YEP, didn't notice the date

Insight Travel has good accomodations, but the guides are obviously not well paid. They are very self serving on shopping adventures. Buyer beware! The guide is more interested in feathering his own pocketbook, and this practice is SUPPORTED by Insight travel. Do not shop at their selected locations.

Bonnie...and yes I know it's an old thread...that indeed is a draw back of a tour but you're under no obligation to buy and some of the stuff is pretty standard...for example almost every tour to Venice includes a stop at a glass blower..to Florence a leather shop...to Lucerne, Bucherer gives you a whole packet and a free gift (a small spoon) for stopping by and if you by something, they ask what tour you're on. If you understand it's part of the game, you just grin and bare it. Repeating, ytou're under no obligation to buy. If I'm doing a tour to Venice, I don't even bother going ito the glass blower demonstration and the soft/hard sell that follows.

BTW, the other thing that usually I read all sorts of complaints about, especially from our Australian friends is the expected tip to the TD and to the driver to make up for their supposed low pay. Of course, our American culture includes over tipping. Australians and Kiwi culture says that is not a good way to do things.

And yes the thread is very old but it does have some nice postsl.