​Beyond the Brochure:
Richards Guide to Choosing the Right Tour and Company for you.

Here are some of the things I look for when I am choosing my own holidays. I am sharing in the hope that it may help you find the right fit for your style of travel.
For me, the greatest joy in creating and running tours with OTS Adventures is seeing people truly open up and experience cultures and places outside of their normal day-to-day lives and comfort zones. This is what keeps me going, beyond my retirement age; (65) it's both my joy and my purpose.
The other side of this same coin is those times (fortunately rarely) when I become aware that individuals are not really enjoying the trip they have invested so much in joining. I have thought a lot about why this sometimes happens, and it seems to sit largely on a mismatch between expectations and reality.

We are actually very lucky in that there are some very good LGBT-focused tour companies out there (mostly high-end USA and Canadian based), and each caters for a specific kind of traveller.
The trick is finding the best fit for the kind of travel experience you are seeking.
The good news is each company's website can give you a good idea of this information; you just have to be aware of what you are looking for, and have understood what it is about travel that you love, and what you don't enjoy so much.
With this in mind, I put down some thoughts to help guide you through the process of how to decide which company (of the many you could book with) is most closely aligned to the style of travel you most enjoy.
I also wanted at this time to thank everyone who has travelled with OTS and has taken the time to write an honest review and forward our newsletters on to their friends. We must be doing something right to have built such a wonderful loyal following of people who join us year after year.

Here are some of the things I personally look for when I book a small group trips for my own holidays.
I enjoy travelling independently, but these days as I get older, I know I much prefer travelling with a small group of likeminded adventurers. It feels safer, I don't get lonely, I enjoy eating dinner with others, and I get to experience things I would not have booked on my own. Plus I always see so much more with a group tour than I do travelling solo, and without having to work out all the logistics of getting around on a day to day basis.

So here's my guide to help you you pick the best company for your preferred travel style!
I don't want or need to name the many LGBT tour companies out there, a google  search will provide that, they all have a style, demographic, and price point, your job is to match your holiday dreams with the product offered.

1. Matching Your Travel Style: The Core Ethos
Every tour company has a primary focus. Where does your preference—and the tour's emphasis—sit?
  • Where does the emphasis of the tour sit? (Comfort, Experiential, Central Accommodation, Quality of Hotels)
    • Why It Matters: This dictates the budget and the experience. A focus on comfort prioritizes five-star amenities; a focus on experiential prioritizes local immersion, regardless of high-end hotel branding.
  • What kind of hotels do you book and enjoy when you travel yourself?
    • Why It Matters: Your past behavior is the best predictor of future enjoyment. If you usually book named brands like Hilton and Marriot and luxury resorts, a simple boutique hotel, even if centrally located, may frustrate you.
  • Do you travel for adventure and new experiences or for comfort and entertainment?
    • Why It Matters: Adventure travel often involves some physical discomfort, and unpredictable moments, where you are out of your comfort zone. Comfort travel reduces this to ensures consistent standards and minimizes friction.
  • How much do you enjoy things being of a certain standard like back at home?
    • Why It Matters: If familiarity is key, choose a company that uses internationally hotels and minimizes exposure to unexpected local conditions. If you enjoy surprise and variety, a company focusing on boutique, local properties is ideal.
  • How much do you enjoy surprise and being introduced to new experiences?
    • Why It Matters: Some tours are scripted down to the minute. Others leave space for spontaneous local discoveries—this is best for travelers who are flexible and enjoy the unpredictable side of travel.
  • Who is actually running the tour?
    • Why It Matters: Many of the LGBT tour companies act as marketing companies gathering a group together and then booking an exclusive departure date on another operators tour product. There is nothing wrong with this, but you should do some research as there are only a few companies that both create and run their own tours. 

2. Itinerary & Pace: The Engine of the Trip
The number of places you visit is less important than how long you stay in each one.
  • Itinerary and the number of places that interest you.
    • Why It Matters: Ensure that most of the planned stops align with your interests. Don't book a trip for one or two key sights if the rest of the schedule involves places you don't care about, or are not open to exploring.
  • Speed of travel: How many nights in each place?
    • Why It Matters: This is crucial for avoiding "travel burnout." Moving every 1-2 nights creates a superficial "tick-box" experience. Staying 3-4 nights in a major hub allows for genuine exploration, relaxation, and better management of travel logistics (unpacking, laundry, etc.). Slow travel allows for depth over breadth.

