Frequently Asked Questions with Answers

Of course you can walk or drive to your travel agent and look for a tour there. There is a chance that you end up with a tour that is also listed at the ToursOnTheWeb platform. But there are real advantages to using this online platform.

• ToursOnTheWeb offers a lot more tours and cruises than any traditional travel agent. You can easily compare them side-by-side, anywhere, anytime.
• Please be aware that a travel agent is an intermediate who collects your payment and needs to transfer this to the tour operator immediately. In most cases this works perfectly, but sometimes it doesn't. Some travel agents use your payment (temporarily) for other purposes than your booking, what has lead to loss of traveller payments in the past... :(
• ToursOnTheWeb does not accept online bookings or payments by any traveller / participant. We enable you to search and compare, but forward you to the operator's website for online booking. The pre-selected and validated tour operator is strictly regulated for secure payments, booking guarantees, cancellations and refunds.
• When booking via our platform you will not pay a penny more than booking straight at the operator. If you would book via a travel agent, you may even have to pay a booking fee of x dollars / euros / pounds.
• The tour operator will also have the actual (lowest) prices and will apply discounts, for example for early bird bookings, small groups, recurring travellers as well as loyalty programs. Travel agents may not be able to give you these discounts. In case of changes, your deposit payment is not lost when booked directly.
• By booking directly at the Tour Operator, you know who to talk to for information, changes or cancellations. They know best with ALL the information regarding itinerary, destinations, inclusions, exclusions, optional activities, etc and love to talk to you and help you. A travel agent takes it information from alternate sources that may / may not be correct or complete.
• Only the Terms and Conditions of the tour operator apply to your booking.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) has changed the way we look for almost anything on the World Wide Web. Generative AI with bots and tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, Qwen, Deep Seek, Kimi, Doubao and Minimax know whatever is available on the World Wide Web through Large Language Models.

• These systems are extremely powerful and capable in many areas of daily life, but not very good at comparing lots of very similar data in an easy, tabular format. Furthermore these bots can read billions of Web Pages but have no access to travel company databases and therefore cannot collect detailed information like dates and prices for hotel rooms, flights or organised multi-day tours.
• This is where large comparison platforms like ToursOnTheWeb can play an important role. Our partners provide all details like itineraries, dates and current prices. You can use easy filters instead of complex, long prompts to get proper results, at no cost whatsoever to the user. No subscriptions and no tokens needed. You decide what is best for you. Nothing can beat that.
• Yes, comparison platforms like ToursOnTheWeb are here to stay, for your convenience and your confidence!

Yes, we have 15,000 active tour itineraries in our system with a total of more than 400,000 tour start dates and seasonal dates and even more pricing options. All of these tours are conducted by well-known local or trusted international tour operators - in English, German, Dutch and more.

• To our best knowledge, only one (1) online travel agency has more tours. This agent works completely different from us, because it does accept your bookings and your money. That agent also list tiny little niche operators with one or two tour itineraries.
• We do not try to list all tours from all operators, but focus on the best travel experiences, trust, convenience and confidence so you can have the time of your life with one of our tours.
• We are looking for more reliable tour operators, especially outbound operators from countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Spain, the UK and South-East Asia.

"Countries" have been created to make travel searches easier. Some countries do not actually exist, but this is just for geographical travel reasons only and have nothing to do with politics.

• Incorrect countries include for example Russia (Europe) and Russia (Asia), Gibraltar, South Georgia, Svalbard, Greenland, Alaska, Hawaii, French Polynesia, Dutch Antilles and Hong Kong.

Of course you can organise your own trip. A lot of people do, especially for easy destinations. But booking online and organising is not the same as travelling and actually being on the road. There is more to Group tours than online bookings.

• Tour Operators are professional organisations with lots of experience. They know where to go and what to do there. They show you the way, make reservations and in case of trouble (medical or otherwise) they are there for you, to assist you. Independent travel means that you are on your own.
• A main advantage of Group Tours is to meet other people and to make friends easily. It is a very convenient and comfortable way of travelling to sometimes more difficult destinations. The tour bus will take you to the entrance of your hotel.
• Websites, Social networks and "Digital Buddies" are not really very social. They don't take you to your hotel or carry your suitcases. They may tell you were something is and how to get there, but you need to do it yourself.
• ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI platforms, even by travel companies, may suggest an itinerary, but with so many options available (e.g. different hotels and restaurants in cities), the options are countless. The questions in the chat need to be so detailed and specific to find that great tour for you, that it isn't funny. Comparing tours with AI chat-boxes also doesn't really work.

We have validated all listed local and international tour operators. Many of them are leading, renowned travel organisations that have been in the business for 20, 30, 50 or more years.

• We checked reviews by travellers (e.g. on tripadvisor, feefo and trustpilot) and only work with partners where experiences have been mainly positive. We included a link to reviews on the operator details page.
• All tour operators are member of one or more booking guarantee funds, what should guarantee your payment in the highly unlikely case that the tour operator closes business.
• We list memberships and associations per operator.
• Bookings and arrangements are always made with the operator directly. ToursOnTheWeb is not involved in this process. If still in doubt, you can search the Internet for reviews by other travellers / participants, or choose another operator that you do know and trust.
• It is great news that you have not heard about certain tour operators before. This proves that our concept - to offer you more choice than a traditional travel agent - works.

ToursOnTheWeb does not accept any booking or payment from any traveller or participant. You can search, compare and share group tours, individual tours and river cruises conveniently online.

• The tour and cruise details pages will show you a simple button that will take you straight to the correct tour page at the operator's web site where you can ask for more information, check current availability or make your booking.
• Direct communication with trusted tour operators provides even more booking confidence.
• IMPORTANT: Only the Tour Operator's Terms and Conditions apply to all bookings!

Please contact the tour operator directly for your bookings, changes or cancellations. Direct communication without middle men is often the easiest, especially for changes. The operator is in charge of deposit payments and refunds.

• ONLY the Terms and Conditions of the tour operator apply to your booking - unlike bookings through traditional or online travel agents who may add a whole lot of additional terms and conditions of their own.
• Your cancellation may be bound to fees, depending on the tour duration, when you cancel and how much you have paid. These fees will always apply, regardless where and with whom you book (including travel agents), because the tour operator will have incurred expenses that it may not be able to recover. Also, the operator will now have to find someone else to travel in your place.
• Some operators allow you to re-schedule your booking to another date if necessary, without a fine, even if you would travel 6 months to a a year later. This could be very convenient is something serious happens suddenly that does not allow you to travel straight away.
• We always recommend obtaining a travel insurance that covers cancellations and medical expenses.

We understand that you can have a question about a tour or your booking. That is normal. Please contact the tour operator directly and talk to them via chat, email or phone. They are the ones with all the info and they can help you best.

• ToursOnTheWeb does not have all the info about listed tours and travels and cannot really help you.
• There are lots and lots of group tours, private tours, (river) cruises, expeditions and operators and it is impossible to know everything. Our listings provide a lot of information, but a lot more is available at the operator's website.
• If your question does not relate to a tour, but to the company ToursOnTheWeb, you can find us on social media like LinkedIn, Twitter and facebook. If you are a tour operator, advertiser or investor, then please find more info in the partner section of this website.