Tailor-made trip Vietnam: Tour operators or local travel agency?

You intend to soon take a tailor-made and private trip to Vietnam. However, you are hesitating your country's tour operator and a local incoming agency in Vietnam? Certainly, choosing a reliable travel agency is never easy. You are not alone. Many people ask the same questions.

If you have read the article this far. It's good for you. Keep reading! We present the different tips to you below.

1. Why travel to Vietnam with your country's tour operator?

Nowadays, there are a thousand ways to organize a trip abroad. Many travelers choose a tour organized by travel agencies that provide travel deals and necessary knowledge. They play the role of intermediary between customers and service providers in the tourism market. It is obvious that it is not always difficult to find a tourist agency office thanks to the geographical advantages. You can go there to contact them directly or call the travel advisors to request tourist packages according to your desires without being hampered by the language barrier. Moreover, you can easily assess their reliability and reputation through information sources on the Internet, national and local media, even through the state enterprise management system.

In case of problems: itinerary modification, trip cancellation, payment process... Everything is undoubtedly resolved easily and quickly. These American agencies actually have a lot of partnerships with local travel agencies who help them organize tours for their client. However, their updating of field knowledge is sometimes delayed, particularly after the Covid pandemic. Anyway, these tour operators need some time to update their products.

Once the contract is concluded, payment is easy, fast and always secure under national banking management. However, speaking of prices, of course, American tour operators generally offer at an uncompetitive price, sometimes a little higher due to the existence of intermediaries, which then explains a certain price difference (at least 10 to 25% compared to local receptive agencies).

2. Why travel with a local travel agency in Vietnam?

We are exceptionally lucky to live in the era of Internet development and globalization, choosing a local travel agency is becoming easier and easier.

What are the strengths of these local tour operators and the benefits when you travel with them?

- REAL DESTINATION SPECIALISTS

By calling on a local agency, on a human scale, you will undoubtedly obtain advice from real experts in the field. Their teams actually have perfect knowledge of the destination in their pocket. Travel advisors and guides develop real expertise in the native country. They therefore offer you the most varied offers and know how to personalize and modify the tailor-made travel quote to suit you. If you are afraid of the language barrier, don't worry! There are many English-speaking travel agencies which, with their well-cultured and passionate English-speaking team, could easily get in touch with you by email, by telephone or via free applications: Whatsapp, Skype, Facebook messenger…. A serious and responsive agency will be at your disposal to put together a personalized tour with you according to your wishes.

- QUALITY SERVICES

In addition, local agencies always have strict criteria for choosing the services that best meet customer needs and monitoring them to ensure the tour runs smoothly. They select the best services and regularly update changes, new products, new travel ideas far from mass tourism to offer you.

- 24/7 AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

Being local experts on site, the local travel agency assures you 24/7 assistance, from the start to the end of your trip to Vietnam. Particularly in the event of an emergency: illness, incident or unforeseen situation... a local receptive agency can intervene quickly.

- ACTOR FOR SUSTAINABLE AND RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

Most local travel agencies are professionals who engage in developments and approaches that respect destinations. They actually help create a lot of jobs for local residents. Young people should not leave their villages to earn a living in the cities. They work directly with families to offer them the opportunity to have a new source of income. In addition, it helps to promote and preserve local culture from generation to generation. And thanks to you, local agencies in Vietnam can practice responsible and sustainable tourism.

- WITHOUT INTERMEDIARY - REASONABLE PRICE - SECURE PAYMENT

A travel agency based at the destination works directly with service providers: hotels, restaurants, boats, drivers, English-speaking guides, homestays. This is why the price of the trip is more reasonable. Customers do not incur intermediary costs. It can be said that this is one of the competitive advantages of these local tour operators.

Regarding payment, you certainly have a lot of concerns about the risks associated with transferring money to another country. You are right. Before, it was a bit complicated. But with the development of the internet and international payment methods, an international money transfer is now easier than ever. There is no risk in paying on the internet, provided that you choose reliable payment methods guaranteed by the banks. For example, you can use the following reliable payment methods: https://wise.com/ or https://www.onepay.vn/ to make payment for your tour to Vietnam. Besides, during your stay in Vietnam, you can easily do the bank transfer or withdraw cash directly from an ATM with your bank card without any problem.

3. How to choose a serious and reliable travel agency after Covid?

Please note that under the impact of the Covid pandemic, 95% of international travel companies have had to suspend their activities. Many of them failed or had to change course. So, there is only one problem here, and that is HOW TO CHOOSE a serious and reliable agency after Covid?

Please find below the tips for choosing a legal and reliable travel agency.

- LEGAL NOTICE

It is necessary to choose a travel agency authorized under the Vietnam Tourism Law. Only a registered travel agency is authorized to provide tourist services. That is to say, they must meet two mandatory criteria:

+ Have a business registration certificate issued by the Provincial Planning and Investment Department.
+ Hold an international tour operator license, issued by the Vietnam Tourism Administration. You must have a mandatory financial guarantee worth 250 million VND (or 10,000 USD) deposited in a bank. (Please see an example of a tour operator license, click here)

Note that any individual who does not have legal status is not authorized to organize tours.

- VISIBILITY OF THE TRAVEL AGENCY ON THE INTERNET

The Internet undoubtedly opens up a range of offers for easy access to local incoming travel agencies. Several solutions are available to travelers to assess the reliability of a local incoming agency:

+ Find the agency website: Reliable agencies of course have a well-researched website to publicize their offers and reach customers. You need to evaluate the continuity of this news, the team's information, customer reviews and also the updated blog, everything ensures the existence and even the functioning of a business.

