The concept of travel has long been about the exciting journey you take through new destinations and new cultures, sampling new cuisine and talking to new people. But at some point, the concept of doing it as a solo traveler becomes daunting, often scary for some, and many begin shying away from their passion for travel.
The escorted touring industry has always been a perfect home for the solo traveler who feels traveling alone may be a bit out of their comfort zone. Think about it, you have the comfort of a driver and tour guide, your itinerary is already planned out, some of your meals are already paid for, and you get to travel with 40 to 60 other people with whom you can meet and interact with. The downside however, single supplements can often make that trip more a dream than a reality.
In September 2016, I had the pleasure of going on a small escorted tour through Back-Roads Touring Co. The company has been doing small escorted tours throughout Europe for over 26 years now. All cap at 15-18 people per tour and not only include the perks you'd find on a larger motorcoach tour such as tour guide, driver, set itineraries and some meals, but they also include unique local experiences such as cooking classes with a local chef, and they only stay at small boutique hotels. All tours travel on a Mercedes Mini Coach that very comfortably fit our entire group and our luggage.
[READMORE] READ MORE: Small-Group European Magic With Back-Roads Touring [/READMORE]
Out of the 18 people, four were solo travelers, including myself. Many chose a Back-Roads Tour because they knew they wouldn't feel lost in the mix of a larger tour and knew they would receive the one on one attention from the tour guide. The tour guides at Back-Roads Touring do a fantastic job at including everyone and ensuring each passenger is enjoying their vacation. With just 18 people on board, it's very easy to feel more like you are traveling with friends, than with an escorted tour.
Many may think this sounds great but it must come at a hefty price tag for solo travelers. Back-Roads Touring has done a fantastic job at keeping the average single supplement price for North American passengers in the $300-$600 range. That's a fantastic opportunity for solo travelers to not only see Europe, but to do so at a much more reasonable price than most other tours. With a growing trend of solo travelers, Back-Roads Touring has created a perfect little niche for themselves in the solo traveler market.
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