travel: Intrepid Travel

Looking for a responsible group travel operator that focuses on bettering the communities and destinations they visit? Intrepid Travel is the world’s largest travel B Corporation, a certification for companies doing good. 

Intrepid Travel’s tours focus on sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and sustaining communities. The company has its own charity, The Intrepid Foundation , which has donated over 7 million dollars to over 130 community organizations. 

Intrepid Travel’s small group tours attract a wide range of travelers, but they are especially great for younger travelers, as they have a large number of trips designed for people aged 18-29 . (Other trips, including family-focused trips, are geared toward any age.)

Top Trip: Experience unforgettable wildlife encounters on Intrepid Travel’s Premium Uganda & Rwanda trip which includes time with the mountain gorillas of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. 

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Best Private Group Travel: Kensington Tours

Whether your group consists of just two people or involves taking the entire extended family, Kensington Tours will take all the hassle of planning out of the equation. This private group operator creates personalized trips and itineraries tailored to your preferences, while their experts handle all the logistics and bookings. 

Plans are entirely flexible, and can even be changed while on the trip on a whim. Need some inspiration? Browse Kensington Tours’ travel ideas , to get some ideas for your next adventure. 

Top Trip: Sail around the stunning shores of Croatia and the Dalmation Islands on a private luxury catamaran on Kensington Tours’ fully customizable tour . 

Best Polar Group Travel: Chimu Adventures

Whether you’re headed north to the Artic or south to Antarctica, Chimu Adventures has the perfect polar group trip for you. Chimu Adventures has some of the most variety for polar trips, with options to fly, cruise, or a combination of both to get to your destination.

For an ultra-unique Antarctica trip, Chimu Adventures offers cruises departing from Australia or New Zealand (most Antarctica trips depart from Argentina). Can’t stay long? Book one of Chimu Adventures’ scenic flights to Antarctica , which fly as far as the south pole in one spectacular 16-hour day.

Chimu Adventures is one of the cheapest group trips to Antarctica, with rates starting under $5,000.

Top Trip: If you’re pressed for time (or simply don’t have the stomach for the Drake Passage), Chimu Adventures’ Antarctica Fly Cruise will get you to the ends of the earth quickly and smoothly.

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Best Group Tours for Solo Travelers: For the Love of Travel

Group tours can be a great way to meet new people, but they can sometimes skew on the older age range. If you’re between 25-39 and a solo traveler looking to meet new people, you’ll love For the Love of Travel . All participants on the trips are between 25-39, and according to the company, 80 percent are solo travelers—so you’ll make friends fast. Hoping to meet someone who will be more than just a friend on your next trip? Trips include a balanced number of “gal and guy spots” to ensure an even balance of genders within groups (and of course, non-binary genders are always welcome). 

For the Love of Travel offers weeklong (or longer) international trips as well as shorter weekender trips to nearby destinations like Mexico or Denver—perfect for people without a lot of vacation time.

Top Trip: Sleep in a glass igloo under the Northern Lights, go sledding with huskies, and warm up in traditional saunas on For the Love of Travel’s Lapland tour , already booking dates for 2024.

Best Biking Tours Group Travel: DuVine Cycling

Biking through the rolling hills of Italy or across the mountain roads of Chile sounds like a dream, but the logistics seem daunting (especially if you don’t want to haul all your own stuff from point-to-point). Enter: DuVine Cycling , a luxury small group tour company that specializes in bike trips. 

With trips across Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the United States, DuVine Cycling is a cyclist’s dream. Choose from all-biking trips or mix things up with a cycle and sail bike tour or a multi-sport adventure —no matter what, everything is included, from luxury boutique accommodations to top-quality name brand bikes. 

Top Trip: DuVine’s Holland Bike Tour promises “tulips, windmills, beer, and cheese”—what more could you need?

Best Luxury Group Travel: Abercrombie & Kent

Abercrombie & Kent has been delighting discerning travelers since 1962. Today, they take travelers on unforgettable adventures across over 100 different countries and all seven continents. Although Abercrombie & Kent’s trips are pricey, they encompass once-in-a-lifetime experiences like private jet tours around the world or luxury chartered cruises .

There are trips designed for solo travelers and families , and the small group journeys max out at around 14-18 guests.

Top Trip: Swim with whale sharks in the Philippines, feed proboscis monkeys in Malaysia, and photograph wild tigers in India on Abercrombie & Kent’s Wildlife Safari: Around the World by Private Jet trip , already booking dates into 2024.

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• North America Tours
• Tour Operators

Top Tour Operators and Travel Agencies in USA 2024/2025

Top Tour Operators and Travel Agencies in USA. Below you will find 29 of the best tour operators and travel agencies in USA offering in total 342 tours and holidays through-out USA. Combined they have received 173 customer reviews and an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars. The top tour activities offered in USA are: Adventure and sport, Wildlife, landscapes and nature & Sightseeing, attractions, culture and history.

• Tours in USA
• USA Travel Guide
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29 Tour Operators in USA with 173 Reviews

Infinite Adventures

• Address 809 W Riordan 100-325, Flagstaff, USA
• Response Rate 100%
• Response Time 3 hours

Expat Explore

• Address 10 Merryweather Place, London, England
• Response Rate 90%
• Response Time 2 hours

• Best-in-Class Top 5% of companies
• Excellent Service Top 10% of companies
• Superior Service Top 15% of companies

• Address 2461 FM 778, Mineola, USA
• Response Rate 95%
• Response Time 1 hour

Omega Tours

• Address 142 Westmount Avenue, Toronto, Canada
• Response Rate 94%

Intrepid Travel

• Address 380 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Australia

G Adventures

• Address G Adventures Ltd, 60 Bastwick Street, London, England

World Expeditions

• Address 1B Osiers Road, Wandsworth, London, England
• Response Rate 81%

• Address Picquet House, St Peter Port, Guernsey, London, England

The Coyote Trip

• Address 182 Mayall Road, London, England

Luxury Gold

• Address 33 Kern Road, Toronto, Canada
• Response Rate 60%

Doctor Gumbo Tours

• Address 823 Decatur St, New Orleans, USA
• Response Rate 50%

Indus Travels

• Address 233, 11951 Hammersmith Way, Richmond, Canada
• Response Rate 97%

Adventures Abroad

• Address 2148-20800 Westminster Highway, Richmond BC, Canada

• Response Rate 88%

USA Tour Reviews

• Mrs. Deena M.
• Mrs. Yvonne N.
• USA budget tours
• Eco tours in USA
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North America Tour Companies

Looking for an unforgettable North America tour? Book a fully-organized trip with the best tour companies in North America and let the tour operator take care of everything for you. Check out the tour details and read 195930 reviews from our customers to help you choose the perfect tour for you.

List of North America travel companies & tour operators with 195930 reviews

G Adventures

• Excellent - 19,123 reviews for North America tours

the tour itself was amazing. The national parks do not disappoint. The travel accomodations were very cramped and uncomfortable. I am only 5 foot tall and I was cramped in this 14 passenger van. Food opportunities were limited.

Fantastic experience - efficient use of time, great itinerary. Well-informed and interesting guide who is also just a great person.

Receptivo Aborigen Tours

• Good - 95 reviews for North America tours

Good trip, covered all the main areas. Guides were very knowledgeable and informative. Accommodation excellent and bus very comfortable.

We have chosen the tour specifically because it was in German and also in other languages shown. Also on our voucher was again confirmed the tour with professional, German-speaking tour guide. Unfortunately, the tour guides did not speak German. We were able to help ourselves a bit with the translation app but we also missed a lot of information. We are very disappointed about this and expect compensation. The tour guides have tried and were very nice also the tour was very nice.

Bindlestiff Tours

• Excellent - 1,475 reviews for North America tours

We thoroughly enjoyed our 3 day (2 nights) tour. The scenery of Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Antelope Canyon & the Grand Canyon were spectacular. Accomodation was very good. Our guide Katelyn was excellent, very helpful & a careful driver. We were fortunate to be in a small group. If the bus was full may have been difficult, especially being tall.

Hogan was our tour guide driver, fun fact infotainment, cook, photographer... he was outstanding.

Intrepid Travel

• Excellent - 11,719 reviews for North America tours

We were fortunate to have Claire Kredens as our driver guide. She is a gifted leader and could cope with ant situation. Such a tour is useful to learn which cities you might like to re-visit because our time in each is very short. Four and five hour drives every other day is exhausting and maybe the number of places visited could be edited downward. On the whole, I enjoyed the trip altho the age range 15-99 is unwise. 15-80 would be much more realistic.

My son and I had a great hiking adventure on the Sedona tour! The scenery was stunning, the hikes were fun! Tolman was an excellent guide, who was very knowledgeable about the area, he had great hiking tips, and he picked some enjoyable challenging hikes for us! He was also an excellent cook! He prepared us some great meals! His positive outlook on everything helped the group of strangers on the trek quickly bond which led us all to have a great hiking experience!

Moose Travel Network

• Excellent - 166 reviews for North America tours

I took the 5-day Coho tour starting in Vancouver. Our tour guide Kiera was just great and has always given us with a lot of interesting information about Canada in general, our surroundings, nature and trains. In general, you could ask her anything and thus got a life coach or Canada expert! Also our group was great! We were only 7th at the beginning and became a group of 11 in Banff, due to the fact that we were the last tour for the year. Together we had fun bus rides and marveled at the beauty of Canada. I really recommend everyone to do this tour! We saw so much that otherwise would not have been possible for one independently in the short amount of time! We also did a lot of great things as a group (campfires, cooking, game night, going out) and became great friends that definitely keep in touch! Keira also always asked us about our preferences, which also allowed us to decide for ourselves what we wanted to focus on! I really loved this flexibility! My expectations of the trip were definitely exceeded and I am overjoyed to have chosen it. The hostels were also all very pleasant and clean. The Wildness Hostel was definitely a highlight, which made the experience even more special. I would gladly give it more stars as I am absolutely convinced and can recommend it to everyone!

