Maybe it was through Google, a travel blog, or one of the many online booking platforms that have made discovering local experiences easier than ever. These platforms play an important role in helping travelers connect with guides and tour companies around the world.

But once you have found the experience you’re looking for, one simple choice can make a remarkable difference:

Book directly with the local operator whenever possible.

It costs you about the same—and sometimes even less—but it can dramatically change how much of your money actually stays in the destination you are visiting.

Where Does Your Money Go?

Most online booking platforms charge commissions for every reservation they process. Depending on the platform and agreement, these commissions can range from around 25% to 50% of the booking cost for many tours and activities.

For traditional paid tours, that means a significant portion of what you spend never reaches the guide or local business providing the activity that transforms a destination you are visiting into a memorable experience.

Free walking tours operate a little differently, but the economics can be even more challenging.

Many free tour platforms don’t take a percentage of tips. Instead, they charge operators a fixed fee for every reservation, regardless of how much guests ultimately contribute.

At Sheva Walking Tours, that fee can be up to nearly €4 per booked guest.

What Does That Mean in Practice?

Imagine four people book a free walking tour through a third-party platform.

At the end of the tour, they decide to leave a combined tip of 50 KM (approximately €25 or  €6 per person).

At first glance, that seems acceptable.

But here’s what happens before your guide is paid:

Income

• Guest contribution: 50 KM

Expenses

• Third-party booking fees: approximately 20 KM (€10)
• Mandatory tourist (sojourn) tax: approximately 8 KM (€4)

Remaining

• Around 22 KM (approximately €11–15, depending on exchange rates)

From that remaining amount, the guide still needs to be paid, while the company continues covering insurance, taxes, accounting, marketing, equipment, administration, and every other cost involved in operating a professional tour business. 

At Sheva Walking Tours and Travels, we pay our guides far more than this for every tour they provide. This means we would have operated that tour at a significant loss.

The numbers speak for themselves.

What About Private Tours?

The same principle applies to paid experiences.

Imagine a private walking tour for four people that includes Bosnian coffee and admission to a museum or historic site.

The price of that experience doesn’t simply pay for two or three hours with a guide.

It helps cover:

• Guide wages
• Entrance tickets
• Coffee or refreshments
• Tourist taxes
• VAT and other taxes
• Payment processing
• Insurance
• Website maintenance
• Booking administration
• Marketing
• Office expenses
• Ongoing research, training, and product development

If that booking comes through a platform charging a substantial commission, hundreds of marks may leave the local economy before the tour even begins.

Why This Matters Beyond One Company

This isn’t only about Sheva Walking Tours and Travels.

Independent guides, family-owned guesthouses, local restaurants, artisan workshops, drivers, and small tourism businesses throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina all face similar challenges.

When a larger share of tourism spending stays with local businesses, it creates a stronger tourism economy. It supports local jobs, encourages investment in better experiences, and helps preserve the cultural traditions and communities that visitors travel so far to experience.

Every direct booking keeps more value where the experience actually takes place.

We Still Value Booking Platforms

Online travel platforms have helped introduce millions of travelers to destinations they might never have discovered otherwise.

We work with many of them ourselves and appreciate the visibility they provide.

But if you’ve already found us—through Google, social media, a recommendation, or a previous visit—and you’re ready to book, choosing to reserve directly through our website is one of the simplest ways to support local tourism.

The experience is the same (or even better, since you are talking to a person local to the area you are visiting!).

The guide is the same.

The price is often the same.

The difference is where your money stays.

A Small Choice with Lasting Impact

Tourism is about more than visiting beautiful places. It is about supporting the people who preserve those places, share their stories, and welcome visitors every day. Booking directly may seem like a small decision, but multiplied across thousands of travelers each year, it has the power to strengthen local businesses, support professional guides, and ensure that authentic experiences continue to thrive.

If you choose to walk with us, thank you. And if you choose to book directly through our website or by contacting us directly, thank you for investing not only in our team, but in the future of sustainable tourism in Mostar.

#booklocal #directbooking #travelplanning #exploremostar #supportlocalbusiness