Why to pay for a tour if you can do it “for free”?

Some time ago, we published an article with tips for choosing a guided tour, which you can read by clicking here. One of the questions that we have noticed travelers ask the most is whether it is worth booking a paid tour or, on the contrary, if it is better to opt for a free tour. What are the differences? What advantages and disadvantages do each have?

- Price: Of course, a priori we would all think that the best option is the free tour, since as its name indicates it is a “free tour”; However, this is not so. “Free tour” means that there is no set price, but at the end of the visit the attendees decide how much they are going to pay. And this, although it may seem very comfortable for the user, is very harmful: in the vast majority of cases, participants pay very low amounts and some even leave without paying. In most cases, the guide who gives the free tour is hired by a company, so the collection is not whole for the worker: the company will set conditions to pay them a minimum amount of the total one collected.

- Official guides?: Although in Andalusia the majority of guides are accredited by the Junta de Andalucía, this type of tour leaves room for intrusion, since there may be people who offer to take you around the city in exchange for your will. Official guides, at all times that we act as such, must have our accreditation visible.

- Quality of service: the purpose of the free tour is simply to give some generic insights to get to know the city. For their part, paid tours are usually made with a specific focus (history, culture, art, gastronomy...), so an enriching and immersive experience is offered, through a speech prepared by the person who tells you. will take you through the city.

- Massification: When booking a free tour, keep in mind that the maximum number of people legally allowed is thirty, which is a big drawback: the attention is not personalized, walking is difficult (both for visitors and neighbors), and, on many occasions, you can barely hear the guide. When you pay for a tour, these groups are usually smaller (we, for example, we work with up to 15 people) and an audio system is used so that you do not miss any details of the explanation.

- Cancellation: Cancellation of the free tour does not entail any cost, again, a double-edged sword: there is no guarantee that the tour will take place if a certain number of participants is not reached, while on the paid tour beforehand, you won't have to worry about being canceled last minute.

In short, although free tours may be attractive because of their zero cost, a paid tour provides a more in-depth, structured and detailed experience. Investing in a paid tour translates into added value that can transform your trip into a truly memorable adventure.