If you’ve travelled anywhere in developing countries recently you might have noticed that your drivers, tour operators, or guides brought you to their preferred restaurant or shop during your trip . There’s a good chance they were rewarded by the business owners for bringing paying customers. This happens in developed countries too. Odyssey Traveller does not typically provide shopping stops or have preferred restaurants where any form of financial remuneration is received. Odyssey likes its tour manager and tour guide to be independent when leading an organised tour. In fact, affiliate commissions and deals between tour companies and hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions is a big thing. It’s almost impossible to find out if arrangements between the tour company and the businesses they visit exist. However, the more ethical the company, the less chance of this happening. Ask to eat in another restaurant or shop in another store/area if you’re not happy with it. If the prices for where you are being taken seems high, feel free to go somewhere else if it not a group meal pre-paid. If the tour guide isn’t taking commissions he won’t have a problem with this.