If you're looking to see the most beautiful parts of BC and Alberta without any of the hassle and cost of organising/driving then this tour is for you. You are taken through the most stunning parts of Canada, all the while making new friends and being as daring as you please with optional activities such as bungee jumping in canyons, ziplining down mountains and kayaking on glacial lakes. Is there lots of time spent on the road? Sure! But chatting to your fellow explorers and even just looking out the windows to marvel at the jaw-dropping landscape will pass the time quickly. There are only a few days of the tour that are heavy on travel and Moose have ensured that there are pit-stops at stunning locations along the way to keep you in the adventurous spirit. Travelling by bus also gives you access to places that are not as easily seen by car; Moraine lake for example (one of the most beautiful places on the trip) was only open to busses when we arrived, the car park having filled up for the day at 6am. Hostel accommodation was the perfect medium - I wasn't keen on camping but nor did I want to shell out on a tour with hotel stays at twice the price. Most of the hostels were brand new and immaculate (HI Banff, HI Whistler, HI Jasper). It was my first time in hostels and I was pleasantly surprised. Just remember to bring your flip-flops for the showers and some earplugs to block out any snorers! Also be aware that Rampart Creek (Rustic hostel stay in the mountains for 1 night only) has no flushing toilets or running water so prepare adequately for that one! For me, most things in life are about the people you experience it with and Moose didn’t disappoint. I know it’s pot-luck who you get in your group, but I think this tour does pull in like minded people and it was a pleasure to travel with everyone on my tour. Our Guide, Bruno, was also amazing and completely made our trip. He was knowledgeable, kept things fun and was every part a one-of-the gang as the rest of us. Only other thing to note, is that if you’re looking for a hiking-centred trip then perhaps this tour might disappoint. But if you’re willing to trade in a few hikes for incredible scenery, other outdoor activities (additional costs but great fun) and meeting like minded new people, then I promise you won’t regret it.

• Excellent - 19,650 reviews for North America tours

Everything was perfectly organized for our convenience. Director was experienced and handled everything flawlessly. We really enjoyed the experience. Hotels were very comfortable. The only comment I would add that we had to get up very early to be at the bus between and 8. Then after having the excursion we had the whole afternoon for ourselves. I would prefer to get up later and finish daily activity later.

Great guide Peter and driver who made the tour a very good experience

• Excellent - 989 reviews for North America tours

Handled adversity well.

1. The bus driver, did an excellent job. 2. We could of used a better bus with a bathroom 3. The tour guides were good, they were very informative about our activities 4. The motels chosen were ver ckean 5. The length of time, was right for the amount of days 6. The travel packet i received needed clearer instructions, the hotel staff were not familiar with this tour operator. nor were they able to help me. 7. The security guard berween the luxor and the excalibur srated "the bus location and pick up tours:, was the place to be. 8. I was in the wrong location, after talking to your customer service, which at first she was hesitating to help me. She finslly was sble to contact me with Patrivia. Whom did not hesitate to contact me via text. Aand pick me up! Patricia's excellent customer service. Changed the entire scenario., and made it possible for me to join this wonderful 3 day tour of sightseeing. Photography. And hiking.

• Excellent - 876 reviews for North America tours

War ein tolles Erlebnis. Ich hätte mir mehr Zeit im Yosemite Park gewünscht. Und das Death Valley sollte vielleicht ein fester Bestandteil der Reise sein. Ansonsten war alles super.

This was a fast but nice tour and Dave was a good guide. Only in LA i thought we should have had more time but it was perfect for a Solo Travler

Discover Canada Tours

• Excellent - 376 reviews for North America tours

The staff was wonderful. The excursions were so fun. Everything is so well planned we never had to think about a thing. It is beautiful and relaxing. Food was very good.

Fabulous staff, food, activities!!!

Southwest Adventure Tours

• Excellent - 101 reviews for North America tours

Everything was great. We enjoyed the pacing of our itinerary and our guide Gogee was excellent.

The Mighty 5 Tour was mighty fine! Aaron, our tour guide, was amazing. Seeing 5 National Parks in 5 days is a daunting feat but he did a great job in showing us the highlights and also asking our group if we had any requests. He honored them and was great at tailoring our tour to our group and our hiking abilities. We would highly recommend this tour and guide!

• Excellent - 1,895 reviews for North America tours

Excellent. Great guide, driver, weather, hotels, food. Great itenirary. Love love this trip.

Very nice tour. Would have liked more time in a place or two but, overall, good.

Infinite Adventures

• Excellent - 118 reviews for North America tours

It was my first group trip and also my first camping trip. I have to say it was one of the best trips I've been on. It was an adventure! We were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights at Remote Camp. Tory and Dave took care of everything and made sure everyone had a great time. No matter what problem you had, they always helped each other! Dave cooked delicious food, we had marshmallows by the fire in the evening and it felt like family. It's a great tour and I can only recommend it to anyone! It certainly wasn't my last tour with Infinite Adventure! Many thanks to Tory, Dave and Natalie (who you could ask any question you wanted to know beforehand) for this unforgettable time! :)

Jump on the bus with Infinite Adventures for a magnificent Alaskan expedition! Dave and Tory are excellent guides and will keep you informed about the areas you visit and give expert advice. I found this to be a truly joyful experience!

• Excellent - 74,887 reviews for North America tours

This was our second trip on Globus and both experiences were fantastic.

It was an excellent trip!

National Geographic Journey…

• Excellent - 258 reviews for North America tours

Good time with lots of riding in the van going to interesting places

We had a wonderful time. The tour was well planned and well managed. The CEO was excellent ..good driver, good communicator, had good knowledge of the local attractions and made great recommendations for restaurants. The group we were with was also a very pleasant group which made the experience that much more enjoyable. That said, would have loved to see the accommodations updated.. most except the Denali cabins were old and "weathered".

The Coyote Trip

• Good - 11 reviews for North America tours

This trip was run like a school trip, we were told that we had to stick to the schedule rigidly even though I asked several times to visit a different museum/shop. Free time was limited and it seemed like the guide had specific ideas of what he wanted to do and see. Our guide also left us on a subway in New York to get home close to midnight and then we had issues getting checked into the hostel. FYI most tour guides make sure their group gets to the hotel safely and without hassle. Waste of time and money.

From a speedboat to the Statue of Liberty to fireworks on 4th July in Washington to hiking to Yosemite Falls, this trip showcased the very best the USA has to offer. I went on the 21 day Full Cyote trip from New York to San Francisco with my brother. With such a packed itinerary of included activities, it offered great value for money. The guides in every region we visited were excellent. A particular shout out to Ryan, who added in extra stops and experiences based on the group's interests. Other highlights included the Grand Canyon, Washington's museums, whale watching in Boston, cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge and sunset in Griffeths Park. I met a great group of people on the trip, and I wouldn't hesitate to book with the Cyote Trip again.

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United States Reviews & Ratings

I have had an absolutely amazing trip.

My wife and I have had an absolutely amazing trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles via Napa Valley, Yosemite, Death Valley, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Monume...

An absolutely amazing experience,

An absolutely amazing experience, would highly recommend to anyone. Parks we...

Vanessa and Martin

The Vegas to LA trip is amazing.

The Vegas to LA trip is amazing. Excellent and diverse range of trip experiences. Wonderful and breathtaking locations of the Canyons with opportunities to explore b...

The trip itself was amazing!

The trip itself was amazing! The Venus were interesting and beautiful. The food was delicious (especially the buffet at The Grand on Mackinac Island). We enjoyed get...

It was a great trip

It was a great trip with a great group. The food and accommodations were very nice. Our bus broke down at one point but our guide and driver handled it as quickly an...

See all United States reviews

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Trip planning.

Who is a Tour Operator? Know Roles and Responsibilities

If travel destinations and tourist places are something that interest you or fill you with enthusiasm, probably then, you must know about a tour operator. Tour operators advise customers about different travel options. They organize tours for individuals or different groups of travelers. As professionals, they prepare tour itineraries, and tour packages and coordinate with vendors for your holidays.

In this write-up, we delve into a tour operator’s roles and discuss the necessary skills, roles, and education qualifications for the job.

Who is a Tour Operator?

A tour operator is someone who belongs to the hospitality industry. He organizes tours and helps customers during trips so that they have positive reviews. Advising customers on different tour packages based on their budget and interests, and handling all logistics of a tour, such as booking tickets and accommodations, are some basic roles assigned to them.

Tour operators generally work for travel agencies or tour companies A tour guide will accompany tourists on their trips, but tour operators are solely available to answer their questions. They provide detailed information about tourists’ itineraries.

Types of Tour Operators

Here are some types of tour operators who can help you plan your holidays better and make them memorable!

1. Domestic Tour Operators

 Domestic tour operators provide tours and travel services within their own country. They serve tourists who desire to explore different regions or attractions within their country.

2. Inbound Tour Operators

These operators serve foreign tourists visiting their country. They plan and organize tours within their own country, and provide services such as transport, accommodation, guided tours, and activities.

3. Outbound Tour Operators

Outbound tour operators organize tours for residents of one country traveling to another country or countries. They arrange the trip, including flights, accommodations, transportation, and activities at the travel destination.

4. Special Interest Tour Operators

These operators specialize in planning tours catering to specific interests or hobbies, such as wildlife safaris, culinary tours, photography tours, adventure travel, or cultural immersion experiences.

5. Wholesale Tour Operators

Wholesale tour operators sell pre-packaged tour products in bulk to travel agencies or retail outlets. They often provide discounted rates to travel agents. Travel agents usually earn a profit by reselling the tours to clients.

6. Incentive Travel Companies

These companies organize travel experiences for corporate groups or organizations as rewards or incentives for employees or clients. They often tailor trips to meet the guided objectives and preferences of the organization.

