Now tourists have changed. They choose their vacation very carefully and look: in the picture in the catalog the palm tree was on the right, but in reality - on the left... And they want excursions with high service, knowledgeable guides, and prices like on the street.
It's true, our tourist has changed. And even when choosing last-minute tours to Egypt or Turkey, he has become discerning and experienced; his eyes do not light up with wild fire at the mere word "abroad". But at the same time, he is willing to pay more for a truly worthwhile product. This applies to vacation in general and excursions in particular. And most importantly, he firmly knows that he has a choice - where and how to buy this excursion. You can buy everything in a lump sum by ordering excursions at a travel agency before departure as part of the overall tour package. You can buy excursions from the host party on the spot, after listening to a fiery speech by the hotel guide and making your choice based on it. And finally, you can go it alone and choose from the offers of excursion bureaus "on the side".
Journalists who guard the interests of readers (and sometimes speculate on this topic), as well as seasoned independent travelers, prove in every way that there is no need to overpay a travel company; it is better to do it outside the hotel where you are staying. If only because it is always cheaper. The other side will always say that your own operator is the most reliable supplier and there is no reason to look for better. The tourist is left to look for the optimal "price-quality" ratio, based on his ambitions, character and goals.
With Your Own Samovar
Buying excursions well in advance, while still at home, is quite convenient: you know in advance when and where you will go, and you won't have to worry about whether there will be enough seats on the bus or whether the guide will come on time so that you can buy these excursions.
Sometimes, when it is very difficult or almost impossible to buy an excursion on the spot, tourists simply have no choice. For example, tourist ships go to Italy from Croatia on one-day excursions. However, the number of places allocated for our groups on them is usually about 70 people, and this is chronically insufficient. Moreover, a visa is not needed for such an excursion, but a preliminary application from a travel agency is necessary - this is how the Italians try to insure themselves against the influx of immigrants through the "visa-free gate". At the height of the season, buying such an excursion can be difficult; it is much more reliable to book it in advance, from home. And if you are traveling "with children and household members" or a large company - it goes without saying.
A similar case is a sea cruise. Usually the time of liners' stops in each port, the number of Russian-speaking guides and seats in the buses brought to the pier are very limited. Therefore, buying an excursion on board is difficult - only if someone cancels or gets sick.
There is only one drawback to pre-ordering excursions: it is quite possible that upon arriving at the place, you will suddenly change your plans. For example, you decide that you don't want to leave the beach at all, or you start a resort romance and spit on everything else. Or you suddenly realize that of all the excursions, you bought the most boring one. But in this case, no one will refund your money for canceled excursions...
Time is Money
Another option is to buy excursions already at the holiday destination, from the guides of the host travel company. They themselves will come and advertise the entire range: they will show photos, answer questions, and give each tourist as much time as needed. Since their earnings directly depend on this, they will be courteous, friendly and thorough. This is especially valuable when the hotel is located away from the resort area and there are simply no other opportunities to go on excursions.
Probably, this is most suitable for people who prefer to entrust the relevant chores to professionals, from whom you can later demand an answer if something goes wrong. But the main thing: ordering an excursion from a travel company is a kind of guarantee. In front of you is your own operator; most likely, he uses professional guides who speak Russian well, almost certainly he has his own bus fleet or good rented buses - with air conditioning, soft seats, etc. And if, for example, a bus breaks down on the way (which, of course, happens), another one will immediately come to replace it. For an operator, these are components of his image and professionalism; they do not spare money for this.
I have heard complaints that the host guide makes scenes for tourists, declaring that they have no right to buy excursions on the side. Hysterics are found everywhere; thank God, there are fewer and fewer of them in tourism. You can safely complain about such aggressive guides to their management - you did not sign any obligations to buy excursions specifically from this company.
Going Solo
Undoubtedly, you will probably find on the spot the cheapest excursions, which are sold on every corner by street vendors.
Such excursions have a lot of advantages. Firstly, they are cheaper. Moreover, the difference in price can reach 25-30%, which for a family trip will result in a substantial amount. Secondly, if the season is bad for the private sellers, they will bargain with you. Thirdly, if you even once approached a street vendor's stand and asked about an excursion, he will respectfully greet you all days of your holiday and cheerfully ask how you are resting. He may even do something nice: for example, invite you on a free group swim to the reefs near the hotel (hoping that those who gather will later buy a yacht trip). Sometimes during excursions, private sellers make stops in places where big tourist buses never stop, may take you to a beautiful waterfall or show you a clever local cafe.
But by agreeing to buy an excursion on the street, you take a certain risk. I say precisely "risk", not "a hopelessly failed venture" (because sometimes the quality of excursions is quite acceptable).
Firstly, qualified Russian-speaking guides still prefer to work for international travel agencies rather than small excursion bureaus. And private operators sometimes employ students or simply 'slightly speaking' guides. There was a case in my practice when such a guide, pointing out to the tourists the Colossi of Memnon, said to them: 'Wheel... Wheeeel'. Sometimes people of different nationalities gather on the bus, and the guide first delivers the same text in English, then in German, and then in Russian.
Secondly (and this is the main point), the equipment offered by private operators is far from always meeting standards. Quite often it is simply old and battered. Special caution should be exercised with yacht trips and diving tours. Thirdly, private operators rarely own good, expensive buses, and it is quite possible that you will have a 'pleasant' journey in a decommissioned minibus.
Well, and finally, since you do not sign any contracts with this company and are not officially its client at all, if anything happens, there will be no one to ask. Private operators are great specialists in 'dodging', and in the event of a conflict over quality or cancellation of a tour, they may even pretend that they see you for the first time in their lives. And even in the event of an accident during a tour, there is a chance that they will try to get rid of the victim as quickly and as far away as possible.
If the pros outweigh the cons for you, feel free to buy tours on the street. Just clarify the technical details: how much time is allocated for the main thing, that is, sightseeing, and how much will be taken up by inevitable visits to souvenir shops and cafes (it has long been no secret that 'kickbacks' from their owners are a significant side income for any guide).
If lunch and museum visits are planned, find out whether drinks and entrance tickets are included in the tour price. Ask whether the air conditioning in the bus works. And finally, do not forget to bargain when purchasing. And this applies not only to street guides, but also to hotel guides: when booking several tours, you can always count on a substantial discount.
In my opinion, the quality and enjoyment of purchased tours largely depend on the specific seller to whom you entrust the choice of your 'product'. Guides of host companies often even receive a symbolic salary and live only on commissions from the sale of tours. Therefore, naturally, they are more interested in you than you are in them. Advice: establish personal relations with them, achieve an individually tailored approach. Pour out your soul to your seller - tell him, as a doctor, everything about yourself, and he will surely help you choose the most suitable one for you. And then - either you buy a little more expensive and worry about nothing else, or you get pleasure from 'overcoming obstacles' and legitimately take pride in every dollar saved. To be honest, I am one of the latter...