Some of you may have noticed that there have been a lot of changes and updates lately at UnTours.
We have a new website. The process for searching and booking UnTours has changed. We’ve incorporated technology in new ways. New staff have joined us (including me).
Some of these changes were initiated after looking at our impact on the environment as a travel company helping travelers to see the world. Other changes were required to catch up with what is happening in the travel industry while still doing our best to provide the authentic “slow travel” local experiences we all love.
To begin, what hasn’t changed?
UnTours exists to help travelers deeply connect with the local culture and the destinations they visit. The slow travel nature of an UnTour is inherently more sustainable and beneficial to our host communities.
As most of you know, UnTours is 100% owned by the UnTours Foundation, meaning that all of the profits from the travel company flow up to the foundation, whose mission is to “unleash capital and radical kindness to nurture ideas and build healthy, sustainable communities.” In practice, this means that the foundation supports diverse, impact-driven entrepreneurs around the world who are using their businesses to make their communities better and to look after the earth. So, every time you travel with us, you’re not only having an amazing trip, but you are also directly supporting this mission!
When planning your UnTour, our Program Directors help you make final decisions around dates and lodging, answer any and all questions to help prepare you for your trip, book add-on accommodations or experiences on your behalf, etc.
When on your UnTour, our UnGuides are the go-to resource. These local hosts are there to open a window into the local culture, inform on local customs, help out in case of any challenges, and ensure that UnTourists can make the most of their trip. They are the best friend you wish you had to show you around every new place you visit.
We also still offer a variety of small-ship and riverboat cruises and special themed weeks throughout the year—like the Wine & Food experiences in Tuscany, Provence, and now Andalusia, as well as our Christmas Markets trips in Vienna and Alsace—for UnTourists who prefer a few more planned activities and like the interaction with other travelers. (Be on the lookout for more of these offerings moving forward!)
And now, to dive into some of the changes…
Some long-time UnTourists may have noticed that the process to search for dates and apartments on our website has changed – now you submit an inquiry, and our Program Directors contact you to fully understand the dreams you have for your trip and the logistical needs and help to direct you to the best accommodation, destination, and dates. The primary goal for this change is to give our UnTourists more personalized service earlier in their planning process, enhancing the unique value of traveling on an UnTour – providing expert support and advice all along the way. Another reason for this change is the shifting reality of the vacation rental marketplace (have you ever heard of Airbnb?). Previously, most landlords would give us pricing for an entire year because we were their primary tenant. Now, they want to make day-to-day changes in pricing and availability because they are also using the larger booking platforms. This necessitated a change in when we can confirm availability and price. When the world moves, we have to move with it…whether we like it or not!
We replaced our printed destination guides with an app. Some UnTourists will love this change. Some will hate it. We knew this would be the case, but we decided to make the switch for three primary reasons:
- We aim to be the most environmentally friendly travel company in the world. Not printing thousands of guidebooks helps us achieve that lofty goal.
- It was darn near impossible to keep those books up to date. It was immediately outdated as soon as we printed a slew of books in a certain destination. The world moves fast, and the static, printed books could not keep up! Now, with the app, changes can be made in minutes and be immediately seen by our UnTourists. An UnGuide finds out that our favorite restaurant is closed for renovations…boom! The app is updated so no one wastes time trying to eat there. An UnTourist shares an amazing new hike we didn’t know about…boom! The app is updated so other UnTourists can follow in their footsteps.
- Years ago, people LOVED the maps we included in the guidebooks. Then, two things happened: Google Maps became ubiquitous and just about everyone started traveling with a smartphone. With computers in our pockets, we came to see that printed maps, a huge waste of trees and energy, weren’t the necessity for most they were before.
We’ve spent many hours getting our full database of information into the app and a slew of new tips and ideas. But we’re constantly improving the information and making it easier to navigate. We welcome any feedback from UnTourists on content, advice, and layout so that it continues to be a valuable and unique resource for those traveling with us.
UnTourists who book with us will also notice that the flow of information pre-trip is different. MyUnTours has been tossed into the rubbish bin and replaced by an easier-to-navigate system. We hope you’ll all find that experience better!
Lastly, we have some new staff—both headquarters staff (though most work remotely at this point) and local UnGuides. You can learn about all our staff here.
So yes, UnTours is changing, updating, and morphing into a company that combines the best of modern tools and technologies with the irreplaceable human touch, cultural nuance, and personalized advice that has made tens of thousands of UnTourists so happy to travel with us over the years. We thank you for joining us on this journey. We can’t wait to host you on an UnTour soon!
Jonathan Coleman
CEO UnTours Foundation and UnTours