European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 18, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                1 tour talk by James  the Washington Post. Do you know the difference Between a visit a View and a Chance to see if not you could easily be disappointed by a tour that does t deliver what you thought its brochure promised. Every year thousands of american tourists spend thousands of dollars for escorted sightseeing trips. To get their Money s Worth they must do some essential Homework one element of which is deciphering tour brochures. As Trafalgar Tours a Large trans Atlantic tour operator explains a visit is a Stop in the itinerary with enough time to see the attraction described a View is a photo Opportunity or a Brief Stop and a Chance to see Means the bus will pass by the site and you d better be Alert or you la miss it if you have dreamed of stepping inside a certain Cathedral in Europe make sure the tour itinerary specifies a visit there and not just a fleeting glimpse from a bus window. A big advantage of group Tours is that they often can take you to a destination at less Cost than if you went on your own. But a major disadvantage is that you Are not in charge of the itinerary. Before committing Money time and maybe a few dreams to a tour you should be satisfied that the one you pick will provide the experience you Are seeking. A number of consumer organizations Industry associations and tour operators have put together guidelines for choosing a tour. The consensus is that you should devote at least As much time and Effort to shopping for a tour As you do for a television set or a refrigerator because a tour probably is going to Cost More. Among the questions to ask is who is offering the tour mass Market Tours Are Tours for the general Public that depart frequently on fairly Standard itineraries of major Sites. Often these Are among the least expensive trips on the Market. Clobus is one mass Market tour operator offering for example a 12-Day look at Portugal in depth for $2,000 As Are Many . And foreign airlines. Tour operators or organizers usually Are wholesalers who package the components of a trip. They Are sold retail through travel agents who can provide details on mass Market Tours tips on selecting a tour free brochures offering advice on selecting a tour Are available from the United states tour operators association 211 e. 51st st., suite 12b, new York 10022, 212-944-5727. Ask for How to select a tour or vacation  Trafalgar Tours marketing department 11 e. 26th st., suite 1300, new York 10010. Ask for tour  the Washington Post Peter Gravgaard who likes to explore the nooks and crannies of european a Story has trips planned like the the intellectual Berlin tour Pkt red Here is the emperor William memorial Church framed by a1 sculpture on . To practically anyplace in the world. Museum sponsored Tours tend to be one of a kind Tours sponsored by an Art history or other museum such As the smithsonian institution and led by an expert in a topic or destination. Typically there is an emphasis on educational aspects. They usually Are sold through the museum or the travel agent organizing the trip and often Are advertised in literary or similar publications. One excellent source is the. Annual directory of museum sponsored Tours a comprehensive listing offered to subscribers of a newsletter called the educated traveler. An annual subscription is $39 toe information Call 1 -800-648 5168. Independent tour organizers put together Only a limited number of Tours a year which they May Lead personally. Often the destination or the topic is a special favorite of the operator. A Good example is Peter Gravgaard a history Buff who likes to explore the nooks and crannies of european history and is the founder of Plantagenet Tours of Bournemouth England phone 011-44-202-521-895. Planned for november is the intellectual Berlin tour and in december Christmas in Denmark. Other independents offer such special interest Tours As the gourmet restaurants opera houses or Art museums of Europe. These Tours Are harder to locate but some travel agents May be aware of them and they often Are advertised in literary publications. Adventure Tours usually involve a physical activity such As hiking canoeing rafting horseback Riding cycling or bicycling or they can focus on Bird or wildlife watching. My favorite adventure tour was a 10-Day walking trip in Tuscany that took my wife and me and a Small group of English hikers from one Hilltop town to another just As the wine grapes came into Harvest travel agents can Supply details on a wide Range of adventure trips or you can Check the monthly Roundup in outside Magazine. Finland opens opera House from wire reports opera to the finnish hear the fat lady take it Home in Helsinki when the new opera House opens nov. 30. The facility Bunp about will House the finnish National opera and Ballet in dramatic style with two auditoriums and a flexible orchestra pit that adapts to the size of the ensemble. Now the real business go getter cum trend setter flying into Heathrow can hop on a chauffeured motorcycle and Vroom to the Center of London in less than 30 minutes. Ifs a new transportation gimmick offered free by Virgin Atlantic airways to upper class passengers. Each tax Jet is equipped with heated leather seats and a no hands Telephone As Well As a passenger to Driver intercom and storage space for a Small suitcase. Not to worry about the suit or High heels the Driver brings along a weatherproof Shell As Well As a crash helmet upper class fares Between new York and London Are $1,946, one Way and if the Bike s not your cup of Tea a Limo is still offered complimentary. In step with the times Hong Kong s got a new take on an old idea to solve its hefty traffic congestion. The British Colony has just opened the world s longest and most expensive escalator link about half a mile at $26 million. It carries As Many As 26,000 commuters daily from the Central Market business District near the waterfront up to the densely populated and expensive mid Levels High Rise residential Section on Victoria Peak a Rise of almost 450 Teet. Hong Kong s mid Levels escalator actually is comprised of 20 moving stairs three trav Elator Flat movers and several footbridges. It s environmentally Correct no noxious fumes and the ride is free. In an Effort to save Money Sweden has become one of the first countries to end government operation of its tourist offices and Jet private Industry do the Job. The swedish tourist Board is now the swedish travel and tourism Council using the phrase next Stop Sweden for its marketing program in 11 countries besides Sweden. This Christmas you can get both the sound and the savings you want on acoustic mass technology. Savenoo.00 the base Actu Timath a sen it it direct reflection speaker system was 5599now $499sale begins november 26 � l � Bow . Cart Ltd by it Tom of igbo in cd and of pc uhf. The it cub of i Pooton by Bic paid foe in wok Ocia pan by any military a cult activity quantities limited november 18, 1993 stripes mag tone 25