+ Choose a travel agency with a lot of results on the search engine. A specialist in the organization of circuits obviously offers good quality services. You will filter without much difficulty, using Google, the best operators who can design a stay that meets your expectations.

+ Read reviews on travel forums: It's easy to look at intermediary sites or travel forums to assess a brand's reputation and dynamism. For example, Tripadvisor is one of the best reference sites to consult before choosing. Tripadvisor issues each year a “Certificate of Excellence” or “Traveller’s Choice” label to companies selected for their brilliance, good service and continued dedication. The history of traveler reviews constitutes proof of the existence and reputation of an agency. Take advantage of the recent comments from millions of travelers on this famous platform to find a good local English-speaking travel agency in Vietnam after 2 years of Covid!

+ Visit the agency's pages on social networks: This is also a way to assess the responsiveness of a brand. Generally, good agencies have a Facebook fanpage.

+ In addition, you can also join travel groups (for example: Vietnam Travelers Group, Vietnam Travel Guide) where we share experiences and good deals on the destination and agencies. The opinions, comments and fruitful exchanges thus make it possible to verify the reliability and reputation of this or that agency.

- EXCHANGE WITH YOUR TEAM

This is always the most important criterion for choosing a good travel agency. A serious tour operator in Vietnam has experienced English-speaking travel advisors who will best understand your wishes via email or telephone exchanges, then help you plan a good tour in Vietnam. You will probably evaluate it after a few email exchanges. Nothing better than chatting directly with a local expert. Their real knowledge of the field, their professionalism, their responsiveness constitutes the decisive elements of the quality of services throughout your tour in Vietnam.

Note that a local agency remaining active after Covid will always have someone to respond quickly to your travel requests.

4. Best travel agency in Vietnam for your private trip (in alphabetical order)

- Authentik Travel: Local English-speaking travel agency, based in Hanoi, Vietnam, specializing in the creation of tailor-made and private trips. Need an expert on authentic, off-the-beaten-track tours in Vietnam? AuthentikTravel is for you.
Destinations: Vietnam - Cambodia – Laos
Website:  https://authentiktravel.com/

- G Adventures: This is a popular choice among tourists looking for an adventure-filled holiday. They provide small group tours, safaris, and adventures to more than 100 countries, with a focus on ethical and ecological travel. G Adventures is committed to assisting local communities and offers unique, immersive experiences that allow people to engage with local cultures and landscapes.
Destinations: 100 countries, include Vietnam
Website: https://www.gadventures.com/

- Izitour.com: It is a multilingual agency located in Hanoi, Vietnam. This is a specialist in private trips for individual groups to all destinations in Vietnam and Cambodia. You have an instant and reasonable price when you surf and fill out the info on its website.
Destination: Vietnam-Cambodia
Website:  https://izitour.com/

- Liberty Travel: Liberty Travel, with over 65 years of expertise, is one of the oldest and most reputable travel businesses in the United States. They specialize in crafting personalized vacation packages, ranging from romantic vacations to family activities. Their professional travel advisers provide a smooth and stress-free trip experience, from booking flights and lodging to organizing guided tours and activities.
Destination: Around the world
Website: https://www.libertytravel.com/

- One Nation Travel: This prestigious travel firm, with offices in Princeton, New Jersey, Toronto, and Istanbul, Turkey, specializes in providing high-quality trips to places such as Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Thailand, Vietnam, and others. One Nation Travel is known for delivering one-of-a-kind and unforgettable experiences. They offer a personalized approach, painstaking attention to detail, and strong relationships with local communities. 
Destination: Global
Website: https://www.onenationtravel.com/

- Phoenix: a large local English-speaking tour operator in Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) which organizes private and group trips for small and large groups.
Destinations: Vietnam – Laos – Cambodia – Burma
Website: http://www.phoenixvoyages.com/

- Saigon tourist: One of the first Vietnamese tour operators, it also has a large network of travel and hotel offices throughout Vietnam.
Destination: Vietnam
Website: https://www.saigontouristvietnam.com/

- Travel Leaders Group: The more than 6,000 travel companies that make up the Travel Leaders Group network provide a variety of services, including luxury cruises, adventure tours, and business and leisure travel. They are able to provide each passenger a customized and individualized experience because of their wide network. Travel Leaders Group is a dependable choice for tourists seeking a hassle-free and delightful trip because of its strong emphasis on customer care and pleasure.
Destination: Around the world
Website: https://travelleadersgroup.com/

- Viet Travel: one of the leaders in Vietnamese tourism. It received the World Travel Awards with two nominations, “Vietnam's LeadingTravel Agency” and “Vietnam's Leading Tour Operator”. This agency itself owns an airline “Viettravel airlines”
Destination: Asia
Website: https://www.vietravel.com/

- Virtuoso: Virtuoso is a premium travel network that links passengers to a global network of premier travel agents, hotels, tour operators, and cruise lines. They specialize in developing personalized travel experiences, ranging from high-end hotels to exclusive access to events and experiences. Virtuoso's expert travel advisers can create tailored itineraries, making it the preferred choice for premium travelers.
Destination: Global
Website: https://www.virtuoso.com/

You finally have everything in hand. Stay tuned to choose a good English-speaking travel agency that will help you discover the authentic Vietnam you dream of.
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