COVID-19? No! Even before the pandemic private tours were very popular.

Maybe the main reason is the low-quality services offered by buses and coaches trying to accommodate and please a large number of people with completely different needs, attitudes and worst of all… manners!

Or maybe is the value for money you can get from a “good” private tour agency!

☼ Is it the percentage of the total tour time that is wasted during a bus tour?
☼ You have to go at the pace of the group and fit in with everyone else’s wishes. The itinerary is fixed and there is little flexibility.
☼ WC (restroom) stops for 30-60 people!!! Can you imagine the time wasted for each stop?
☼ For reasons difficult to understand tour agencies still make compulsory stops at souvenirs, pottery/ceramics, etc places for “tourists” to buy stuff (most people will not!). Maybe there is still a commission incentive for the agencies!
☼ Exploring in “slow motion” due to the speed of travel & driving of a … bus or even a minibus.
☼ Switching buses in the middle of a tour to maximize profit when one bus does not have sufficient people to justify its tour. Yes … it happens all the time in Greece!
☼ Bad food! Buffet style for the flocks of tourists! This is terrible if you consider that we are talking about Greece! A country that many people visit or will visit for the food!
☼ A bus tour will be canceled even last minute if there are not enough participants.

Bottom line: A non-private tour will offer you very limited time at the actual sites and zero “experiences”! Sometimes this triggers passengers to write a bad review! Unfair? Maybe yes!

However, most people will rate these bus tours with 4 or 5 stars misleading (accidentally) the next passengers! The reason is that they -very logically- recognize that they got what they paid for. This is fair if you consider how many people “punished” a very cheap hotel with a terrible review just because they did not get a 5-star room, service, view, or breakfast for 60 dollars or euros per night!

An experienced traveler can easily go deeper into the reasons that private tours are very popular. He will be arguing about things like:

☼ Personalized service & exclusive experience for your travel party!
☼ Value for money! An 8-9 hour bus tour is really a 2-3 hour private tour. Terrible food options? The list is limitless but if you can only spend a specific/low amount you go for the bus.
☼ Flexibility & ease of planning: a private, exclusive experience allows the traveler to organize the specific experience for their group that is most convenient and satisfies the most people in their travel party
☼ A private experience can be the only way you can access the attraction or have the specific experience you want.
☼ Many travelers prefer control over the itinerary and schedule, and booking a private tour enables you to make it happen!

☼ Private tours are about experiences, not just “things” & “sites”.
☼ There is no wasted time.
☼ You enjoy the best places to eat, drink, and … sleep (if you are on a multiday tour)!
☼ You experience our … special moments.
☼ Avoiding the crowds & blending in with the locals is part of our planning!

And, we try to speak to the traveler’s wants!

Still, selecting the right private tour is not just about a tour title that includes the magical word “private”!

Read more: “Choosing a REAL private tour“