Shopping Stops and Free Time on Group Tours
A very low group price can mean fewer hours that are really yours.
A shopping stop is a scheduled visit to a shop or workshop that the whole group makes together. It uses time from your day, so a very low group price deserves a closer look at the day plan. Ask how many stops there are, how long they last and how much free time is left.
What counts as a shopping stop?
It can be a silk workshop, a lacquerware studio, a coffee or tea shop, or a market visit arranged by the guide. Some are sold as cultural stops, and the line between culture and retail can be thin. The question is simple: is the main purpose of the stop to sell something?
If you enjoy shopping, a stop may suit you. Plan baggage space first, using Planning Baggage Space for Shopping.
How do stops change your free time?
Count the day from the plan. Subtract the drive, the meals, the sights and the stops. What is left is the time you choose. On a packed day, this can be a short window in the evening.
Take a family with toddlers or grandparents. A shopping stop can mean a long wait on a bus, while others browse. It can also be a welcome rest. Judge it by who is in your group.
What should you ask before choosing a very cheap group tour?
- How many shopping stops are in the programme, and which?
- How long is each one, and can I stay on the bus or wait outside?
- Which meals are included, and where?
- What is the free time each evening?
- What does the price leave out, such as tickets and tips?
Put the answers in your sheet beside the price. A group tour that is lower on paper may cost more once you add tickets, tips and the extras you buy to fill the free hours.
How do you compare it with another option?
Put two day plans side by side in the package inclusion comparator. Count the free hours, not just the price. If you want to see what the same days cost when booked yourself, read Compare the Same Trip, Package or Independent.
You can also check that the company is licensed through the tourism ministry’s agency check1. Do this before you pay. For the full list of lines to question, see what a Vietnam package includes. More help is in Costs and package value.
Send us the day plan you were given and tell us how much free time you want, and we can point out the stops worth questioning before you pay.
Common questions
What is a shopping stop on a group tour?
It is a scheduled visit to a shop, workshop or market that the group makes together, usually arranged by the guide. It may sell silk, lacquerware, coffee, tea or souvenirs. The stop takes time from the day and may not be listed by name, so ask for the full list.
Do shopping stops mean I must buy?
No. You can look and leave without buying. But a long stop with the whole group waiting can feel uncomfortable, so know in advance how many stops there are and how long each lasts. Politely saying no thank you is enough.
How do I know how much free time I really get?
Ask for start and finish times for each day and subtract the stops, meals and drives. What remains is your free time. A programme that looks full may leave only a short hour or two at your own pace, so compare day plans, not just prices.
Is a cheap group tour bad?
Not necessarily. A low price suits a traveller who wants a simple plan and does not mind a fixed timetable. The question is whether the plan matches what you want. Ask what makes the price low, and decide if you are happy with the trade.
Sources
- MOTAC's homepage links to a travel agency check (Agensi Pelancongan, TOB/TAB) at motac.gov.my/kategori-semakan-new/agensi-pelancongan-tobtab/. MOTAC. Link read from the homepage; the lookup page itself was not opened. Owner: click-test it.
Keep planning
Send us the day plan you were given and tell us how much free time you want, and we can point out the stops worth questioning before you pay.