What: GetYourGuide is an online marketplace, connecting tourists with tour guides, travel companies, cooking classes and suppliers of tickets to events.  

Expected pay: NA

HuslScore: $$

Commissions & fees: undisclosed

Where: Worldwide

Requirements: A business license, liability insurance and a bank account to receive payment

Review:

GetYourGuide is a marketing platform that connects tourists with the services and destinations that will help them enjoy and explore a region. However, unlike some of the other tourism platforms that work with individuals wanting to provide tours, GetYourGuide focuses on professional tour suppliers, bus companies and attractions. You can sign up as an individual supplier, however, you need to have a business license and business liability insurance to list your services. 

There’s no up-front costs to list. But if customers buy your tours through GetYourGuide, you’ll pay a commission to the site. Payments are remitted via direct deposit once a month, following completion of the tour. However, payments are only made once you are owed $50 or more.

Lack of transparency

What disturbs us about the site is that it is not transparent about the commissions it charges suppliers. One supplier, who commented on SiteJabber, maintains the commission rate is as high as 50%. 

The site itself tells suppliers that they’ll receive a commission schedule only after they have signed up and been approved to sell products on the site. You do set your own rates, so presumably, you can adjust them to account for the fee schedule. But exorbitant cost of this site could land your tour service bad reviews. GetYourGuide has also dozens of consumer complaints from people who maintain that the service they booked through GYG was cancelled at the last minute, misrepresented and/or overpriced. 

If you want to provide tour services, there are three good options — Viator, Vayable and ToursbyLocals. All three companies are straightforward about what they’ll charge you and have good reputations with clients. You design the tours, determine the price, they take a 15% to 20% fee to advertise your tour and collect payment. 

What their suppliers say:

From SiteJabber:

Once upon a time, we were providing tours for Getyourguide like 80% of local tour companies all over the world. They are charging half of the tour price as commission. You want to pay DOUBLE for the same tour? Then Getyourguide should be best for you!