Our Explorer - local tour guides for travellers

Filed in archive Ethical travel , News on August 13, 2008

© redjar

Our Explorer
aims to connect travellers with local guides possessing local knowledge. The site launched in July 208 with more than 400 professional guides registered in 80 countries. Our Explorer aims to assist you to do more than just sightsee as you can tap into the knowledge and wisdom of a local.

The guides are rated by clients and are encouraged to initially offer two free one hour session to clients in order to kick start their ratings which is likely to ensure more bookings in the future as a tried and tested guide. Pre-booking your guide allows you to research them and contact them directly with any questions rather than spending the time finding a guide once you arrive at your destination about whom you have no prior knowledge.

There are no fees for guides adding their listing and profile to the site. Our Explorer takes 10% commission in the form of the booking deposit and the client pays the guide directly. This should ensure that a high percentage of the fees paid by the client go directly into the local economy especially in developing countries. I suppose that the guide should receive a higher fee through this arrangement than if the guide is employed by a tour company who have to add their overheads to the price charged to the client.