Tour operators design and organize pre-packaged tours or holiday packages while the Travel agents help clients in booking individual travel components.

What is the Role of a Tour Operator?

Tour operators play a wide array of roles when it comes to planning holiday packages and dealing with tourists.

1. Planning Tour Packages

These professionals design and schedule travel packages for individual travelers or groups of tourists. They coordinate with their clients to discuss their likes and dislikes and then suggest a range of attractions, accommodations, and transportation options to enable the clients to select the tour packages that meet their preferences.

2. Negotiating Rates

Often the tour operators can try to book a group of room /blocks in a hotel for their bigger group. This leads to lower rates for the tourists.

3. Arranging Travel

Tour operators ensure that passengers have their train tickets to travel between the cities or even book a car rental to help customers visit the attractions according to their schedule.

4. Providing Customer Support

A tour operator offers travelers with the technical assistance that they may need before a trip. For example, they may reply to customer questions about a trip they are planning, tell them about currency exchange rates, or notify them if there are any changes in their itinerary.

5. Preparing Tour Budgets

A tour operator comes up with different price options with sample itineraries and counsels customers on the kind of lodging and attractions that are within their budget.

6. Researching Travel Options

Tour operators are specialists who gather and study data on traveling patterns to suggest itineraries to tourists about where they should go, where they will stay, and where they can eat on their trips.  

They read articles and browse online for details about travel trends and popular tourist spots that they can use to stay updated with what is trending currently.

Educational Requirements for a Tour Operator

To become a tour operator you need a high school diploma or equivalent. Some employers, particularly tour companies or travel organizations, may prefer to hire candidates with a bachelor’s degree.

Tour operators need a degree in tourism and travel services management or hospitality management. Many colleges and universities offer these undergraduate programs, and it typically takes four years for students to complete their degree. You can also consider doing short-term courses in the following streams.

• Hospitality finance
• Foundations of tourism
• International hotel management
• Tourism information technology
• Hospitality management strategies
• Sustainable tourism planning
• Revenue management
• Service technology
• Event planning
• Human resources management
• Hospitality sales and marketing

Difference between Travel Agent and Tour Operator

Tour operators and travel agents both play important roles in the tourism industry, but they have distinct functions and responsibilities. Let’s differentiate between the two.

Travel Agent :

A travel agent is an individual or a company that acts as an intermediary between travelers and travel service providers. They may specialize in certain types of travel, destinations, or services.

Travel agents typically earn commissions from the travel suppliers they book with, rather than charging clients directly for their services.

They assist clients in planning and booking the trip, including flights, accommodations, transportation, and activities.

Tour Operator :

A tour operator is a company that designs, organizes, and sells pre-packaged tours or holiday packages to travelers. Tour operators handle all aspects of the tour, including accommodations, transportation, meals, guided tours, and activities. They often work with travel agents to sell their tour packages to clients.

They may specialize in specific types of tours, such as adventure tours, cultural tours, luxury tours, or eco-tours. Tour operators also offer customized tour packages tailored to the preferences and needs of individual clients or groups.

Wrapping Up

The profile of a tour operator is special as it blends creativity, expertise, and impact. Tour operators have the privilege of turning travelers’ dreams into reality by crafting unique and immersive travel experiences tailored to specific interests and preferences.

They have an extensive knowledge of travel destinations, coupled with strong connections with local suppliers. This enables them to offer better service and access to exclusive travel opportunities.

Check also: Best Places to Visit in Kashmir

Moreover, tour operators play a crucial role in promoting sustainable tourism practices as they support local communities, and preserve cultural and natural heritage. Although they may face challenges such as changing rules and unforeseen circumstances, tour operators show professionalism in ensuring the safety and satisfaction of their clients.

A tour operator designs organizes, and sells pre-packaged tours or holiday packages to travelers. They plan and coordinate all aspects of the tour, including accommodations, transportation, meals, guided tours, and activities.

They also negotiate contracts with travel suppliers such as hotels, airlines, transportation companies, and tour guides. A tour operator promotes tour packages to attract clients.

Moreover, they assist and support to travelers before, during, and after the tour. They also ensure compliance with safety regulations and provide a high-quality travel experience.

While both tour operators and travel agents are involved in the travel industry, they have separate roles and functions.

A tour operator specializes in designing and organizing pre-packaged tours or holiday packages for travelers. They handle all aspects of the tour, from transportation and accommodations to planning activities and excursions.

On the other hand, a travel agent acts as an intermediary between travelers and travel service providers. They assist clients in planning and booking various aspects of a trip, such as flights, accommodations, transportation, and activities.

Travel agents may work with tour operators to sell their tour packages to clients, among other services.

A tour operator designs and creates pre-packaged tour itineraries tailored to specific destinations or themes. They negotiate contracts with hotels, airlines, transportation companies, and other travel suppliers to secure competitive rates and check availability.

They handle all logistics related to the tour, including booking accommodations, arranging transportation, and organizing guided tours and activities.

They market and promote tour packages to target audiences through online platforms, travel agencies, and promotional events.

A tour operator provides assistance and support to travelers throughout the tour, including addressing any issues or concerns that may arise.

Finally, they ensure compliance with safety regulations and industry standards to ensure the well-being and safety of travelers.

Last but not least, a tour operator continuously evaluates and improves tour offerings based on customer feedback and market trends to improve the overall travel experience.

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Understanding the Difference Between Tour Operators and Travel Agents

By Rebecca Somes

Tour operators and travel agents might seem similar at first glance, but they have distinct roles when it comes to planning a vacation. While they both offer some similar services, it’s helpful to know which one best fits certain needs.

What is a Tour Operator?

A tour operator handles the nitty-gritty of a holiday experience, from booking and packaging to organising accommodation, transport, meals, guides, and optional tours. They’re like the behind-the-scenes magicians who ensure everything runs smoothly once a customer steps off the plane at a destination

On the other hand, travel agents act as matchmakers, connecting customers with the perfect vacation package from various tour operators. They’re like personal travel advisors, helping navigate through different destinations, budgets, and travel preferences to find the ideal fit for a dream getaway. Once customers have made a choice, they liaise with the tour operator to ensure all requests are met, handling the paperwork and payments along the way.

In the past, travel agents were the go-to choice for booking tour packages. However, with the rise of the internet and travel technology over the last couple of decades, many people now opt to book directly with tour operators. The internet has made it easier than ever to access and book tour packages independently, reducing the need for an agent to identify available operators. Nowadays, most tour operators engage directly with clients and sell their packages, cutting out the middleman.

However, some people still prefer to rely on their trusted local or family travel agent, with whom they have built a long-standing relationship over the years.

Types of Travel Agency

In the travel industry, there’s a growing number of independent travel agents who operate without ties to a specific agency. This presents a fantastic opportunity for people looking for remote work in the travel sector.

These independent agents come in various forms. Some create bespoke itineraries tailored to each client’s preferences, while others partner with specific travel companies. Additionally, some act as resellers, offering pre-packaged tours through Host Agencies.

Regardless of their specific model, most travel agents excel at helping to plan a trip. They use their expertise to provide recommendations based on their customer’s interests, budgets, and travel requirements. The advantage of working with a travel agent lies in their insider knowledge and knack for navigating the complexities of holiday planning and booking. When it comes to travel agencies, there’s a varied range of options available to suit every preference. Here are some of the different types of travel agencies:

Online Travel Agencies (OTAs): These are websites that allow users to search and book travel-related services online. OTAs offer a wide range of options, from flights and cruises to tours and activities, all in one convenient platform.

Brick-and-Mortar Travel Agencies: These are traditional travel agencies with physical offices where customers can visit and speak with travel agents face-to-face. They provide personalized service and assistance in planning and booking travel arrangements.

Corporate Travel Agencies: Specializing in business travel, corporate travel agencies cater to the needs of companies and organizations. They manage corporate travel policies, negotiate discounts with suppliers, and help with itinerary planning and expense management.

Specialist Travel Agencies: These agencies focus on specific types of travel, such as adventure travel, luxury travel, or niche markets like eco-tourism or culinary tours. They offer expertise and tailored recommendations for travellers with particular interests or preferences.

Overall, the travel agency landscape is diverse and caters to a wide range of travellers, each with unique needs and preferences.

The Roles of Tour Operators and Travel Agents

In conclusion, while tour operators and travel agents share some similarities, they play distinct roles in the holiday planning process. Tour operators handle the logistics of a vacation, from booking and packaging to on-the-ground arrangements, ensuring a hassle free experience for travellers. On the other hand, travel agents act as intermediaries, connecting customers with the perfect holiday package from various tour operators, and offering personalized advice and assistance throughout the planning process. Despite the rise of online booking platforms and websites , many travellers still rely on trusted travel agents for their expertise and insider knowledge. Additionally, the travel agency landscape continues to evolve, with independent agents offering bespoke services and various types of agencies catering to different travel needs and preferences. Ultimately, whether booking through a tour operator or a travel agent, travellers have access to a diverse range of options to suit their individual preferences and requirements thanks to the advancements in travel technology and products .

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Different types of tour operators that you should know about.

Tour operators are an integral part of the travel industry. They play a crucial role in creating and selling travel packages to different destinations worldwide. A tour operator is a company that puts together travel packages, which usually include transportation, accommodation, and activities, and sells them to consumers. This blog will discuss the different types of tour operators and their roles in the travel industry. Knowing the types will help one to choose the better fit. 

Types of tour operators

As per the requirement, there are different types of tour operators in the travel industry. Some of these include inbound tour operators, outbound tour operators, domestic, specialist among others. Let us explore them one by one. 

1. Inbound Tour Operators

Inbound tour operators organize and sell travel packages for visitors coming into the country. They are responsible for creating itineraries and ensuring that visitors have a memorable experience during their stay. They typically work with local suppliers, such as hotels, transportation companies, and tour guides, to assemble their packages.