3. Group Dynamics & Independence
How well do you tolerate others, and how do you manage time when not guided?
  • Size of the group (small group vs. large coach/cruise).
    • Why It Matters: Small groups (10-16 people) offer greater flexibility, faster check-ins, better access to intimate venues, chance to all dine together, and more personalized attention. Large groups (35+) are cheaper but restrict where you can go and require more waiting time.
  • Amount of independence to do your own thing on the trip.
    • Why It Matters: Some tours are fully scheduled/guided. Others intentionally build in free afternoons or days. If you like structured guidance 24/7, choose a fully inclusive schedule. If you value personal discovery, ensure the itinerary includes dedicated downtime.
  • Are you a solo traveller who values a private room?
    • Why It Matters: Most companies charge a "single supplement," (which is often prohibitive) or offer to buddy you up with a room mate. If a solo room is important to you and money is limited, find a company that focuses on securing the most cost-effective private room option available whilst maintaining a certain comfort level, mitigating the typically shared-room requirement or excess cost.

4. The Price Factor
Price is not a reflection of quality; it is a reflection of choice.
A low price often indicates large groups, fast-paced itineraries (less time to relax), more generic accommodations, and low staff-to-guest ratios. A higher price typically means small groups, central or luxury accommodation, a slower pace, and high-quality local guides. Ensure the price aligns with the level of consistency and comfort you require.
When comparing the cost of a particular trip between different companies look at the cost per day, to get a true comparison, not the total cost of the whole trip!

So

Is OTS Adventures the Right Choice for You?
Based on the philosophy and operation of Outside the Square (OTS) Traveller Adventures, here is an analysis of why they might, or might not, be the best fit tour company for you:

Reasons OTS May Be The Right Fit (The Experiential Traveller)
  • Focus on Experience and Location: OTS prioritizes finding "the magic of the trip," often using highly central, authentic, or boutique accommodation (e.g., Riads in Marrakech) rather than global hotel chains. If you value being in the hub of the culture, OTS is a strong fit.
  • Solo Traveller Focus: OTS works to minimize the high cost of the single supplement, focusing on the most cost-effective private room options available to ensure solo travelers have their own space without excessive expense.
  • Small Group Ethos: The company focuses on small, curated group departures (average 10-12 people), which fosters camaraderie and ensures flexibility and access to venues that large coaches cannot reach.
  • Unique Itineraries & Slower Pace: OTS trips are all unique to OTS and typically 13–14 days long, where another company may run a similar itinerary in 8–9 days. This commitment to slower travel means more time for genuine exploration and relaxation, minimizing travel burnout.
  • Local food and restaurants: OTS uses local gems of restaurants, enjoying the typical cuisine of where we are travelling. We rarely eat buffet's in the hotel, with the exception of India, and Bhutan, where our hotel food is often preferable to the local restaurants.  
  • Value-Oriented: The emphasis is on securing exceptional experiences and high-end services for a competitive price point, often appealing to travelers who want boutique quality without the absolute highest price tag. OTS has grown through word of mouth alone, and you can only book OTS trips direct, OTS does not pay commission to 3rd parties saving you around 25-30% on a similar standard tour.

​Reasons OTS May NOT Be The Right Fit (The Comfort-ease First Traveller)
  • Accommodation Consistency: OTS often prioritizes character and location over five-star amenities. If your absolute primary requirement is the known, predictable comfort of a major branded hotel chain globally, the Outside the Square approach may feel too rustic or varied.
  • Transport Consistency: If you require transfers to pick you up directly in front of your hotel and prefer minimal walking, OTS may not be for you. OTS use a variety of transport—from Ubers in city centers like Buenos Aires, to minivans in Peru and Bhutan, Tuk Tuks, long boats, interesting walks, and subways—all considered part of the immersive experience.
  • Local food and restaurants: Some of us are not very adventurous with food, worrying about hygiene standards, ice in drinks and dish ingredients etc. If you know this is the case (for you) then sticking with hotel restaurants which come with a certain standard may suit you better. Our higher end tours (Botswana, South African) are better set up to cater for specific food allergies.
  • Slow Pace Tolerance: If you are impatient or prefer to see a large quantity of sights in a short time, the carefully paced, immersive itineraries offered by OTS (designed to prevent burnout, and cultural immersion) may feel too slow.
  • High-End Specifics: While OTS offers luxury elements in every tour, if your desire is a trip with zero logistical friction, 24/7 butler service, and exclusively high-end, internationally branded lodging, a company specializing in high end travel may be a better fit.
Hope this helps your thinking around how to choose a tour and company. I am sure you will love whichever trip you go on, and any company that survives past a couple of years is doing a good job. My wish is that you think about what you like and enjoy first and then try and match the adventure to your needs and budget. This will give you the greatest chance of a truly memorable trip.
Richard