Insider tip - 10 Reasons to book a tour on Viator + other OTA’s
and 10 Reasons NOT to book a tour on Viator + other OTA’s
Me Jamie, your host, I am English and I have lived in Hong Kong for 53 years - I know the place.
I have personally completed 2,340+ Private Tours and Experiences (over 6,500+ guests) since April 2011 and I am considered one of the finest Private Tour Guides in Asia.
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Insider tip - 10 Reasons to book a tour on Viator + other OTA’s
and 10 Reasons NOT to book a tour on Viator + other OTA’s
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All is not what it seems when you book a Private Tour of Hong Kong on Viator, Tripadvisor + other OTA’s (online travel agents)
I am quite sure my friends in the trade will think I am nuts for doing this comparison but nobody wants bookings from an OTA such as Viator, Tripadvisor, Get Your Guide, Klook etc. but they are also terrified that bookings will decrease massively if they are not listed.
To be honest, there is only ONE reason to list on an OTA and that is they can give you a steady stream of bookings which clearly for most operators is the be all and end all, but NOT for me.
I have no such concerns, I am the little guy so to speak taking on the mighty Goliath and I find it horrifying that OTA’s have come to completely dominate the Tour Industry when it comes to bookings and they are the only winners, I personally believe that there is NO advantage for a Private Tour Company to be listed on an OTA (Viator being the biggest player) and people who book a Private Tour through an OTA are blissfully unaware of the pitfalls and negative experience that await them.
Let me make it clear
I have been a business consultant for 45 years, specialising in sales and marketing and I take my hat off to the boys and girls who run the big OTA’s, basically Tripadvisor (and by extension Viator) leveraged their database of travellers who write reviews into a booking platform for experiences with literally millions and millions of potential clients., it was a brilliant move for them but a nightmare for small and medium size tour operators who basically have to sacrifice their business principles to work with these online giants.
Naturally the smart tour operators do NOT rely completely on the OTA’s and will still operate their own website and hope that guests will find them using Google search and AI tools.
Myself on the other hand, well I do NOT have a team of guides to keep busy, I made the decision back in 2010 that I would never use hired guides who are employees, I simply believed that they would not be at the quality level that I am at, I am all about providing the very best experience that I can and that consumes me 7 days a week. (even during the Covid years)
Logically speaking I can at best these days manage between 200 - 250 tours a year, (in my early years I was averaging 350 tours a year) and I believe that there are still people out there that put a premium on booking a quality private tour, if I am unavailable I simply refer my potential clients to my tight knit group of friends who are also Private Tour Guides, I do not ask for or expect a commission, all the I ask them to do is provide a top quality experience and I am blessed to have such a great group of friends.
I can see the attraction of booking through an online OTA although I simply cannot comprehend trying to research and book at tour using a smart phone or even an IPad, there are simply so many pages that you have to navigate, think about this, a simple search on Viator for Private Tours in Hong Kong throws up well over 200 results, how can you possibly do a comparison.
On the other hand a simple Google search will throw up a small list of private tour companies with the best ones listed on pages 1 - 3 of the search results, you are dealing directly with the company and the whole process is a lot simpler.
So please read on, it will give you something to think about, this list was put together by AI and my own comments are in BOLD TEXT
This is a fairly typical page you will see on Viator | Tripadvisor, I cannot see how navigating this is easy, the pricing is not clear at all as they have 3 options to confuse you and you have to read very clearly each listing under the highlights listing - yes you can reserve now but you still have to pay in advance 2 or 3 days before the tour.
When it states Live Guide : English, this means a local Chinese guide who speaks English
The itinerary is very confusing
it states for the Big Buddha and the Tai O Fishing Village that admission is included, please note there is NO admission fee, there never has been
you absolutely need to check very carefully the Cable Car option, although the main image clearly shows the NP 360 Cable Car i am pretty sure the price is NOT included in the tour fee and they spring this on you when you are at the Buddha and the cable car is very expensive, even worse, the image is a fake, the Buddha is facing the wrong way and it appears to be much closer to the cable car than it actually is, it is a minimum 15 minute walk from the cable car to the Buddha!