2. Outbound Tour Operators

Outbound tour operators are companies that organize and sell travel packages for consumers who are traveling out of their home country. They are responsible for creating itineraries and ensuring that travelers have everything they need for their trip. They work with local suppliers in the destination country to ensure everything is in place when their clients arrive.

3. Domestic Tour Operators

Domestic tour operators organize and sell travel packages within their home country. They specialize in creating tours that showcase the best that their country has to offer. They work with local suppliers, such as hotels, transportation companies, and attractions, to create their packages.

4. Specialist Tour Operators

Specialist tour operators focus on specific niches within the travel industry. They may specialize in adventure, education, luxury, or any other type of travel that appeals to a particular group of travelers. They typically have a deep knowledge of their niche and can create unique and memorable client experiences.

5. Travel Agency and Tour Operators

Travel agencies and tour operators are often used interchangeably, but there is a noticeable difference between the two. Travel agencies typically sell flights, hotels, and transportation, while tour operators create and sell complete travel packages that include activities and accommodation.

6. Luxury Tour Operators

Luxury tour operators create and sell high-end travel packages to discerning travelers. They typically offer personalized service, exclusive access to attractions and activities, and top-of-the-line accommodations. Luxury tour operators cater to travelers who are looking for a one-of-a-kind experience.

7. International Tour Operators

International tour operators are companies that create and sell travel packages to destinations around the world. They work with local suppliers in each destination to develop itineraries that showcase the best of what the goal has to offer.

8. Coach Tour Operators

Coach tour operators are companies that organize and sell tours that are conducted on a coach or bus. These tours typically cover a large area or several countries. They offer a convenient and affordable way to see multiple destinations in one trip.

9. Receptive Tour Operators

Receptive tour operators work with other tour operators to create travel packages for a specific destination. They are responsible for coordinating the local suppliers and ensuring that everything runs smoothly during the trip.

10. Adventure Tour Operators

Adventure tour operators specialize in creating and selling travel packages that offer outdoor activities and adventures. These tours may include hiking, rafting, or wildlife safaris and are designed for travelers looking for an adrenaline rush.

11. Educational Tour Operators

Educational tour operators create and sell travel packages that focus on educational experiences. These tours may include visits to historical sites, museums, or cultural events and are designed to give travelers a deeper understanding of the destination.

Why tour operators are crucial?

Tour operators play a vital role in the travel industry as they create and sell travel packages that offer unique and memorable experiences for travelers. By understanding the different types of tour operators, travelers can choose the right tour operator for their specific needs and preferences.

It's also worth noting that many travel agencies also offer tour operator services, so it's important to do your research and choose a reputable company with experience in the destinations and types of travel that interest you.

Whether planning a domestic trip or an international adventure, working with a tour operator can save time and hassle while providing unique and memorable travel experiences. In addition, many tour operators are now offering more sustainable travel options, such as eco-tourism and responsible travel. These tours aim to minimize the impact of tourism on the environment and local communities while providing travelers with unique and authentic travel experiences.

Another trend in the tour operator industry is using technology to enhance the travel experience. For example, some tour operators now use virtual reality to provide travelers with a preview of their destination or to offer immersive experiences during the trip. Tour operators will likely continue to adapt and innovate as the travel industry continues to evolve to meet travelers' changing needs and preferences. Suggested Read:  How to Become a Travel Agent

In summary, tour operators play a vital role in the travel industry, offering travelers a wide range of options and experiences. By understanding the different types of tour operators and their functions, travelers can make more informed choices when planning their trips. With the increasing focus on sustainability, responsible travel, and technological innovation, the tour operator industry is poised to continue growing and evolving in the years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. what are the criteria for classifying tour operators, q2. who do tour operators collaborate with, q3. what industry does a tour operator work in, q4. what is the role of an inbound tour operator, q5. what sets luxury tour operators apart.

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The Current Trends, Key Issues Facing Tour Operators

December 2021

By Travel Pulse

Posted 13 December 2021, 08:47 PM ET

The  United States Tour Operators Association  (USTOA) released the findings of its annual survey focusing on current trends, key issues and factors impacting the tour operator industry.

According to the study released during the  2022 USTOA Annual Conference and Marketplace  in San Diego, 93 percent of respondents anticipate growth in sales in 2022, while another 65 percent are forecasting average growth of between 7-10 percent.

The survey also found that 53 percent of tour operators believe the travel industry will see a full recovery of business by the end of 2023, while 20 percent believe the recovery will come by 2022. Only seven percent of respondents reported recovery by 2025 or beyond.

USTOA members reported that 59 percent of existing bookings for 2022 are new and 41 percent are rebooked passengers from canceled trips in 2020/2021. In addition, 75 percent of existing bookings are to international destinations, while 25 percent are to North American destinations.

“As far as booking patterns go, it's really been all over the place for a lot of the tour operators based upon what's happening,” Scott Wiseman of ALG Vacations told TravelPulse. “What's encouraging is that we're seeing more of new bookings versus the rebooking.”

Most tour operator members (91 percent) report being confident that guest bookings will increase in 2022, while 36 percent reported consumers are booking within four to six months of departure.

“While this year’s survey reveals more confidence moving into 2022, our members are not blind to the challenges that lay ahead on the road to recovery,” USTOA President Terry Dale said. “We asked members to name the biggest challenge or obstacle to operating in 2022 and border closing confusion across countries/states topped the list, followed by customer confidence to travel.”

The study also reinforced the significant contribution travel advisors make to the tour operator industry, with 89 percent of members planning to utilize agents to generate sales as they continue to resume business in 2022.

Italy topped the list of top international destinations travelers are booking for 2022, with France and Greece tied for second and Ireland ranked third. As for domestic destinations, National Parks topped the list, while Alaska followed in second and Hawaii finished third.

USTOA members  chose small group tours as the most popular travel product for 2022. FIT ranked second, followed by private groups, classic group tours (25 passengers or more), river cruising and small ship cruising. Ocean cruising (medium-to-large ship) rounded out the list.

Sustainable or responsible travel topped the list of trends that will have the most impact on the industry over the next ten years, with 56 percent already having formal policies, procedures and metrics to measure social and environmental implications of services.

Tour Operators: Types, Functions, Importance, Difference

• Post last modified: 19 January 2023
• Reading time: 18 mins read
• Post category: Uncategorized

What is Tour Operator?

Tour operators are sometimes called wholesalers but this is partially true because a wholesaler buys goods or services in bulk at his own account to prepare a tour package and then retails it through the travel agencies or directly to the clients.

Table of Content

• 1 What is Tour Operator?
• 2.1 Inbound Tour Operators
• 2.2 Outbound Tour Operators
• 2.3 Domestic Tour Operators
• 2.4 Destination Management Companies
• 3.1 Planning a Tour
• 3.2 Making Tour Package
• 3.3 Arranging a Tour
• 3.4 Travel Information
• 3.5 Reservation
• 3.6 Travel Management
• 3.7 Evaluate the Option Available
• 3.8 Promotion
• 3.9 Sales and Marketing
• 3.10 Taking Care of Glitch
• 4 Importance of Tour Operators
• 5.1 Tour Packages Creation
• 5.2 Make Travel Arrangements in Advance
• 5.3 Tour Operations Budgeting
• 5.4 Providing a Relaxed and Safe Tour
• 6 Difference between Travel Agent and Tour Operator

However, a tour operator who has his own one or more tourist product components formulates a new tourist product for example ‘inclusive tours’. Tour Operators generally offer a variety of package tours to cater to the needs of different kinds of travellers.

An organization, firm or company which buys individual travel components, separately from their suppliers and combines them into a package tour, which is sold with their own price tag to the public directly or through middlemen is called a tour operator.

More precisely, tour operators are mainly responsible for delivering and performing the services specified in a given package tour. They can provide these services themselves as some have their own cars and coaches, hotels and other travel-related services or can obtain these from other suppliers. That is why they are called manufacturers of tourism products.

Types of Tour Operators

Following are the types of tour operators explained briefly:

Inbound Tour Operators

Outbound tour operators, domestic tour operators, destination management companies.

These are also known as incoming tour operators. Technically, the operators who receive guests, clients/tourists, and handle arrangements in the host country are called inbound tour operators.

For example, a group of American tourists coming through TCI to India and the company makes arrangements and handles the group in India, then TCI is called an inbound tour operator. Incidentally, the inbound traffic to the country for the last two decades has been decreasing.

Essentially, tour operators need to adopt innovative marketing strategies and should introduce special interest tours to cater to the special needs of foreign tourists.

Tour operators, who promote tours to foreign destinations, maybe business tours or leisure tours are called outbound tour operators. Indian outbound tourist traffic is growing at a rate of 10 percent annually and this makes India the second-largest country in the world with regard to the travelling population.

However, India’s outbound tourism is not only holiday-oriented but it is business-oriented too. There are many travel companies that offer outbound packages such as SITA, TCI, Thomas Cook etc.

Domestic tour operators are those who assemble and combine tourist components into inclusive tours and sell them to domestic travellers. In general, these tour operators provide travel services within the boundary of the home country and offer package tours to travellers viz. domestic inclusive tours or independent tours.

These are commonly known as handling agencies and their main function is to organize tour arrangements for incoming tourists on behalf of overseas operators. When a tour operator himself promotes beach holidays, wildlife holidays, wildlife tours, heritage tours, cultural tours at different places, difficulty arises.

It is the ground operator who handles the incoming travellers in the same season but at different places and ensures that the entire operation is according to the package tours or agreements.

Sometimes when a handling agency is at a prominent tourist place, for example, Delhi and it has to make arrangements to Goa, then it contracts (if it has no office of its own) with a local operator (known as an excursion agent) to handle the arrangements on his behalf.

