I always wondered how people live and what they do, moved to live in another country. And especially those who are connected with traveling, since this topic is my immediate hobby. AND here the case provided an opportunity to talk with Alexey Usik, an individual Russian speaking guide in Munich and Bavaria, and take from interview him. His website is www.vash-gid-v-baii.ru.
After that, I thought that this kind of work was an excellent option. for some travel bloggers who know the country, the city, and customs of the locals.
Alexey Usik
Alexey, how did you end up in Germany?
In 2000, my spouse’s family received a call for permanent residence in Germany. The question arose: whether to move or not — after weighing all the pros, i.e. level life and stability, and “against”, i.e. my unclaimed Russian higher education in Germany and the prospect of a rise zero “, nevertheless, in order to preserve the family, it was decided to move.
Who did you work before you became an individual? guide?
Upon arrival, we hit the richest, and in my opinion, the most prosperous land of Germany – Bavaria. A few months later after shaking down all the necessary paperwork, I started work in a flower shop and then learned to be a driver truck and got a job at a company that delivered products to homes elderly, kindergartens, hospitals and hotels.
How did you manage to become an individual? guide?
Delivering food to hotels, I increasingly began to encounter near reception with Russian-speaking tourists from Russia and the countries of the former Union, who studied maps of the city, tried to find on the Internet tours of the city and the castles of Bavaria (in almost every hotel There are corners with a computer and Internet access), tried to find out where and how you can order a transfer or a tour of the castle Neuschwanstein, etc. etc. During the beer festival – Oktoberfest, our people are frantically searching for where to buy vouchers to get into the tent.
Then, for work, I started driving to Munich Airport, which is 40 km from the city where I watched the picture, like people flown from Russia (Ukraine, Kazakhstan, etc.) to Munich with a further transfer to the ski resorts of Austria, hire taxi drivers (who communicate with passengers using gestures and broken English), and booked a transfer to Sölden, Ischgl, Mayrhofen, Kitzbühel and other resorts.
In general, I looked at it all, and gradually I was born and The question developed: “But wouldn’t it be easier for our people if a person who can conduct a tour of munich with them Russian language? Take them to locks? Arrange recreation on the lakes Bavaria? Offer transfers in Germany and to ski resorts Austria? Moreover, I liked working with people is always-“.
Was it difficult for you to retrain, because the driver truck and tour guide for completely different things?
I sat down for textbooks, shoveled dozens of books and historical publications; almost every weekend I took several of them same city and outing excursions with German (as a tourist, and individual) guides; passed examinations for the right to study this type of activity and transportation of people; was made out as Self employed; traveled, searched and made up routes exactly under my future clients that would be interesting exactly Russian tourist; I took a car loan, etc.
I can say that it took me almost 2 years to complete all these details. to mention the financial costs and stressful situations.
I always wanted to know the difference between individual guides and major travel agencies?
One of the main advantages of individual accompaniment and excursions before the “mass” – is an exclusive. That is a man understands and feels that everything is done ONLY for him, and proceeding ONLY from his interests and wishes.
I do not in any way detract from the merits of those mass excursions, which are offered by large firms. This price niche should also be busy. But, the same major travel agencies, if their client orders Myself, I’m addressing me so that I can adopt these people and spent with them personal excursions, because this kind they can not organize the approach for their clients.
Alexey, what are the Russian speakers interested in now? tourists in bavaria?
Most tourists from Russia and former Soviet Union countries coming to Munich do not know exactly what they want to see those. do not have a clear plan. For them, the main thing is to collect as much as possible. more visual information about the city in particular and Bavaria in whole This, if you can call it that, is unfocused tourism. To such clients, of course, I offer precisely those excursions and attractions that are “heard” from the average person, i.e. walking and car tour of the city with a visit iconic and interesting places, as well as Neuschwanstein Castle, the castle Linderhof, Herrenchimsee Palace and other equally interesting castles and palaces.
If people go purposefully to see something or visit, it is already being prepared or customized they are an individual program taking into account the wishes and possibilities customer This may be a visit to the exhibition, clinic, sports events, concerts, Oktoberfest, joust, Legoland etc. with parallel free time filling excursions.
Who are mainly your customers, from which layers of society?
Our people after the fall of the so-called “Iron Curtain” began to travel around the world more actively. If earlier, in the 90s, far not everyone could afford it, now, practically anyone can visit, in particular Germany, and others country.
Another thing, not everyone can hire an individual guide-attendant, because my services are much more expensive than if a person (or family) will order general excursions in the tourist the Bureau. That’s the whole difference – or cheaper, but on a common bus, by massive tourist places, “on the whistle” boarded the bus, etc., or, on the other hand, the excursion program is tailored under you. In this case, go on a tour of the preliminary agreement with me at the time when you want and come back to the hotel by a predetermined time.
Today, with rare exceptions, my clients are private entrepreneurs, businessmen, officials, corporations, sending their employees to Munich and others. What As for lovers of alpine skiing, it is completely different layers population. They all share one thing – the love of the mountains.
You say your services are more expensive and what the cost of your services, if not a secret?
Everything will depend on what is required by a particular person, family or group. If this is a tour of Munich, then their approximate templates (which can be discussed), including the cost, you will find on my website www.vash-gid-v-baii.ru in the “Munich” section. If this travel to Bavaria, then go to the “Bavaria” section. For calculation the cost of transfers is the section “Transfers” + now I made a more convenient transfer calculator in the right vertical menu.
For each client can be made his individual plan of excursions, trips, events, and cost these cases will fluctuate both up and down. But at the same time, I remind you that there can not be individual excursions for group prices, and people should understand this clearly.
Do your customers have any strange wishes?
Different people have their own, unique to them ideas about strangeness, or about the unusual desire. What is natural for some not necessarily be the norm for others. Here, rather, you can talk about expediency. For example, I had clients who ordered a transfer from Munich to the clinic of Nuremberg, asked that I waited for them to undergo a procedure or examination, and drove after taking the doctor back to Munich, because they didn’t want to call taxi and go unknown with anyone back. And every hour of waiting client, it should be noted, worth the money. Those. person considers: order and A taxi transfer from Munich to Nuremberg costs, for example, 230 euros. Back, respectively, the same. If the customer orders transfer from me, he does not need to pay 100% of the cost per order taxi in the opposite direction. He pays for the return trip to me 50% + for the amount of time I will be waiting for him. That is, in the end the result, in this and in the other case, amounts are approximately the same (but he doesn’t need to call a taxi and be silent all the way, because the driver will be German or Arab), and in some cases, I can even book a transfer even a little cheaper. I, for example, I no longer consider it an oddity.
It is said that Russian tourists behave the worst Abroad. Did you have to resort to help the police?
We must pay tribute to our people, yet no one has yet tried to challenge or “overturn” the agreement on routes and payments made during the preliminary travel of correspondence and telephone conversations. I do not know whether it is caused by congenital integrity, or fear, in which case, not to get in next time the Schengen visa, however, our people always maintain the conditions of the preliminary contract.
Life hacking 1 – how to buy a good insurance
Choosing insurance is now unrealistically difficult, therefore, to help everyone travelers, I make a rating. To do this, constantly monitor forums, I study insurance contracts and use insurance by myself.
Insurance Rating
Life hacking 2 – how to find a hotel 20% cheaper
First, choose a hotel on Booking. They have a good base offers, but the prices are NOT the best! The same hotel is often possible find 20% cheaper in other systems through the RoomGuru service.
Discount hotels
