TailoredTours.com Introduces Self-Guided Walking Tours via Email

New York, January 8, 2007 — From now on, tourists visiting New York won't have to feel so touristy. Launched today, TailoredTours.com lets users browse and buy self-guided walking tours online for as little as $2 each. The tours are delivered instantly via email as attachments that can be printed out or uploaded to a mobile device.

Itineraries are tailored to specific interests and activities, so users can have a personalized experience without the expense of a guided tour or the hassle of do-it-yourself sightseeing.

"Visitors don't have the local insight they need to be able to explore the city on their own terms. As a result, they pay big bucks to get one-size-fits-all tours," said TailoredTours.com Co-Founder Christopher Karel. "TailoredTours.com addresses this dilemma by providing personalized itineraries that are user-friendly, affordable and hassle-free."

Current tour categories include "For Kids," Shopping, "The Perfect Date," Nightlife and Seasonal (highlighting holiday displays, fall foliage and other seasonal events). The site also offers "First Visit" tours, which cover the major attractions.

Planned categories include Crime & Criminals, "Scene in New York," and "Locals Favorites," with itineraries that show visitors how to escape from the tourist traps.

"New York offers an infinite number of unique activities and experiences," said Lisa Karel, Co-Founder of TailoredTours.com. "Tailored Tours will help visitors take full advantage of all the city has to offer them."

A clean, intuitive layout makes TailoredTours.com easy to use. Users select a city from the home page (New York is available for now), then click on a tour category. This takes them to the tour listings for that category, which provide the description and duration of each tour, as well as a "photo album" of sights along each route. Once users select the tours they want and check out (TailoredTours.com accepts Visa and MasterCard), the tours are delivered instantly via email as Portable Document Format (PDF) attachments that can be printed out or uploaded to a PDF-compatible mobile device.

Each tour includes a route map and several itinerary pages, which provide turn-by-turn directions, a description of featured sights, and restaurant and activity recommendations. Recommended restaurants are also noted with a map icon, as are public restrooms, tourist information outlets, and bus stops and subway stations.

While all Tailored Tours can be completed in under an hour, most users will take four to five hours to finish a tour, depending on their pace and the suggested activities they partake in.

Tailored Tours are priced at $3 each. In addition, some related itineraries have been packaged into three-tour bundles, which sell for $6. TailoredTours.com electronic gift certificates are also available, in any whole-dollar amount starting at $6.

Currently, Tailored Tours are only available for New York City, but the company plans to expand to Philadelphia in 2007.

Contact: Christopher or Lisa Karel
Email: ckarel@tailoredtours.com
Phone: (718) 708-5720