Functions of Tour Operator

A tour operator is like a service provider, providing the most convenient option for tourists to stay, visit, as well as leave the city. A tour operator owns a high volume of travel services across carriers, services, and accommodation. Some most important functions of the tour operators are following:

Planning a Tour

Making tour package, arranging a tour, travel information, reservation, travel management, evaluate the option available, sales and marketing, taking care of glitch.

The most important function of the tour operators is planning a tour. Tour operators plan a tour and make a tour itinerary that contains the identification of the origin, destination and all the stopping point in a traveller’s tour.

A prospective tour operator also gives advice to intending tourists in various types of tour programmes, which they may choose for their leisure or commercial travel.

Tour operator buys individual travel components, separately from their suppliers and combine them into a package tour. Tour operators make tour package by assembling various travel components into a final product that is called a tour package which is sold to tourists with their own price tag. Making tour packages is also an important function of the tour Operator.

Tour operators make tour package and also arrange a tour according to tourist demands. Tour operators arrange the tour package and various tourists activities to provide the best experience to tourists/travellers.

Whatever the size of tour operators, it has provided necessary travel information to the tourists. This task is utterly difficult and very complicated. A tour operator must give up-to-date, accurate and timely information regarding destinations, modes of travel, accommodation, sightseeing, immigration, health and security rules about various permits required to travel in a particular area etc.

It is a very important function of all types of tour operators and travel agencies. Tour operators make all the reservations by making linkages with the accommodation sector, transport sector and other entertainment organizations to reserve rooms, and seats in cultural programmes and transportation.

Tour operators manage tours from the beginning to the end of the tour. A tour operator has the responsibility to look after the finer details of a vacation or tour such as hotel, accommodation, meals, conveyance etc. Tour operators provide travel guides, and escorting services and arrange all travel-related needs and wants.

Tour operators evaluate all available options to provide a unique or unforgettable travel experience to tourists during their journey. Tour operators evaluate the various options available for a tour package and provide the best of them to tourists.

Tour Operators makes tour packages and promote them into various tourists markets at domestic as well international level. Tour operators promote a travel destination to attract a large group of tourists at the domestic as well as international level.

In the promotion of tourist destinations, tour operators play a key role. Travel agencies or tour operators are called image builders of a country.

Tour operators do sales and marketing of tourist products. Tour operators buy individual travel components, separately and combine them into a tour package, which is sold with their own price tag to the public directly. Tour operators do the marketing of tourist destinations and tourism products to attract the attention of tourists/travellers.

Tours operators are also called handling agencies that handle tour package and take care of all the glitches and problems that arise during a tour package. Tour operators fix the glitches and provide the best available alternative to tourists during their journey.

Importance of Tour Operators

• Tours operators play a key role in the tourism sector. Tour operators create tourist product, promote them and finally sold them to tourist.
• Tour operators provide the best and competitive price to the tourist. Tour operators negotiate with suppliers of tourism product such as hotels, airlines and provide the best possible price to the tourist.
• Tour operators buy tourist product in bulk and get huge discounts from suppliers. So that they can provide tourist’s products at cheap price.
• Tour operators organized a tour in the best way. They personalize and make sure each and every component of the tour is well-taken care. Tour operators provide best travel experience during a tour. Tour operators save tourist’s times and money.
• Tour operators provide immediate support system at host country as well as foreign land. When tourists travel to a foreign land and things get uncertain, maybe it’s a health or loss of documents and need to return back or change of travel plan. A qualified tour operator takes care of all these unseen events with efficiency.
• Tour operator caters to the needs of tourists on the based on their taste of travel. Tour operator provides all the best available option according to tourist needs and demands.

Role of Tour Operators in Tourism Business

Tour packages creation.

The tour operator is in charge of developing and maintaining guests’ tour packages. The preparation of activities that appeal to the specific visitors embarking on the trip is part of tour package management. When and how to adjust a tour package to best adhere to the group or individual’s goals should be covered by the tour operator.

Make Travel Arrangements in Advance

In most circumstances, tour operators are responsible for making travel arrangements for the touring group. This covers transportation from one location to another, as well as ensuring that all members of the group arrive at their next destination. Tour operators frequently assist with flight tickets and collaborate closely with hotels to recommend lodging reservations, sightseeing alternatives, and other activities to group members.

Tour Operations Budgeting

Tour operators work hard to build tour packages that provide users with great service at a lower cost than if they booked each commodity separately, while still running a profitable business. Tourists purposefully seek out the assistance of a travel agent or tour operator in order to get more value for their money. Before finalising a tour package, tour operators should take the time to evaluate pricing.

Providing a Relaxed and Safe Tour

A tour should fulfil all of a traveller’s expectations and beyond. A tour operator should be skilled at putting together an experience that will leave guests with lifelong memories.

It’s just as crucial to providing a meaningful, good experience as it is to keep your passengers safe throughout the journey. Some tour activities may represent a possible risk to travellers, putting the tour organisation at risk. As a tour operator, you should encourage your visitors to purchase travel insurance. Insurance will give you and the tourists peace of mind as they go on once–in–a–lifetime experiences. Travel Agency & Tour Operators Roles & Responsibilities

Difference between Travel Agent and Tour Operator

There is a lot of confusion about the difference between tour operators and travel agents what exactly makes them different. The main difference between a Travel agent and a Tour operator are following as:

• A travel agent is a person who has a full knowledge of tourist product – destinations, modes oftravel, climate, accommodation and other areas of the service sector. He acts on the behalf ofthe product providers/principals and in return get a commission.
• Tour operator is an organization, firm or company who buys individual travel components,separately from their suppliers and combines them into a package tour, which is sold withtheir own price tag to the public directly or through middlemen.
• Tour operators are like wholesalers and travel agents are the retailers.
• A tour operator makes the package holidays up and the travel agents sell them on.
• Tour operator taking up the bulk of the responsibilities and his fee is obviously much greaterthan a travel agent.
• A tour operator has the responsibilities to look after the finer details of a vacation or tour suchas hotel, accommodation, meals, conveyance etc.

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7 Tour Operator Software for Small Teams | Bókun (2024 Guide)

Small tour guide brands should look for a few key features when comparing booking software: 

• First, you need the tools to create a booking website. Many brands offer booking widgets you can embed on your site to drive bookings. But if you don’t already have a booking website, you’ll need tour operator software with a website builder. 
• Second, you need tools to grow your distribution network over time. You can get your name in front of more potential customers by selling tours on OTAs and partnering with other businesses to promote each others’ services and experiences.   
• Third, you need user-friendly features to manage operations and staff. This includes creating tour listings, setting pricing and availability, keeping track of bookings, assigning tour guides, automating simple customer communications, and reporting on revenue. 

You’ll also want to consider scalability — your booking management system should adapt with your business as you grow. That way, you don’t “outgrow” your systems and reach a point where you have to switch software (as we all know transitioning software can be a massive headache). 

Last, and perhaps most obviously — pricing is important for small teams. Comparing tour operator software pricing is tricky because pricing models can vary: some systems charge subscription fees, some charge booking or transaction fees, and some charge a combination. 

We compiled this guide of 8 popular tour operator software for small teams. We’ll cover the features bulleted above, scalability, and pricing, so you can compare the options and find what’s best for you. 

Our guide kicks off with a review of our solution, Bókun. (To explore our platform after reading, we offer a free 14-day trial .) 

Best Tour Operator Software for Small Teams 

• Bókun

1. Bókun

Flexible tour operator software to support small teams & guide growth strategies.

Bókun is loved by tour operators ( rated 4.8 stars on Capterra ) because:

• Our platform brings everything to sell tours online and manage operations under one roof. You can ditch manual methods (like tracking bookings in spreadsheets ), consolidate your tech stack, and keep everyone and everything running smoothly. 
• Bókun is super easy to use and learn. We offer a free 14-day trial so you can get acclimated to the platform before deciding if you want to opt-in to the PRO subscription.  Users report little to no learning curve when adopting Bókun and adjusting platform features when they want to add sales channels or start partnerships. Our team is happy to answer questions and help during onboarding, and we even offer consulting for growing teams as they increase reservations through our platform.    
• We’re a Tripadvisor brand and Viator partner, offering special perks for those users. Viator users can import tour listings directly into Bókun for easier management. We also offer four free Viator product checks each month and waive Bókun booking fees on reservations from this platform. Bókun connects with Tripadvisor to display customer reviews on both platforms. (We’re also a Premium Connectivity Partner with GetYourGuide.) 

Our tour operator software is designed to meet the criteria we discussed earlier, and we offer more affordable, straightforward pricing than our competitors so our platform is accessible for even small one- or two-person teams. 

We offer all features at one flat subscription cost ($49), and our booking fees are the lowest in the category (1.5% for online bookings from your website, OTAs, and partners).

We’ll review the key features below, showing how other tour operators use Bókun to sell online, increase bookings, partner with other businesses, and keep operations in order.

Create a Booking Website to Enable Direct Bookings

Our platform provides a user-friendly website builder so you can start selling tours online and enable direct bookings. You can access this website builder for free during your trial to begin creating a custom site. 

Our platform provides a variety of website templates (all mobile-friendly and SEO-optimised), and then you plug in the fields. You can add custom colours, images, and logos and then include details about your tour guide company. The booking engine is already installed and ready to go.

After you design your site, you choose your preferred website name, and we’ll cover the charges to secure the domain. 

Our website builder and complimentary domain can save tour operators $3K on average (many teams can spend much more if they’re paying for monthly website maintenance or SEO services). Most website builders charge fees to use their software, then domain charges are highly variable. Some domains cost a few cents, and others cost thousands. 

You can watch a quick demo here: 

Learn more: Create a Booking Website in 7 Steps  

In addition to our website builder, we also offer booking widgets for teams that already have a website. You can embed our online booking engine on your site with just a few clicks. 

Enabling online bookings alone improves the customer experience and helps obtain new business. Instead of submitting request forms or emailing you to ask about availability, customers can find you online, learn about your business, see your tours and openings, and instantly book with you. 