They have had a lot of negative reviews because that darn main image sure implies that the cable car is part of the tour, I cannot see anywhere on the listing that the price includes the cable car… smoke and mirrors. and yes they do in the small print say that the cable car is optional and trust me it is NOT cheap
A minor detail, I have done the Lantau Tour over 120+ times and it is an 8 hour day, please note in this listing, at the end of the tour they drop you off in Tung Chung which is roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour away on the subway train from town, in other words you have to get back to town under your own steam.
I should point out that this is a very popular tour, I see their tour guides and large groups all the time, all I am saying is that you have to check what is included and what is not, for example Private Tour Guides will pick up their guests from a hotel and drop them back at the Hotel, we do not ask you to meet in a subway station at the beginning of the tour or drop you off out in the boonies at the end of the tour and we do not falsely advertise and imply that the amazing NP 360 Cable Car ride is included in the price, you really do need to check all of this in advance of hitting the booking button
10 Reasons to book a tour on Viator + other OTA’s
10 reasons why you should book a private tour of Hong Kong through an OTA like Viator, Tripadvisor, Klook etc
• Convenience: OTAs offer a one-stop platform to browse, select, and book tours with easy booking and payment options.
I have done a lot of research on this matter, the listings are incredibly complicated, I mean how can you possibly compare tour operators when you have to wade through 200+ listings and worse all the listing basically look exactly the same and yes, you have to pay in advance of the tour, the tour operator might not get paid for weeks after the tour.
• Variety: Access a wide range of private tour options, from food tours to cultural experiences, tailored to different interests.
As mentioned above, how can you possibly do a realistic comparison when faced with hundreds of similar listings on an OTA, it is a lot easier to do a simple Google search.
• Verified Reviews: Customer reviews and ratings on platforms like Tripadvisor help you choose reputable tour operators.
I would expect nothing less and I have a link of my site menu which will take you to my Tripadvisor Review Page, I have won many awards
• Transparent Pricing: Clear costs upfront, often with competitive pricing and no hidden fees.
This is nonsense, quite a few operators offer 3 options for the same tour (and did I mention a lot of them use fake images) and try finding out why there are 3 options with 3 price levels and in many cases the operator will not mention hidden charges and it is quite likely that the OTA price will be higher than the price listed on the company website as you have to pay an outrageous commission to the OTA, it is highway robbery, there is NOTHING transparent about the pricing - a lot of companies will also tell you that you do not have to pay entry charges for sights, sites, attractions when in fact there is NO entry charge.
• Customizable Options: Many tours allow personalization, like adjusting itineraries or group size, to suit your preferences.
This is not quite true, many tours listed are NOT Private Tours but group tours which means the itinerary is fixed and group sizes can range from 10 to 100 people, you really do need to do your research
• Professional Guides: OTAs often vet guides, ensuring knowledgeable and licensed professionals.
I have a saying “all guides are created equal but some guides are more equal than others” and the guide is the most important component of the tour, it is basically not possible on an OTA listing to research and request a specific guide unless you go to the companies own website where the best companies provide pictures and bio’s and then you need to read the reviews
• Secure Payments: Trusted platforms provide secure transactions and refund policies.
I guess this is correct but I have it first hand from guests that getting refunds can be very frustrating and a lengthy process, I do not request a deposit or payment in advance of the actual tour, you pay me on the day of the tour.
• Instant Confirmation: Get immediate booking confirmation and e-tickets for hassle-free planning.
.. and I would expect nothing less, I also provide immediate booking confirmation
• Exclusive Deals: OTAs frequently offer discounts or perks like skip-the-line access.
Yes, they do and the poor tour company takes the hit and this nonsense about skip the line is not a selling point, all the best private guides see this is a non issue as we have plan A, B, C, D, E etc
• 24/7 Support: Many platforms provide customer service for last-minute changes or queries.
and so it should be and I have no issue answering any questions and such, you are dealing with me, the company owner
10 Reasons NOT to book a tour on Viator + other OTA’s
• Higher Costs: OTAs may charge service fees or markups compared to booking directly with local operators.
