We are planning a tour for this year and on searching the internet came across the Go Ahead Tours Canada website. After going through the site thoroughly we found the following discrepancies:
a) Unlike other websites, the Go Ahead Tours website makes no upfront, let alone clear, mention of what's included and what's not included in the pricing. This seems to be a tactic of concealing charges that the local guides/tour operators might charge unsuspecting customers once the tour is on, leaving customers with no choice but to pay up.
b) The website also mentions "Once you're on tour, you can get in touch at any time thanks to our team of 24/7 Emergency Support Specialists.", although nowhere is the emergency contact # or name/s mentioned. Again, this seems to be the same cover-up as mentioned in a) above, leaving the customer in the lurch once anything goes wrong whilst on the tour, to be left at the mercy of the tour operator/guide.
Even if it were mentioned, it looks to be just a marketing and sales strategy to coerce new customers into letting their guard down while in the process of shopping for a tour.
c) The website provides conflicting and ambiguous information regarding tipping: (note the conflicting usage of terms "driver" and guide", as also the different amounts of tips suggested)
"We recommend tipping the equivalent of $7USD to $10USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $3USD per person per day for your driver."
"Meet your guide the morning of your first full day on tour. He or she will act as both your tour guide-and-driver for the duration of your tour." . "At the conclusion of your tour, it’s customary to offer your driver/guide a gratuity in USD. We recommend tipping the equivalent of $8USD to $10USD per person per day."
"We also recommend $2USD per local guide."
"You can also expect to be solicited for tips from the hospitality and restaurant staff that you encounter. Leaving as little as the equivalent of $1USD is greatly appreciated"
This clearly also attempts at coercing the customer to pay tips, whilst the tour organizer gets its profit unhindered. Shows that they themselves indeed care little about supporting locals by paying them very little and passing their burden onto the customer, on top of the full pricing. Shameful.
d) Con tactics with the Toronto office:
The website mentions that the Toronto office is open 7 days a week, with timings clearly displayed. We wished to meet personally with anyone to discuss our plans in choosing a tour as well as to clear some doubts.
Called the office on a Saturday afternoon prior to going over to the office, and the line seemed busy, as we were kept on hold with a voice prompts mentioning to hold as the reps were busy, until someone will be able to take the call. Waited on hold for five minutes, then decided to hang up and visit the office directly.
We went to 80 Bloor St. West and the building was empty. Security let us to the 16th floor, mentioning that Education Funds, parent company of Go Ahead Tours, is not open.
We found both sets of glass doors closed, and all cubicles empty, monitors turned off dark. We knocked a few times on both doors, but there was nobody to reply.
Any respectable tour operator would not be as callous as this example. The website lies and the phone greeting on hold cons one into thinking that the office is busy and open.
In the case of Go Ahead Tours, the term "Caveat Emptor" screams in their favor!!