We worked with Railbiking in Greece to build a booking website and allow their customers to book online. Bookings doubled within the year , and 89% of reservations were made online. ( You can read their story here. ) 

Grow Your Distribution Network via OTAs & Bókun Marketplace

Creating a booking website is one way to drive business — but people can only book with you there if they know about you. That’s why Bókun connects with dozens of online travel agencies (OTAs) so you can sell tours on the sites people know and use to book travel. 

As mentioned above, we’re a Tripadvisor brand and Viator partner, so you can sell tours on those sites and get your business in front of millions (upon millions) of new travellers.  

But we also connect with GetYourGuide, Expedia, Headout, Tiqets, Trip.com, and many industry-specific OTAs to help grow your distribution network. 

Read more: Trip.com Partners with Bókun to Grow Supplier Reach and Boost Inventory

You can add and remove sales channels at any time through the Sales tools tab. Then, you can manage bookings and availability across all sites in the Bókun calendar. 

We recommend small teams start with one major OTA, like Viator, and another regional or niche reseller that is more closely linked to your products. 

Don’t list tours on a dozen sites at once and overwhelm yourself. If you see sales from Viator, you could open up more availability on that sales channel or add another major OTA like GetYourGuide. Explore different OTAs related to your niche and test how those perform for you. 

In addition, Bókun Marketplace is home to 27K+ suppliers and resellers. 

Beyond connecting with OTAs, you can partner with other travel businesses through the Bókun Marketplace. Our network includes other tour and activity operators like yourself, in addition to hotels, resorts, rental providers, and attractions like museums, theme parks, and universities. 

Tour operators use our network to:

• Find resellers to promote their tours — this helps you reach new potential customers and fill your booking calendar.  
• Sell others’ tours and services and grow their business through multiple revenue streams. 
• Build tour packages with partners to offer unique experiences that help them stand out from competitors. 

Read more: Venice Tours Achieved 400% Revenue Increase through the Bókun Marketplace

You can establish these relationships and manage all communications and contracts in Bókun. Our system also includes a reporting dashboard where you can see which channels or partners drive the most business. Then, you can use these learnings to inform your growth strategy. (We’ll also cover this reporting dashboard later.)

For more tips, check out some of our other guides: 

• How to Market a Tour Company
• How to Sell Tours on Viator  
• 10 Tips to Get More Tour Reservations  

Design New Tour Listings — Increase Revenue with Add-Ons & Combo Packages

You can design and manage all tour listings in the Experiences tab.  

This feature is especially user-friendly because it shows tour operators everything they need to include in listings — you simply walk through the steps in our product builder. (Then, you can create templates from listings to easily build new listings later on.)

In the image above, you can see the fields our system prompts you to complete when designing tour listings. You want to brainstorm catchy, attention-grabbing titles, provide detailed itineraries, and include high-quality images and videos from past experiences. 

The more you can include to showcase past experiences, the better. We recommend adding at least six images.

Our system also lets you offer Extras (add-ons) with tours — this is a nice way for travellers to customise their experiences, and it also gives you an opportunity to upsell customers and earn more from each booking, increasing your return on investment (ROI).

You can set pricing and availability by product — and you have a few options when setting pricing:

• Set one flat rate 
• Create pricing categories (offer one rate for children, another for adults, another for seniors, and so on) 
• Offer bulk discounts 
• Set rates for private tours 
• Leverage dynamic pricing rules 

Note: Dynamic pricing is an advanced tool that automatically adjusts your rates based on set rules. 

Circling back to Railbiking in Greece — after switching to online strategies, they started regularly booking out their calendar, so they wanted to drive additional revenue by using dynamic pricing to increase rates for tours that were especially popular with travellers. Even with increasing pricing, they still booked out (allowing them to earn more without adding more products, partnering with other businesses, or even lifting a finger).

Next, you select your availability rules with our simple-to-use tools; you choose: 

• How customers book with you (if they specify a date and time, just a day, or they buy a general pass)
• Start and close out dates for experiences (aka, the times of year you offer tours)
• The specific days of the week the experience is available 
• Departure times 

Availability rules populate your calendar, so you don’t have to manage this week by week. You can always adjust specific days or block out certain departure times to accommodate unexpected changes.

Availability also populates across all of your active sales channels and updates as customers book with you, so you can avoid overlap and double bookings.

Manage Staff, Customers, and Behind-the-Scenes Operations

While on the topic of back-office operations, let’s cover some of Bókun’s other tools to keep you organised. 

To refresh, we’ve already discussed creating a booking site, channel management, selling on OTAs, and product and availability management — briefly mentioning how you can manage new bookings and real-time availability from the Bókun calendar.

Centralised Booking Calendar

The Bókun booking calendar is your one-stop-shop for managing all reservations . It displays bookings from your website, OTAs, and partner channels and allows you to add offline bookings. (Managing offline bookings is always free!)

Then, you have a bird's-eye view of everything on your agenda and can keep up with any cancellations or rescheduling. You can also assign guides to tours so they can see their schedules. 

Mobile Apps

We offer mobile apps for iOS and Android so you and your staff can access the booking calendar while out in the field. You can see who’s scheduled to attend tours (and who specifically is on the guest list) and keep up with last-minute changes or cancellations. 

Our apps also have a ticket scanning feature to speed up and simplify guest check-in. 

CRM & Automated Communications

The Bókun booking platform includes a CRM, so you don’t have to purchase and integrate this system separately. Our CRM automatically saves customer information — names, emails, addresses — when they contact or book with you. Then, this powers Bókun’s automated communications functionality. 

Our system saves you time and gives you confidence that you’re not forgetting any important to-do’s by automatically sending customers booking confirmations, tickets, reminders before tours, follow-ups, and more. 

Our ticketing tool lets you design tour tickets (with QR or bar codes) so customers can save them on their mobile devices for a smooth check-in. 

We provide a series of templates to customise all types of emails, such as: 

• Thank you’s that can be sent after tours  
• Promotional emails (with discounts, promo codes, etc.) 
• Upselling emails to sell add-ons 
• Retargeting emails to capture abandoned carts or cancellations
• Newsletters about new experiences or events in your area 

You can customise templates any which way and choose when they’re scheduled to send (on specific dates, after set actions, etc.). Our system takes care of the rest. 

Customer Portals

Bókun also includes customer portals so travellers can view, modify, or cancel tours online at their convenience. Our system automatically emails customers after they cancel or modify a reservation to confirm the accepted changes. Our system sends you a notification and automatically updates your calendar when customers make changes. 

(You can also design and schedule customer cancellation emails inviting them to reschedule for a later date.) 

Integrations with Payment Processing Systems 

Bókun integrates with countless payment gateways — PayPal, Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Worldpay, for example — to give customers multiple options to pay online at checkout. We also connect with Klarna so you can provide customers with financing options for pricier experiences. 

This improves the booking process as customers can actually confirm bookings and guarantee their spots when making reservations (and they don’t have to wait to pay in person when they arrive, prolonging check-in). 

Reporting Dashboard

As we talked about earlier, Bókun includes a reporting system so you can monitor sales performance and a variety of other KPIs. Our system has preset reports to show you: 

• Revenue — See how much you earn from online reservations and break earnings down by source. You can track revenue from offline bookings here, too. 
• Performance of sales channels & partners — See who brings in the most bookings and revenue and invest in more of what’s working for you. 
• Total number of bookings — See how many bookings you earn in a single day, week, or month. You can customise reports to review data over any time frame. 
• Details about bookings — For example, how many travellers per booking (to gauge if you attract families, couples, etc.), if travellers purchased add-ons, which add-ons they purchased, etc.
• Tours that are booked most often — See which products are most popular and which ones customers pass on. 
• Busy & slow seasons — See which times of year you receive the most bookings and when bookings fall off. Then, you can prepare for busy and slow seasons accordingly; you can hire more staff during busy months, and you could look at which tours are most popular and offer similar experiences during slow seasons. 

Bókun App Store 

We mentioned earlier that customers appreciate our straightforward pricing — we offer all of our core features to all users for a flat subscription cost. But users can customise Bókun or purchase add-ons through the app store . 

We have a variety of tools to support different use cases; most apps are free (like Adventure Photos), but we offer a handful of paid modules (including inventory management, a more advanced reporting suite, a digital waiver solution, and solutions for travel agents). 

We also integrate with tools like Zapier, Slack, and Google Calendar; which you can access through the app store. 

You can purchase apps and change settings as you grow and business needs change; we’re always around to help.

Getting Started & Growing in Bókun

We offer a free 14-day trial for you to explore Bókun. During the trial period, you can build your website, connect to Viator, manage offline bookings, and browse our Marketplace. 

After the trial ends, you can opt-in to our PRO subscription for $49/month. This grants access to all core Bókun features discussed above. (Remember that you can customise the software and manage those purchases through our app store.) 

We offer super low booking fees — 1.5% for online bookings from your site, OTAs, and partners. Plus, we never charge Bókun booking fees on Viator or offline reservations. 

Our team is available to answer questions as you get started and can consult with you as you grow to lend insights to your strategies. Our platform supports small tour operator teams, and we offer custom solutions for enterprise and global brands — so Bókun can support you no matter how big you grow. 

To learn more about Bókun, start your free 14-day trial — no credit card required! 

Resmark is a nice tour booking software for small teams because it’s an all-in-one solution, the platform is easy to use, and pricing is affordable. 

Resmark lets you receive bookings directly from your site, connect with OTAs, and manage offline reservations; automate back-office tasks like sending customer emails and waivers; and report on revenue and bookings. They don’t offer a self-serve website builder, but they offer website-building services and booking widgets to embed on your site. 

Resmark packs a lot under one roof, but their customer experience team is available to help during set-up and training. Then Resmark’s platform and features are designed to save tour operators hours every week, so they have time to work on the business (instead of in the business) — explore growth strategies, add new tours, hire more staff, etc. 

