Reviewed 23 Apr 2006 by Ms. Rashila
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Visiting the monuments was amazing.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Double check the day's itinerary with the guide and be sure to point out if there's something that you're not interested in. For the first day, our guide took us to carpet factory, perfume shop, papyrus shop, which no-one in our group was really interested in. After the carpet factory, we specifically asked the guide what the agenda was for the rest of the day and he mentioned the excursions, such as the Giza Pyramids, Memphis, etc but did not mention that we would be taken for additional shopping. The 2nd day, it was just the 2 of us, and again we specifically asked what the agenda was and he mentioned the tours, but did not mention the jewellery shop. At the jewellery shop, we mentioned that we were not interested in doing any shopping, but he suggested we go in anyway.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, local people benefited. Our tour guide and driver were Egyptian, we stayed at an Egyptian owned hotel. I'm not sure how the holiday minimized impacts on the environment.
4. Any other comments?
The 2 stars are because the sites/monuments/museum were amazing and well worth seeing. The guide part was disappointing and only warrants 1 star. I was not impressed with the tour operator. Our tour guide was intent on taking us to places where we can spend more money (all the shopping stops). When we asked him for suggestions on places to go in evening that were in the vicinity of our hotel, he advised us not to leave the hotel. He told us there was no reason to leave as there was a restaurant, coffee shop/shisha bar, right onsite. Further, the manager/travel coordinator called us at 9:30 pm at night after we had gone to sleep indicating that he would like to meet in the lobby to settle the payment. I asked if we could do it in the morning and he said no. If the appointment had been pre-arranged, it would have been one thing, but to call someone and expect them to come down when it's inconvenient is another. After payment, we confirmed the time the driver will pick us up to take us to the airport, and the driver was over 40 minutes late. No apologies, no nothing. In conclusion, I felt that they were out to extract as much money from us as possible. After 2 days in Cairo, we went to Dahab and then returned to Cairo for one final day. We used another tour company and driver and they were great.
Read the operator's response here:
I absolutely agree with that. I don’t expect the hotel, or the guide to be more impressive than the great sites included in tour program.
The detailed itinerary given to the guests explains about the great sites to be visit within the tour. It’s true that it does not mention the short stops for the shops or factories. However, I believe the responsible traveller should expect such stops, arranged by the tour guide, since it’s noted in our clear policies to introduce the typical Egyptian products to our guests, help them to learn the best bargaining techniques and encourage them to purchase such locally-produced items by taking them to local craft markets, with no pressure at all to buy any of the exposed products.
Regarding the tour guide, I have no doubts at all concerning his knowledge, when it comes to the history of the sites and his abilities of giving an objective presentation of the Egyptian culture. However, I do agree that such stops should have been notified to the guests in advance, to avoid any misunderstandings, and we have started to do so already.
I can assure you that your holiday has absolutely accomplished all its aims of affecting the Egyptian community and the environment, positively, exactly as stated in the “make a difference” policies of the tour. I’ve already explained about the shops and factories part, and I’m sure the guest’s statement is too exaggerating.
As about the tour guide “Mina”, I am proud to admit that he’s one of the very best tour guides in Egypt and all the reviews and testimonials of my former guests prove that. He was ONLY being caring to suggest for the guests to use the facilities of their hotel (Restaurant, bar, coffee shop…etc), since he wanted to make sure that the guests receive good service, in a decent clean place, where the quality of food or drinks is guaranteed to avoid the possibility of them getting sick and ending by having their holiday spoiled by their sickness. However, it was up to the guests to take his suggestion or not, with no pressure at all. Regarding the payment, we do not receive any payment in advance.
The guests arrived to Cairo on British Airways, which lands at Cairo Airport at 23:20, on “Day 1” of the tour. They reached the hotel by 00: 30. It was too late to meet with them, so we didn’t mind to put the payment thing into any later chance.
The guests were in Cairo only for 2 full days. During these two days, they joined our two full day-tours, so we didn’t get much chance to meet, as I always do with all my guests.
On the last day, they came back from their tour by 18:00. I wanted to give them enough time to rest, and have dinner and then I came to the hotel around 21:00. I called to invite them for a drink at the lobby to discuss their tour, hear their reviews, and settle the payment, since it was the last chance to do it before they leave.
They asked if we can do it next day in the morning, and I apologized for any inconvenience as it was not possible, since they had to leave to the airport early in the morning for a domestic flight to Sharm El-Sheikh, departing at 08:00 AM.
Ms. Rashila accepted to meet me, we sat together in the coffee shop, I invited her for a drink, and I asked her about the way she found every detail of the tour. She was very satisfied with the tour and she had no complains at all. Then, we settled the payment and that was it.
The transport to the airport was delayed, that’s true, but not for 40 minutes. I was personally following up with the bus driver, and the hotel receptionist. However, I sincerely apologize for any delay, which we always consider its possibility, while fixing a time for the airport transfers and pick-ups.
We definitely are not out to extract as much money as possible from our guests. I strongly object to this note. We have many tours available and all of them are set at wonderfully low prices. That's one of the reasons why we value ourselves in being the best among our competitors.
I hope that this satisfactorily covers all comments of Ms. Rashila’s. I sincerely apologize if our services couldn’t meet the expectation of Ms. Rashila, although that I believe that the quality and the value of our services are definitely beyond any expectations.
Through our years in the tourism industry in Egypt, we have built an excellent reputation that we’d never risk at any price.
