Anyone Get Tour Survey From RS?

I received the survey. I am all for Rick offering some slower paced tours for people who want them or who have some mobility issues but would not be interested in them myself. I like the faster paced tours and have never found them to be too strenuous.

It's a smart idea. He's trying to expand his customer base. He doesn't have to change his regular tours just throw in a few at a slower pace.

Up until a couple of years ago, if you traveled alone, and took an RS tour, you had no choice but to share a room unless there was an odd number. This may have turned off some people. Now he offers a guaranteed single for those willing to pay a fee. It's probably brought him customers who wouldn't have taken a tour in the past.

I got the survey and completed it indicating I have no interest in a less strenuous tour. In fact, I'd prefer more activity, hikes etc than they currently have. I've read tour feedback that people expected and wanted more activity than the tour provided, especially since the tour info makes such a point about the tours being very active. I agree with the others, he's keeping his options open and looking at the aging of the population. I hope he keeps/improves the current format.

I got one too, filled it out this morning.

I think Rick is being a smart businessman by trying to figure out what kind of product his consumers are interested in. If the vast majority of respondents indicate no interest in a slow-paced tour, he probably won't offer them. Especially in this economic climate when European travel is a luxury, he's got to do his best to offer a product people want to buy.

For me, the tours don't need to be slower paced, but then 1) I'm still pretty young and 2) I've only taken city tours which are busy but don't involve a lot of moving around. The only thing I find occasionally difficult is long periods of standing, which I find more tiring than walking five miles.

If he's sending the survey only to prior tour customers, he may not get much interest. The people who might be interested in less active tours may be the people who haven't taken his tours in the past. I'm sure his prominent warnings about the tours being very active have scared some people off.

Pat,

I received the Survey last night and completed it. I kind of like the present format of the tours, so probably wouldn't be interested in a "less strenuous" version.

From what I've observed, many of the members on the tours fit the "mature" category (a description which also fits me), and I suspect some of them may have complained about the tours (and especially the long periods of standing on local tours) being too difficult.

On one of my tours, there were a few members that were constantly "whining" about everything. It didn't matter that the rest of the group was having a great time, there was always something that was never good enough for them. Rick puts a lot of work into the tours, but there's no way he's going to keep everyone happy, so perhaps that's the reason he's exploring other options?

I plan on continuing with the present tour format, as long as I have the funds and good health to "keep on travelling".

It will be interesting to see what changes result from this survey.

I can do slow-paced tours on my own. I've been on a number of RS tours and never found them too fast-paced. I will do the survey and let Rick know.

Since most tours days are structured with half the day free, folks are pretty able to "ramp up" the activity level to suit their preferences. I see no down side to RS offering less active options.

The week before my 2001 Best of Europe tour, I hurt my knee and had a very difficult time keeping up. Since then I have had three major surgeries on my knee and foot and figured my tour days are over. I would love a slower tour, and more days in one spot. We leave June 10th for 35 days in Italy and France, at our own pace.

I think RS should consider sending his survey out to people who havenèt been on his tour,, and ask them what holds them back.

I think the boards here would be a good place to start. It may not exactly accurate , but I do think since most of us here have travelled, or plan to travel to Europe, we will have some good feed back for RS.

I've not gotten the survey, but I think Rick is smart to be thinking about offering more flexibility in his tours. I like the current format, but I couldn't take this format with my parents. It would be too much for them. But they would hate a normal big bus tour. There is room I think, in the market, for a slower paced tour that still has the ETBD philosophy and can accommodate people who have some physical limitations. Pam

I took the survey as well. I would love the option of a bit slower more relaxing pace, so as not to come home and return to work quite as tuckered, and I also like the idea of perhaps more nights in one place.

Actually I like the idea of longer stays in each location too and have suggested previously that I'd like to see shorter tours that stay in one or two places and really get to know an area and less bus time. For example, a tour of southwest France that could include the Dordogne and Carcassonne, or a tour of Switzerland only. Sort of like a City Tour but of a region. Also include hikes and walks in the countryside.

Yes, I'm a tour alumni and I responded to the survey. I liked the tours I took very much, but think it's good to offer different types of tours.

Grier,, I agree , a tour that really focused on a region would be nice, I particularily would like one that did somewhere like the Dordgonne. That area is best done by car,, and for those who don't want to drive, or can't a tour that would perhaps stay in one or two centres in that region and daytrip around would be great.

fyi - being a tour alumn did not mean that you received a survey.

Edwin

I wonder how they determined who got the survey. I did not get it, but would certainly have responded. I agree with most of what is posted here, especially that the standing for a long time is worse than the walking about and that the free time gives you a chance to go at your own pace and recover if you need it. However, the arthritis in my knees is getting worse and one of these days a cortisone shot before a RS tour may not work as well. When that day comes, I would love to have the option of a slower paced tour that still utilized Rick's travel philosophy.

I received the survey a few weeks ago. I have been on multiple tours. At this point I'm not interested in less strenuous tours but may be in the future. Standing for long periods is tiresome. There seemed to be a focus on smaller tours with an additional cost. Tour guides sometimes need a day off from the group and bus drivers are required to take a day off on longer tours. I am not opposed to spending an extra day in places and having additional free time to give the drivers and guides and break.

We have been on a number of ETBD tours and would prefer to see little change. I appreciate Rick's solicitation of feedback and desire to meet client needs. This is something more businesses need to do. We just love him! Anyway, I digress into Rickdom.

Back to the issue. Some days, we get tired. However, it's the quicker pace that allows us to see and do more, making the most of our time there. It's exciting and we enjoy "gearing up" for our trip by walking more & getting up early weeks in advance to prepare for the time change. It makes the vacation last longer.

I would agree three days would be ideal in the cities where there is more to see. If the big city starts at the beginning or end of a tour, we can tack on a couple days. Rome is in the middle of Best of Europe and doesn't allow for seeing additional sites or basking leisurely in some of the piazzas.

Wow! All this talk. I'm ready for another trip, but need to save. I also thought let's keep the tour size the same as I would prefer not to absorb more costs for less people.

I leave on May 21 for my 9th RS tour. The office did not send me a survey. Guess they felt I am hooked to the current format. I will be taking the 13-day Turkey Tour and have been reading past tour members comments. MANY complaints about the pace on that tour and the number of one night stands. I remember inquiring at the Edmonds headquarters about having more longer tours and I was told that the shorter tours were the ones selling, not the longer ones. That was a couple of years ago so their thinking may have changed given the economic climate today.