Is A Free walking tour in Jaipur really free?
Lately, like the rest of the world, one can find a free walking tour in Jaipur. What is a Free Walking Tour? As suggested by the name, it is a tour of the city where a tour guide shows the travelers & tourists historic sites. The tour guide shares historical information about past events of the places on the walking tour. The concept of “free walking tour” first started in Berlin, Germany around 2003-05. Later, the concept of free walking tours” proliferated across the world, especially in Europe. We all know, nothing in this world is free. In the 1930s, many bars started offering free food in the USA as an incentive to get people drinking. This led to the proverb “No such thing as a free lunch“. Therefore, what is advertised as a free walking tour is not really free. Is this true for Jaipur? Yes, a free walking tour in Jaipur is not really free. More details further on this blog on free walking tours.
Free walking tours are pitched as a double win: a chance to meet travellers with similar interests, and a chance to explore the city in a more genuine way, going beyond the usual tourist spots. At the end of the free walking tour, you are expected to tip. There is no pressure and one can choose not to tip, but that’s generally not the case. But then these are not free because you are expected to tip! Can these tours be called tourist scams? Not at all. Technically, these are not tourist scams because scams would be a completely different thing. In some countries, they have now started calling these walking tours “pay what you want tours” instead of free walking tours.
Many free walking tours have hidden deals or tie-ups with cafes or food places where they take breaks. In such cases, travelers end up paying more for snacks or coffee. Travelers have reported some free walking tours in Jaipur include a mandatory break at handicrafts and souvenir shops. Unsuspecting travelers end up paying a few times more for what is otherwise a much cheaper product. So this is certainly a tourist scam.
Tourist Guides working in the travel industry are not happy with free walking tours in Jaipur. They grumble about the rigorous steps that include checks, training, and hurdles like passing exams to obtain a licence or certification. On the contrary, there is no obstruction to becoming a free tour guide.
Some companies offering free walking tours in Jaipur often recruit students as guides. These students aren’t regular employees. Instead, they’re freelancers. This allows companies to avoid paying benefits and avoid taxes as well as legal liabilities. In mainland Europe, it is a norm for the companies to take a cut of the guides’ tips; they also charge guides a fee per tourist regardless of tips received. Their logic is the charge they pay to the online portal for sign-ups. Another aspect of free walking tours is in most cases, the freelancers are often not trained in history or culture. Some even lack basic presentation skills. Companies exploit students because they know students struggle financially and they are looking to make some extra money.
Often, these freelance guides are not local residents of the city. Because they are students, their stay in the city is limited to the period of their courses. While some freelance guides are excellent, this is usually not the case.
Offering things for free with the expectation of getting paid is a common trap; sometimes the tactics used are quite shady and questionable. Some opine these are not unethical as long as people understand how they function and freelancers are not exploited. The bottom line? It is hard to decipher the reality and what is going on behind the curtains. I have met a few freelance guides who are expected to provide details of purchases made by travelers at the end of the tour. The guides get no money out of this commission earned by the tour company from the shops. The list is shared so that shops don’t under report the sales made.
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