The only downside here regarding growth is that Resmark does not offer a reseller marketplace. The platform connects with OTAs to promote tours on travel sites, but it doesn’t have features to connect or collaborate with other businesses in the tourism industry.     

Features 

• Website building services 
• Booking widgets 
• Channel management & connections with OTAs 
• Availability management 
• CRM & automated customer communications 
• Digital waiver solution 
• Integrations with popular payment gateways 
• Dynamic pricing & other advanced pricing options 
• Options to sell add-ons 
• Options to create tour packages 
• Advanced booking management tools like notes & task management 
• Inventory management 
• Resource management 
• Reporting 
• Accounting tools 

Pricing 

Resmark offers two core packages and custom plans for enterprise teams. Both packages include all of Resmark’s booking management tools listed above and access to their online waiver solution (up to 50 free waivers per month). 

The differences between the two packages lie in pricing and booking fees. 

• You can opt for no subscription fees (the “free package”) and pay a $500 set-up fee. Resmark also charges 3.5% transaction fees in this package but you can choose to pass those to the customer or cover them yourself. 
• Or, you can pay a $95/month subscription cost and avoid the $500 set-up fee. Resmark also charges lower transaction fees in this plan (2%). 

Resmark recommends its “free package” for seasonal businesses or businesses planning to pass customers booking fees. It recommends the paid plan for businesses that operate year-round. 

3. Regiondo

Regiondo is a good booking solution for small teams because the platform provides the essentials for selling and promoting tours online without overwhelming you with a ton of complex features. The navigation and features are reportedly user-friendly and easy to learn. 

Regiondo is a German brand whose solution has historically been popular with small and growing tour companies in the UK. However, they’ve expanded their reach through a recent merger with Rezdy (more on this in a moment) and offer custom enterprise plans to support growing teams. 

In addition, they offer solutions to support high-volume ticket sales and packages for travel agents and DMCs/DMOs. 

One downside to note with Regiondo is that pricing is expensive, and they charge extra to access and use their partner network. If you want to register as a reseller, you have to purchase the Partner plan separately.   

• A one-click website builder to create custom sites — Regiondo charges an extra $52/month for this feature
• Online booking engine 
• Product & availability management 
• Reseller network 
• Touch POS to manage walk-up reservations & payments
• Online payments via Stripe
• Marketing tools to offer discount codes & request reviews
• Mobile apps 

Regiondo offers a few packages for tour and activity providers: 

• The Starter plan starts at $50/month — it supports two users and grants basic feature access.
• The Advanced plan starts at $105/month — it supports five users and gives access to more features, like automated communications and options to sell add-ons. 
• The Enterprise plan starts at $210/month — it supports 25 users and grants full platform access. 

These rates are entry-level prices; Regiondo offers custom quotes based on what you require from the software. They also charge a 3% system usage fee and a 52¢ ticket fee in each package. 

You can choose to be a tour operator or reseller — if you want to do both, you must enrol in (and pay for) both programs. Regiondo does not disclose pricing for Partner plans. 

Read more: Best Regiondo Alternatives: Comparison Guide

4. Checkfront

Checkfront might appeal to small tour and activity businesses interested in fast growth because it has hundreds of tools to help tour operators sell online and grow their customer base. (It’s worth noting that Checkfront does not offer a website builder, only booking widgets.) 

Small teams like Checkfront’s online booking platform because it’s reportedly easy to learn and highly scalable. They also don’t charge subscription fees; instead, they charge a 3% booking fee for each reservation. 

The con worth noting here is that many tour operators find Checkfront’s offerings a little too much; most don’t need hundreds of features to manage operations, so they’re paying for and working around functionality they don’t use. They also say that some important features, like the reporting dashboard, are limited in functionality.  

We won’t list all of Checkfront’s features, but here are a few important ones for smaller teams: 

• Reservation system with self-service bookings
• Online payment options: Checkfront integrates with popular payment processors, connects with your POS, and lets you send custom invoices
• Real-time, customisable booking dashboard 
• Custom form builders and waivers to send to customers before their tours 
• Channel management 
• Integrations and developer API 

Checkfront has two plans: 

• The Growth plan with all of Checkfront’s core features. They do not charge subscription fees here, but 3% booking fees on every reservation. You can choose to cover these or pass them to the customer. 
• Custom plans ( Managed ) include a dedicated account manager who provides training and support through onboarding. These quotes are based on what you require from the software. 

Read more: Best Checkfront Alternatives: Comparison Guide

Note: Regiondo and Checkfront both recently merged with Rezdy. Rezdy is typically more popular for growing or enterprise tour guide companies and wouldn’t be our first recommendation for smaller teams. 

Regiondo and Checkfront may better cater to this audience; however, existing users of both platforms note changes to features and pricing since this merger. If you’re considering either of these options, this may be something to discuss during your demo call. 

5. FareHarbor

We’ve added FareHarbor to our list because its pricing appeals to small teams — they don’t charge subscription fees, and customers pay booking fees. Its software solution includes essential booking management tools and features to drive new business (like OTA connections and a reseller network). 

FareHarbor might also appeal to small businesses because its team offers a website-building service. Note: This is not an elaborate website development service; it’s still free because they customise a site from their template library — it’s similar to Bókun’s website builder, but you give FareHarbor creative control.

However, the warning we always give about FareHarbor is to consider booking fees. 

FareHarbor doesn’t disclose exact booking fees online; they’re variable but can be as high as 6%. If you offer multi-day trips or more expensive tours, these fees could tack a lot to the customer’s final cost, and if they see expensive booking fees at checkout, it could deter them from clicking purchase. (Especially if they see competitors offer similar experiences without the booking fees.) 

Customers note that booking fees can negatively impact conversions, so consider how fees could affect your pricing and whether you’re willing to take the risk to avoid subscription costs. 

• Website-building services 
• Online booking widget 
• Customisable booking calendar 
• Connections with OTAs & channel management 
• Product management 
• Staff management 
• Integrations with Stripe 
• Customer portals 
• Fast check-in features & online waiver tools 
• Options to sell memberships 

FareHarbor does not charge a monthly subscription; they charge fees for each booking. The fees vary but are as high as 6%. FareHarbor passes these fees to the customer. 

Read more: Best FareHarbor Alternatives: Comparison Guide

6. Peek Pro

Peek Pro is another booking management platform for small teams interested in growth strategies. 

This option might be more advanced than Checkfront above because it offers automated retargeting tools to increase bookings, Peek Capital to apply for loans, and features to sell memberships, add-ons, and tour packages — in addition to core booking management tools. (Like Checkfront, Peek Pro does not offer a website builder.) 

Although customers appreciate Peek Pro’s robust feature set and customer support team, they warn of difficulties in adopting and learning the software. 

They say Peek Pro streamlines the booking experience for customers, but learning the features and managing the back end is challenging. (Some also mention set-up fees to get started.) But reviews also say Peek Pro’s team is available to help when you have questions and provides online training resources to answer common questions. 

• Online booking widgets 
• Reservation management 
• Integrations with OTAs & channel management tools 
• Availability & staff management 
• Options to sell memberships, add-ons, bundles, gift cards & vouchers 
• Marketing tools, including customer retargeting 
• Dynamic pricing 
• Fast check-in features, including digital waivers, Kiosk mode, and ticket scanning 
• Customer portals
• Peek reseller network 
• Peek Capital (to apply for loans) 
• Integrations with online payment processors 

Peek Pro does not disclose pricing on their website, but reports say they charge a $199 set-up fee along with booking fees. Fees vary but can be as high as 6%. (So we issue the same warning here as with FareHarbor above.)

Xola’s online booking system might appeal to small teams because: 

• The platform has a super-modern look and feel, with advanced but user-friendly features. Xola also differentiates itself by offering a homegrown booking engine + payment solution. It’s designed to prevent customers from dropping off during checkout and help you see more bookings. 
• Their team offers a website-building service to help you get up and running quickly. 
• They offer complimentary set-up & onboarding, with 24/7 support to help when needed. 
• The platform features the basics to get online and more advanced tools to drive bookings and grow your business. 
• Xola doesn’t charge subscription fees. 

However, Xola’s pricing is a lot like FareHarbor’s above. They charge booking fees instead of subscription fees, which can be as high as 6% — but you can cover these yourself instead of passing them to the customer. 

It’s also worth noting that Xola requires you to use its homegrown payment portal and charges transaction fees (1.9% + 30¢). 

So, you have to consider the cost of your experiences with these other variables to determine if Xola could be a good option for you. 

• Website builder
• Native payment gateway 
• OTAs & channel management 
• Partner network
• Marketing & automation tools to drive new bookings & revenue 
• Reporting tools
• Ticket management solutions (for theme parks and other attractions)

Xola charges a transaction fee (1.9% + 30¢) when customers use their payment gateway. Xola notes that these fees vary for international transactions.  

They do not charge subscription fees but, instead, booking fees. They pass booking fees to the customer; these fees vary but are reportedly as high as 6%.

Try Bókun Today

Want to explore Bókun’s platform and features in more depth? Start your free trial and try our website builder, sales tools, Marketplace, and more. 

Related reads: 

• Best Trekksoft Alternatives: Comparison Guide  
• Best Charter Boat Booking Software: Comparison Guide
• Best Booking Software for Food Tour Companies

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What people don’t tell you before booking an Antarctic cruise

A ntarctica, once off limits to all but research-station scientists, is becoming an increasingly popular cruise destination . According to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), commercial tourism began in the late 1950s when 500 or so fare-paying passengers travelled aboard Chilean and Argentine naval vessels to the South Shetland Islands, on resupply missions to research stations.

“The first vessel specifically built to take fare-paying passengers to Antarctica was the ice-strengthened m/v Lindblad Explorer built in 1969. She paved the way for tourists to visit and enjoy the world’s last pristine continent.”

