Travel scamsTours and guides
Tour scams
24 reported in 16 countries. How each works and how to avoid it.
- ThailandOccasionalAirport sightseeing tour with forced shoppingA sightseeing tour becomes a short temple visit followed by many commission-paying shops. Operators may refuse to take you back until you visit every shop. They may also pressure you to buy more tours.
- ThailandOccasionalOverpriced kantoke meal and show ticketsA friendly stranger turns a casual chat into a sale of overpriced tickets for a kantoke meal and show.
- ThailandOccasionalMinibus handoff to an overpriced temple tourA minibus driver drops you beside a tuk-tuk offering an expensive temple tour. A book of positive visitor comments is used to make the price seem trustworthy.Ayutthaya
- PolandOccasionalOrganised pub-crawl scams and abuseOrganised pub crawls are flagged as scams. Reports include guides sexually abusing both male and female tourists.Warsaw
- VietnamCommonCommission shopping stops on buses and toursBus companies stop at souvenir shops for extra income. Organised tours in Da Lat may also leave visitors at shops for about half an hour. You do not have to buy anything.
- MoroccoVery commonFalse guides and shop detoursAn unsolicited guide offers sightseeing, accommodation help or a visit to a handicraft warehouse. The walk leads to shops or other businesses where you face sales pressure or requests for payment.Fez, Marrakech, Casablanca
- MoroccoCommonFriendly stranger on a train or busA stranger presents himself as a respectable visitor, sometimes a hotel owner, and invites you to eat with relatives. The visit becomes a sales pitch for accommodation, commission-paying shops and expensive tours. A bus driver may also take part.Fez
- MoroccoCommonFree tannery tour with a forced paymentSomeone offers a free tannery visit, then aggressively demands money. They may also claim there is very little time left to visit or buy.Marrakech
- MoroccoOccasionalExpensive desert excursion that goes nowhereA hustler sells an expensive desert excursion. The promised trip turns out to be days of driving around just outside the city.Fez
- EgyptCommonThe attraction is supposedly closedA driver or stranger says your museum, temple or other destination is closed. They then offer a tour or lead you to a shop instead. In Luxor, individual tomb closures can be real, so check the entrance notice rather than trusting a street approach.Cairo, Luxor
- EgyptCommonUnwanted guiding followed by a payment demandSomeone explains a sight or starts guiding without a clear agreement, then expects a tip or extra payment. Taxi drivers may charge extra for commentary you did not request. Inside Luxor temples, legitimate government guides can also push their services and demand tips.
- EgyptOccasionalMosque rooftop visit with a hidden markupA new acquaintance promises directions to a mosque and says there is no tip. They then ask for an entrance and rooftop payment, give a smaller amount to the guardian and keep the rest.Cairo
- IndiaOccasionalTravel agency plan changes and extra feesAn agency changes the travel plans you agreed on or adds commissions and fees that inflate the price.Delhi
- Dominican RepublicCommonUnsolicited guides expecting paymentSomeone offers to lead you to your destination, then expects payment. The offer could also be a way to lead you into an unsafe situation.Santo Domingo
- JordanCommonGuides and drivers steer you to overpriced businessesA guide or taxi driver takes you to businesses that pay them commission. You pay for their service and then face inflated prices or a hotel surcharge. A guide standing beside you while you ask the price can affect the quote.
- CambodiaCommonTours that do not match the promisesA tour may not deliver everything advertised or described when you book.
- CambodiaCommonDriver recommendations that earn commissionA business recommended by a tuk-tuk driver is likely paying the driver a commission. The recommendation may serve the driver's income rather than your preferences.
- TunisiaCommonUnwanted guiding and fake guidesAn unofficial guide begins explaining a building or sight without being hired, then expects payment. Fake guides may also try to scam you or lead you somewhere less safe.Tunis
- GuatemalaOccasionalVolcano operators downplaying dangerBusinesses may have outdated information about volcanic activity or may keep operating despite severe warnings to avoid losing business. Reassuring sales advice may leave visitors exposed to serious danger.Antigua Guatemala
- EthiopiaOccasionalLake Tana boat brokers inflating the fareSelf-appointed brokers approach visitors looking for monastery boat trips. They may receive a commission and cause you to pay more than the boats' fixed rates.Bahir Dar
- PalestineCommonFalse “my cousin can get it cheaper” offersSomeone claims a cousin or friend has what you need and can offer a cheaper price. The claimed relationship may be false, and the deal often costs more. They may also pressure you to believe there is only one option.
- YemenCommonUnregistered tours that leave out paid servicesUnregistered operators sell tours but may provide poor service, misleading information or only part of what you paid for. The Ministry of Tourism cannot help with problems involving an unregistered operator or service provider.
- BeninOccasionalUnsolicited roadside tour offersPeople approach visitors on the road offering tours, sometimes at attractive prices. Travellers are advised to use a guide recommended by their hotel. A specific fraud method is not described.Grand-Popo
- AlgeriaOccasionalUnofficial guidesUnofficial guides may approach visitors. The exact pitch, payment demand and method are not specified.
Reviewed by @snuck