Exactly, the OTA’s charge the tour operator an outrageous commission who may take the hit or list a higher price or hit you with a range of hidden charges.
• Limited Personal Touch: Booking through a third party can restrict direct communication with the guide.
As mentioned above, from start to finish with me, you are dealing with me, the company owner, with other companies in general you do not deal with the guide unless they are the company owner but communication is way, way better if you deal directly with a Private Tour Company.
• Generic Itineraries: Some tours may feel standardized, lacking unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences.
Precisely, particularly with group tours, my tours are totally custom offerings, I do NOT have a set itinerary or provide itineraries in advance, there are simply too many variable and I have done over 2,340+ private tours, I know what I am doing and did I mention that I have lived in Hong Kong for 53 years
• Cancellation Restrictions: Strict refund policies may apply, with penalties for changes or cancellations.
Yep, no such issues with me, cancellations are a fact of life and I deal with them pragmatically and with a bit of common sense
• Middleman Issues: Miscommunication between the OTA, operator, and customer can lead to booking errors.
Absolutely, no issues with me, I am the owner of the company, you are dealing with ONE person only
• Less Flexibility: Pre-set schedules may not accommodate last-minute itinerary tweaks.
You can tweak the itinerary with me on the day of the tour or even during the tour.
• Overcrowded Platforms: Popular OTAs may promote heavily booked tours, leading to less exclusive experiences.
If you are booking a group tour you could end up with 100 people on the tour, more often it is 30 - 40 people, do you honestly think you are going to have any quality discussion time with the guide whose sole aim is annoy you by screeching into a microphone, doing a head count and not losing guests, it is a horrible experience and I have been on these tours recently and I did I mention that they generally use a memorised script with many facts being out of date.
• Hidden Costs: Some tours exclude entry fees, meals, or transport, which may not be clear until later.
This is a major problem and the old quote applies, “if it seems to good to be true then it probably is” it really is NOT a good idea to book a tour based on the price offered by the OTA and exclusions are a common business practice, I am completely up front about so called hidden costs so there NO surprises
• Quality Variability: Despite reviews, some operators on OTAs may not meet expectations.
You have no idea, I have been on tours recently in Hong Kong and they where awful and the guide was awful, in general the quality of the guide is paramount and you basically have no input with an OTA to choose a specific guide, there is one specific group tour company in Hong Kong who basically totally relies on Viator and Tripadvisor, it is an issue because they get so many generic Tripadvisor reviews which on the surface paint a picture of excellence with amazing guides, I have done 2 tours with them recently, different tours with the same guide and they simply where the complete opposite of what the reviews say and yes, the negative reviews are absolutely spot on!, I simply cannot comprehend how they get so many brilliant reviews for such a poor tour, just saying - and their own website is appalling, it looks like it was cobbled together by a 10 year old and when you read the reviews they have a generic and rather silly response to every review and they blame the guest if they get a poor review and the worst of it is that they could change and improve the queality but they are caught in a trap, they cannot improve because they offer such low prices which means that they need big numbers on each tour just to break even, they have no alternative but to offer really cheap prices.
• Local Alternatives: Booking directly with local guides may support small businesses and offer more authentic, tailored experiences.
I have done a ton of research over the years on OTA’s, for me anyway the worst aspect is that all the tour listings look the same, all the pages are the same, there is basically no way to choose a specific guide and in most cases you have to follow a fixed itinerary and unless you read reviews you may end up with a very poor tour guide, working to a prepared script and poor English.
Note: Always research specific OTAs and tour operators, comparing reviews and prices, to make an informed decision.
My insider tip
Please note that in general if you book a tour on Viator or Tripadvisor you generally have NO control over what guide will lead your Private Tour of Hong Kong and this is the most important component of the tour. I urge you to check the actual company website and book via their website and do not forget to read Tripadvisor reviews as well.
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