Independent Vs Organized Travel

Independent Vs Organized Travel

So you’ve got some time off from work and want to go somewhere fun. Maybe you’re aiming for budget friendly destination or splurging and seeing as much as possible during your trip. Before booking anything you should decide if you want to go as an independent traveler or as a part of an organized group.

Now each of these types of travel has their pros and cons, and each type can be somewhat customizable completely depending on what you plan to do. But what you need to decide is which is right for you based on your comfort level. We will explore both types of travel below.

Independent Travel

Before labeling yourself as an independent traveler, take a look back at your last trips. Independent travel is not just travelling on your own; it is not just traveling, but also organizing, booking, planning every aspect of your trip, yourself, then going to a country where you may have no family, friends, acquaintances, possibly not even same language for a the duration of your trip. This can be quite an intense experience for even the most experienced travelers!

“Independent Travel: Travel in which you organize things yourself, rather than using a company who will arrange flights, hotels, etc” - MacMillan Dictionary

Now, while this type of travel may be a little intimidating for some, don’t let it deter you. There are varying degrees of independent travel in which you can plan. For instance, maybe instead of renting private accommodations, you can rent a hotel which normally the concierge helps arrange some excursions and tours for you. Or instead of arranging your own transportation to visit an excursion, you can go with a group day tour. Its best part is, it’s completely up to you!

Organized Travel

Maybe you’re not exactly Indian Jones. Maybe your idea of a vacation is not prepping and planning each step of your trip meticulously for weeks before you actually travel. Have no fear, organized travel is here!

The most common form of organized travel would be tour packages. These are commonly sold with major tour operators such as Sunwing Vacations, Transat & Air Canada Vacations, etc. They typically include a hotel, transportation and sometimes meals. Typically you would have to option to book excursions with your tour operators ahead of time and those also include transportation, etc as well.

“A package tour, package vacation, or package holiday comprises transport and accommodation advertised and sold together by a vendor known as a tour operator. Other services may be provided such a rental car, activities or outings during the holiday.” - Wikipedia.org

Just like independent travel however, there are varying degrees of organized travel. For example, you book an all inclusive hotel in Mexico, but rather that booking your excursions with the tour operator; you rent a car and visit locations yourself, or used local, public transportation to move around. You could also haggle with local tour operators to get an organized day tour at a lower rate. Of course this is still very much organized, but you can explore varying degrees of independence during your trip.

So how do I know which is right for me?

There is no right and wrong ways to travel, just book the one you think fits the type of travel you are aiming for! And always do research on your destination before you travel, like anything important you do in your life, always be prepared, your safety is your #1 priority!

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