Tour Guide Recommends 7 Tips for Travelers

Is a tour a part of your journey? A tour guide imparts wisdom for a successful trip. Kathleen Fu Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Tour groups can be an attractive way to experience a destination, as they take care of the planning and ensure you see the main sights. That can relieve anxiety ahead of your trip, but it

can sometimes lead to discomfort during the trip, as you’re traveling with strangers and have little control of the itinerary. We talked with Johnny Layton, who has worked as a tour leader

since 1988. He now leads tours for Road Scholar, the nonprofit educational travel company for travelers over 50. Here is his advice.

Find out how much time is being spent on a bus. Riding for long periods of time between attractions may be a disappointing way to spend your time. But many stops can also pose issues.

Getting on and off a bus four or five times a day can be challenging. And look for smaller groups. Meals in big groups take longer.

Couples traveling together typically don’t branch out, and they miss an amazing opportunity to learn from others in the group. There’s so much value in your tour group travel companions, in

their life experience and where they’ve traveled. Get to know them. That makes all the difference.

Even though you’re on a group itinerary, let the leader know your special requests. I love it when a participant tells me, “I really want to see this museum. When would be a good opportunity

to do this on my own?” I will help them work it into the itinerary. We build in free time for that.

There’s nothing that will bring down a group more than a political discussion, even if it’s civil.

Most tour companies don’t expect participants to tip local guides, docents or bus drivers, since their gratuities are usually paid by the company. But consider tipping your tour leader at

the end of the tour. If you don’t have local currency, give U.S. dollars, which are universally accepted.

The first thing I learn is, “I’m sorry, I don’t speak [fill in the language].” It’s better than asking if the other person speaks English, which is very ethnocentric. Language apps are

helpful. Google Translate (a free app that instantly translates into 243 languages) is my best friend. You can show the translation on your phone to the other person. I also use the language

learning app Rosetta Stone. (Apple Translate is another free app.)

If you’re not on a group tour, another great option is to hire a private guide for a single excursion on your vacation.

To see all our coverage, visit AARP The Magazine: The Travel Issue

Veronica Stoddart is the former travel editor for USA Today who has written several travel stories for AARP The Magazine and AARP.org.

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