ToursByLocals Blog Posts
How to find your perfect guide match on ToursByLocals
Sep 20 2024
Flights booked? Check. Hotels reserved? Check. Tours booked? Um... Not yet. In the throes of pre-vacation planning it can be easy to sideline what you are actually going to do once you touch down in your chosen location, leading to lots of last-minute frantic Google searches and even more wandering around unfamiliar streets.
A private tour with a local expert guide is an excellent way to maximise your time in a new place. ToursByLocals has over 5,000 guides around the world who are eager to show you why they love where they live. Spending time with a guide on a private tour is much more personal than following a large group tour, so it's important that you find the right guide for you.
Following our website re-launch, it's now easier than ever to connect with a knowledgeable local expert. On our homepage, you can choose to search by “tour” or by “guide” (or by shore excursion, safari and even live virtual tour!)
Let’s start with what a tour search look like. On the search bar and type in the city you are going to explore. As you begin to type, you'll see a drop down menu appear with suggested locations and you can simply click on your desired location from there.
To get the best experience, we highly recommend inserting the dates you are available into the calendar. This will allow you to only see tours that are available on your chosen dates.
A new page will load, showing all tours that town or city. To narrow the search, use the handy 'filters' button on the top-left corner of the page.
This is a good place to set the basic requirements of what you are looking for. Maybe you only have the morning free to explore, in which case you can indicate this in the filters section. You can also select your group size and desired activity level. Though these filters are not essential, it's an excellent way to narrow down your search. Keep in mind that guides can customise their tours according to your needs, so don't worry if you don't see exactly what you need.
Following feedback from customers, we've added even more filters, to ensure that you only view tours who truly match your needs. History buff? Click on 'Interests' and then Select 'history' from the drop down menu. More into hiking or perhaps you're a foodie? We've got tags for that too. If you require private transportation, make sure to select that option in the 'Transportation' drop-down. Many ToursByLocals guides have their own vehicle and are licensed to show you the sights in style.
Once you've browsed and narrowed down the selection of tours, it's time to connect with a local expert guide. At the top of each tour, you can see a photo of the guide and a short blurb, which is an extract from their biography that they have written to help you to get to know them better.
Click anywhere on the text to read the guides' profile in full. You'll be able to learn about their interests, qualifications, language skills, availability and much more. For many guides, their passion for their area shines through in their profile, and give you a great indication of their personality. You can also read the reviews that other ToursByLocals travellers have left - a fantastic indication of what you can expect from your time with this guide. From the profile, you can connect with the guide directly using the green 'message' button.
This button can also be found on the tour page, so if you have any questions about the tour, or your destination, or the guide’s qualifications, you can quickly and easily reach out to the guide themselves. Your message goes to their ToursByLocals account, and their reply will come directly to your email address. Keep in mind that guides are often guiding for several hours each day during their high season, so you may not receive a response immediately. You can check out the guides' average response time on their profile page, and of course the ToursByLocals support team is available 24/7 by telephone and email should you have any questions.
This user journey started with searching for a tour, but it can just as easily start with searching for a guide from the search bar, and using filters to sort through guide profile results to find a person with the expertise you seek. It’s personal preference whether you prefer to search for a specific activity first, or search for a specific guide first, then message them to customize your tour.
Booking a private tour is truly an investment in your trip, so it's worth taking a little time to find exactly the right guide for you. Many of our customers and guides have stayed in touch long after their tour has concluded, and some have even become firm friends who have hosted each other in their respective countries. Our ethos is 'keeping travel human' and it all starts with sending a simple message.
A private tour with a local expert guide is an excellent way to maximise your time in a new place. ToursByLocals has over 5,000 guides around the world who are eager to show you why they love where they live. Spending time with a guide on a private tour is much more personal than following a large group tour, so it's important that you find the right guide for you.
Following our website re-launch, it's now easier than ever to connect with a knowledgeable local expert. On our homepage, you can choose to search by “tour” or by “guide” (or by shore excursion, safari and even live virtual tour!)
Let’s start with what a tour search look like. On the search bar and type in the city you are going to explore. As you begin to type, you'll see a drop down menu appear with suggested locations and you can simply click on your desired location from there.
To get the best experience, we highly recommend inserting the dates you are available into the calendar. This will allow you to only see tours that are available on your chosen dates.
A new page will load, showing all tours that town or city. To narrow the search, use the handy 'filters' button on the top-left corner of the page.
This is a good place to set the basic requirements of what you are looking for. Maybe you only have the morning free to explore, in which case you can indicate this in the filters section. You can also select your group size and desired activity level. Though these filters are not essential, it's an excellent way to narrow down your search. Keep in mind that guides can customise their tours according to your needs, so don't worry if you don't see exactly what you need.
Following feedback from customers, we've added even more filters, to ensure that you only view tours who truly match your needs. History buff? Click on 'Interests' and then Select 'history' from the drop down menu. More into hiking or perhaps you're a foodie? We've got tags for that too. If you require private transportation, make sure to select that option in the 'Transportation' drop-down. Many ToursByLocals guides have their own vehicle and are licensed to show you the sights in style.
Once you've browsed and narrowed down the selection of tours, it's time to connect with a local expert guide. At the top of each tour, you can see a photo of the guide and a short blurb, which is an extract from their biography that they have written to help you to get to know them better.
Click anywhere on the text to read the guides' profile in full. You'll be able to learn about their interests, qualifications, language skills, availability and much more. For many guides, their passion for their area shines through in their profile, and give you a great indication of their personality. You can also read the reviews that other ToursByLocals travellers have left - a fantastic indication of what you can expect from your time with this guide. From the profile, you can connect with the guide directly using the green 'message' button.
This button can also be found on the tour page, so if you have any questions about the tour, or your destination, or the guide’s qualifications, you can quickly and easily reach out to the guide themselves. Your message goes to their ToursByLocals account, and their reply will come directly to your email address. Keep in mind that guides are often guiding for several hours each day during their high season, so you may not receive a response immediately. You can check out the guides' average response time on their profile page, and of course the ToursByLocals support team is available 24/7 by telephone and email should you have any questions.
This user journey started with searching for a tour, but it can just as easily start with searching for a guide from the search bar, and using filters to sort through guide profile results to find a person with the expertise you seek. It’s personal preference whether you prefer to search for a specific activity first, or search for a specific guide first, then message them to customize your tour.
Booking a private tour is truly an investment in your trip, so it's worth taking a little time to find exactly the right guide for you. Many of our customers and guides have stayed in touch long after their tour has concluded, and some have even become firm friends who have hosted each other in their respective countries. Our ethos is 'keeping travel human' and it all starts with sending a simple message.