Understanding Our Pricing: Quality, Transparency, Honesty, and Professionalism in Istanbul Tours
We would like to clarify that we are not a charity, nor do we approach our work as a hobby. This endeavor represents our full-time professional commitment. As a fully registered travel agency in Turkey, we have been dedicated to delivering high-quality services and expert guidance to our clients for almost 10 years. At Private Istanbul Walking Tours, we prioritize transparency and honesty in our pricing and tours, ensuring seamless private tours in Istanbul for our guests. Our clearly stated prices for all Private Guided Istanbul Tours guarantee no hidden costs.
While you may consider our prices to be high, we would like to explain why they are justified compared to the online listings of other travel agencies and tour guides. First of all, Turkey is currently facing a significant inflation rate of over 60%, which means that prices are continually rising; as a result, Turkey is no longer a budget-friendly destination for travel.
On the other hand, most of the Istanbul Old City tour includes entrance tickets to Topkapi Palace (USD 65$ per person) and Hagia Sophia (USD 27$ per person). If you choose to add the Basilica Cistern, there is an additional cost (USD 40$ per person). Many tours for two people may appear to range from $100 to $150 at online travel agency services (OTAs) and/or offered by hotels; however, if you calculate the entrance fees for just Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia, the total will likely exceed that amount or more, and also you have too add to daily guidance fee for your guided tour. Additionally, when you book your tour online or through your hotel, the travel agency pays a commission of 30-50% to online travel agency services (OTAs) or hotels. Going back to the basic math, travel agencies earn nearly USD 50-100$ for each tour, while the entrance fee for Topkapi Palace is USD 65$ per person. Someone needs to cover the entrance fees for the guided Istanbul tours you visited.
At this point, your tour guide may ask you to pay your entrance fees for museums, or they might also push you to visit rug, tile, leather, or jewelry stores, and engage in shopping because someone has to cover the museum entrance fees. If you find something you like, such as a rug or tiles, you can purchase them, but it's essential to consider whether the price you're paying accurately reflects their actual value. Are the items you're purchasing genuine, such as a real, handmade Turkish rug or a high-quality gold ring? These are essential considerations to keep in mind.
You can find many reviews on this topic on Tripadvisor, GetYourGuide, or Google.
Another critical point to consider when booking your tour in Turkey is that only fully registered travel agencies are authorized to sell tours and obtain advance tickets for attractions such as Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, and Dolmabahce Palace. If you book your tour through just a tour guide or a hotel, you risk encountering long lines for tickets. Istanbul hosts over 40 million visitors annually, and booking through unofficial channels is not permitted.
We would like to take a moment to explain why our prices may be higher than those of other travel agencies or hotel options. We believe in being transparent and honest, and we always prioritize the care of our guests. Your experience is important to us!