When IAATO was founded in 1991, approximately 6,400 tourists visited Antarctica on 10 expedition ships. In the 2022/23 season, 71,346 passengers visited on 60 vessels. In addition, 32,730 were “cruise only” visitors – those on ships carrying 500 passengers or more, and who are not permitted to go ashore.

Antarctica is an unforgettable destination , but time on the continent is precious and expensive. Forewarned is forearmed. Here are some of the things cruise lines don’t tell you.

The itinerary may change

When drilling down for itinerary detail, you’ll find that day-by-day detail is vague. This is largely due to the weather. Storms and katabatic winds can blow up in an instant; a sudden early-season temperature plunge can cause ice to reform and channels can become icebound overnight.

Anchorages are influenced by weather and ship size but a typical itinerary will visit Fournier Bay, Paradise Bay, the Lemaire Channel, Port Lockroy (though off limits for now), Neko Harbour, Deception Island and Elephant Point in the South Shetland Islands.

In February 2024, @ruinedvacation posted on TikTok that a cruise line had made a last-minute name change to its itinerary via its app. Instead of visiting Paradise Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula, the Norwegian Cruise Line ship visited Admiralty Bay in the South Shetland Islands (an island group 75 miles north of the Antarctic Peninsula), before heading to the Falklands. 

“Part of the wonder of Antarctica is its unpredictability,” says a source at IAATO: “Don’t forget, while it may be the most untouched, it’s also the most hostile place on earth. It’s always best to approach your trip with an open mind.”

You’ll need to pass a medical

A “fit to travel” medical form requires a signature from a GP, and most charge for this service. Some surgeries won’t do it, which will mean booking an online appointment with the ship’s own physician, possibly in a different time zone, and at your own cost.

If someone dies, your cruise might be cancelled  

Death on a cruise – it happens more often than you might expect and it’s a grizzly fact that most cruise ships have morgues.

King George Island, which is the largest of the South Shetland islands and located 75 nautical miles off the coast of Antarctica, has a runway that can facilitate medevac emergencies, but flights are weather-dependent. Lines do what they can to limit the impact on passengers, but there is always the chance that your ship may have to return to the port of Ushuaia in Argentina, curtailing your trip. Always read the small print.

The small print?

You’re unlikely to be offered a free replacement cruise. A spokesman from HX said: “In cases where a cruise is significantly curtailed due to a medical emergency, we ensure that guests are accommodated with alternative arrangements at no extra charge. Additionally, when appropriate, we offer reasonable compensation. This could take the form of onboard credit, future cruise credit, or a refund, depending on the specific circumstances of the disruption.”

You should always book insurance

For this once-in-a-lifetime trip, triple check your insurance policy. Tim Riley, managing director at The True Traveller, says: “If, due to someone becoming ill, the ship has to divert, that’s always built into the terms and conditions of a cruise. Most cruise passengers just accept that this can happen.”

Aviva says: “If a cruise is cut short due to a fellow passenger needing medical attention, this wouldn’t be covered under an Aviva policy. However, if an Aviva customer became unwell and required medical attention or had to return home early, this would be covered under the terms of the policy.”

Don’t assume you’ll go ashore

This is not always spelt out on cruise websites. On its Antarctica Cruises home page, Celebrity Cruises states: “Cruises visit a number of locations on and around the Antarctic Peninsula.

“Gaze at Antarctica’s dramatic landscapes in the company of expert naturalists as you glide slowly through iceberg-strewn waters in search of penguins, seals and whales.”

Gaze is the operative word. In line with IAATO protocol, ships carrying more than 500 passengers cannot disembark their guests. Sightseeing is done from the ship, and passengers still cross the Drake Passage, which means four days travelling there and back.

In 2026, Celebrity Equinox, which carries 2,852 passengers, “visits” Elephant Island in the South Shetland Islands and the Gerlache Strait, Schollart Channel and Paradise Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula. If you’re happy to admire the scenery and wildlife from a distance, the price difference is around £8,000. (The Celebrity cruise costs from £1,957pp.)

Avian flu has reached Antarctica

In December, the Antarctic Wildlife Health Network reported the first suspected case of avian influenza in Antarctica. In February, a case was reported at the Argentine research station Esperanza Base.

On a visit to the peninsula in January, we were forbidden from sitting, crouching or putting bags on the ground. Additional biosecurity measures may impact excursion locations. A popular stop for visitors is Port Lockroy (Goudier Island), where visitors can walk around a historic research hut, observe the island’s penguin colony and send a postcard from the post office. On December 5 2023, the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust closed the island to visitors. It’s not yet known if the island will re-open for the 2024-2025 season. 

The sun may not shine

We’ve all seen the pictures of icebergs and peaks reflected in glassy bays and sunset-pink skies. But don’t expect wall-to-wall sunshine. You may not see the sun for an entire week, which could impact activities, views and wildlife sightings. However, it’s unlikely to ruin a trip.

There are no polar bears

Polar bears inhabit the Arctic, which is in the northern hemisphere. Except for the Galapagos, penguins are the hot-ticket sighting in the Antarctic. In its most recent State of Antarctic Penguins report, the not-for-profit penguin monitoring body Oceanites counted more than six million breeding pairs, across the five species, at 740 sites in Antarctica. The South Shetland Islands has three types of penguin as well as Antarctic terns, giant petrels, leopard seals and whales.

Read more: Discover the secret to the perfect Antarctic adventure

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Two skiers dead in avalanche in Little Cottonwood Canyon

Survivor attempted to rescue his two friends in “very objective-driven type of destination”.

(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) An Intermountain LifeFlight helicopter hoists a person before landing near Hidden Valley Park in Sandy, Thursday, May 9, 2024.

Two skiers died in an avalanche near Lone Peak Summit in Little Cottonwood Canyon on Thursday. The men were 23 and 32 years old, according to Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. She said one is from the Salt Lake City area and the other is from out of state.

A third backcountry skier was delivered to a staging area at a park off Wasatch Boulevard by a Salt Lake County Search and Rescue volunteer on hoist attached to a helicopter early Thursday afternoon. The man, wearing a lightweight pullover and ski pants, walked to an ambulance, which left without switching on its siren or lights. Rivera said late Thursday afternoon that she did not know if he had been released from the hospital.

(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) A Unified Police Department car parks at a staging site for a reported avalanche near Sandy, Thursday, May 9, 2024.

The survivor, whom Rivera said is also from the Salt Lake City area, and the other two men are believed to be friends. Their names are being withheld to give authorities time to notify their families.

Avalanche danger still exists in the area where the slide occurred, she said. That, combined with stormy weather, disrupted recovery efforts. Rescuers set off some explosives — similar to the precautions taken at ski resorts on a powder day — on Thursday to make the area safer for retrieving the bodies of the two skiers. Still, as rain pelted down on her, Rivera said the decision had been made to pause further efforts until Friday morning.

Helicopters were deployed for both the rescue and recovery efforts, she added, due to the ruggedness of the terrain.

The men were hours into the hike up to Lone Peak area from Hidden Valley Park in Draper when the avalanche hit, according to Craig Gordon, a lead forecaster for the Utah Avalanche Center , who was involved in the rescue operations. Gordon said he was not on scene but from pictures estimates it was at least 100 feet long and several feet deep.

Rivera said the 911 call, which Rivera said she believes was made by the survivor, came in around 10 a.m.

“He was able to dig himself out,” she said. “He was in pretty fair conditions other than mentally going through something like this is extremely scary.”

The survivor, Gordon said, was able to find the other skiers and attempt a rescue.

“This crew had all the right gear: avalanche transceiver, shovels, probes. They were on their game,” Gordon said. “Things went sideways. This gentleman helped to keep the guardrails on and I commend him for all of his heroic efforts.”

The avalanche took place near Big Willow Cirque , one of the lower flanks of Lone Peak. Though it is located near the base of the canyon and is accessible from the park, Jeff Mikaelian, an avid Wasatch Front backcountry skier, said the Lone Peak area is not very popular for backcountry touring. He said the long, arduous hike and relative difficulty in reaching the snow compared to the terrain around Alta and other higher-elevation locales typically serves as a deterrent.

“Usually,” Mikaelian said, “only very motivated people ski it.”

Evan Thayer, a forecaster for the site OpenSnow.com , reported on his X account (formerly Twitter) Wednesday that Alta Ski Area received 42 inches of snow since Sunday. That’s the most snow there in May, he said, since 1993.

The skiing has been “amazing” recently, Gordon said, because of the thick snowfall that has remained light in the higher elevations. He cautioned, though, that especially in spring, conditions can change in an instant.

When asked whether avalanches are common around Lone Peak, Gordon said the area is so infrequently traveled that it is difficult to say. UAC records do not show any avalanches on Lone Peak in the last year. The most recent record of one is a skier-triggered slide from April 2023. However, the center reported that a skier triggered a slide in Big Willow in March.

“This is a rugged place,” Gordon said, “and this would be a very objective-driven type of destination for this crew.

“This was a group of very experienced, very serious, very dedicated backcountry skiers,” he added with tears welling up in his eyes. “Right now, our hearts and our entire community is feeling very heavy.”

Several agencies — including Unified Fire Authority, Draper Fire, Sandy Fire, Wasatch Backcountry Rescue, the National Forest Service and the Unified Police Department — responded to the incident. The search and rescue mission was staged out of the Alta Ski Area, according to the UPD.

Last year a skier died in an avalanche in Weber Canyon . In 2021, Utah saw one of its worst avalanche seasons in terms of deaths. Five skiers, a splitboarder and a snowmobiler died in three avalanches that season.

Editor’s note, May 9, 3:36 p.m. • This article was updated to reflect that Rosie Rivera is the sheriff of Salt Lake County.

Correction: May 9, 2024, 3:36 p.m. • This article was updated with the correct information for Lone Peak access.

Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible

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