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Show TRAVEL ioundj Iter.. Group Tours: Time Saver and Money Saver They're an answer to your travel problem-- if for the right one By TOM FAY you shop carefully when you share the fun with companions who have the same curiosity, who can appreciate the differences in customs, and who generally share could be you. The real you. Giving vent to your inner feelings. Flipping the switch that turns on your Conn Organ and tunes out the rest 3T the world. Now's your chance to trade the blahs of the day for some "Blues In The Night". To reminisce with the old show tunes and rock with the new ones. This is living. And the beauty of it is that you and a Conn Organ music can make if even . . . you've never together in had a lesson your life. How? With Conn's exclusive You play the " and melody not only shows you the right chords; it plays them " is automatically. available in a variety of Conn's home spinet organs, designed to fit any decor and budget. See them all at your Conn Organ deftfer's. And ask him about Conn's new Electronic Pipes. They may be in your future sooner than you think. Part of a whole new world waiting for you when you sit down to a Conn Organ. Sound inviting? I:::: - !" "Show-Chord- "Show-Chord- CONN ORGANSPIANOS for the horn that enjoys homo life br Mac ! i . . sine 1175 get both free: : ) Ltd.. Elkhart, Ind. Wortd's ol band and orchestral mitm-men. r ! C. G. Con mamifacturtr brpit Clip coupon ami mail May. music, 1. Record of "Caprice Capera 11" 2. New brochure, "Conn Organ Decorator Handbook. wU Nam. j p I 1 " .r4 .County. ryV a Q ) lJ" J j lunching at a '. TvKl ; sidewalk eafe in laaarm, fife "T'd never go on a group J. tour. I don't like being herded around." How many times have you heard that statement? And yet the group tour may be the best solution for the vacationer with only limited time and a limited budget. "Group tours are certainly ideal for the person who wants to cover a sizable area in a short period of time," says David R. M. Grover, president of Percival Tours, one of the nation's largest tour packagers. "Many persons think that on a group tour, you live by the clock," Grover continues. "This isn't true. Anyone who has traveled a lot knows that the first time around, the escorted tour provides the highlights, introduces the area, and ensures that points of interest will not be omitted. Of course, if neither money nor time is a factor, then the tour offers no real advantage." On any extended European trip, your first step should be to see a travel agent. He can answer many of your questions, guide your thinking, and care for the technical arrangements transportation, hotels, and the like. More than recommend that you he will likely, tour. a group join For those who must be (the vast majority) , the escorted tour offers the luxuries of sight-seein- g, us IW.K. CANN MOAN COftPOaATION, U.KHAT, INDIANA Wll Mar-- ..... H OI bonus on ! ffroup tours as I tnese Spain, ind. Zip State. ! I x i w I mm budget-conscio- Cily u.l. m is an added J SjD soul-satisfyi- "Show-Chord- Companionship Family Weekly, November 10, 1968 travel at an economic price a professional escort, experienced guides, certainty of reservations, porterage, and the assurance of companionship. To highlight the difference in cost between the tour and "going it alone," Grover points out that, "A group tour to Europe would cost approximately $660 per person for land arrangements. Traveling independently, one would have to allow nearly 100 percent more to cover the same territory, with comparable hotels and restaurants, and a private car and special guides in cities." "Another example of the group tour saving money," says Grover, "is In London, for intour by private stance, a half-dacar with guide would cost two people around $26. But for a group of 20 to 25 persons, traveling by private coach, with courier and guide, the cost would be prorated to approximately $2 per person. That's a substantial saving." Besides the financial considerations, the escorted tour has other advantages, all of which can enhance your trip. You need not be concerned with the headaches of travel: someone has already mapped out your route, prearranged your accommodations, and taken care of your luggage. There also is one intangible advantage that many overlook companionship. Travel is enjoyed more 21-d- ay sight-seein- g. y the same pleasures. One persistent question is whether children should be taken on group tours. "While parents should be the best judge of their children," says Grover, "the tour operator must use discretion. He has to make the undesirable decision of determining whether the child is old enough to enjoy the trip and not be irritating to others in the party." In general, children under 10 are not good travelers. In deciding on which tour to take, you will do 'well to analyze carefully just what is offered. This is where a knowledgeable travel agent comes in handy, provided he is aware of your needs. Many tour folders show only minor differences but these differences can sometimes make a great difference in the enjoyment of the trip. Look at the distances between stopping points, for instance. Good planning on the part of your tour director will prevent the trip from becoming an endurance test. There is little enjoyment for the traveler if he arrives at a destination with only enough time to mail his postcards and leave for his next point. Here are some important questions you should ask your travel agent before selecting a tour: Does the operator "care" for the traveler? Are his comfort and convenience treated as important? Is all the information about the tour readily provided? Are the tour managers competent and experienced? Does the itinerary allow time for activities and shopping, or does the schedule come before the client? Are hotel standards maintained as adveitised? "Major tour operators usually can demand top service and accommodations at low prices by giving or withholding patronage," says Grover. "So they will take a second look at any place their clients complain about at trip's end." Whether your trip abroad is a onetime event or the first of many, the escorted tour could be the answer to your travel problems. |