What we do
The spark for ToursByLocals was struck during a trip we (Canadians Paul Melhus and Dave Vincent), made to China in June of 2006.
While we were in Beijing, we were determined to make it to the Great Wall. Time constraints meant we couldn't adhere to the fixed schedules of the bus tours, and they were all headed to the most touristy section of the wall, which really didn't appeal to our more independent style of traveling.
A local travel agent came up with a solution: a private driver would take us to the wall, wait while we explored, then return us to Beijing Airport in time for our flight. We wouldn't have a guide, but at least we'd get to see the wall! Upon our arrival at Simatai, we were quickly joined by two local women who began giving us an impromptu and surprisingly thorough tour of the Wall's history. Of course this sort of exchange did not come without strings: at the end of their 'tour' the women wanted to sell us souvenirs. An awkward exchange followed and we ended up feeling obligated to buy things we really didn't want.
What if conditions had been different? What if these women had a proper way to connect with travelers and share their expert knowledge in a way that left both parties happier?
What was missing was a reliable way to bring local people with their knowledge and expertise together with travelers who are looking for an authentic cultural experience. Shortly after coming home from that trip, we began to put together a plan for what such a service would look like. We needed to design a platform that would be reliable, trustworthy and simple for both guides and travelers to use.
In November 2008, ToursByLocals was launched out of our offices in Vancouver, BC. Today our network has grown to include 4150+ guides working in 163 countries around the world. We remain committed to the goal of connecting travelers with local guides everywhere that people want to go.
Why we do
Our company's mission is to connect travellers with local guides everywhere that people want to go!
How we do
Our Guides are our partners. Here is our commitment towards our tour guides/
- Fair compensation
- Advocate during conflict
- Dedicated team for coaching
- Traveler payment collection
- Ongoing marketing actions
- Sets theirs own availability
- Sets own price
- 24/7 customer support
