Rome tour guides - Dos and don'ts
A definitive article about this has been a very long time coming, watered-down versions were published on WordPress some years ago but they just skimmed the surface. How did (and still does) tourism in Rome work on the ground? Why are there so many tiny offices dotted around the Vatican Museums, and to a lesser extent, the Colosseum? Who are the foreigners sitting at the desks devouring all the cash and who is behind all of this? Which Rome tour operators are legit today and which ones are to be avoided? Why does this impact upon the quality of your tour guide when in Rome? Find out!
When in Rome, (do pardon the repetition, there is a reason for it), tours have always been about cash, cash, and more cash. These days, a large part of our industry has moved online, but every independent agency and operator began life on the streets of Rome. They would stop at nothing to extract as much cash as possible from tourists to the tune of thousands of dollars every day. All those guys on mopeds speeding home from said small offices after a day of paying no taxes? Quite possibly the husband or partner of the CEO, LOL, and you can bet your bottom dollar that his shoulder bag was crammed with cash. Seriously though, these people stole millions of euros from Rome, they raped Rome, and they still rape Rome. This pitiful story will roll on, it's the gift that keeps on giving, as it were.
Anyway, about tour guides in Rome, how to get the best Rome tour guide is not mission impossible. Always book your tours of Rome online and choose your tour operator carefully. For example, When In Rome Tours (again...) now trades as Italia Tours, How many times have I written "when in Rome" to lend weight to this article? Work it out.
Eternal Tours Rome has always respected Rome. We never abused our city. How many Rome tour operators can say the same? Likely zero, or count on one hand.
When in Rome, (do pardon the repetition, there is a reason for it), tours have always been about cash, cash, and more cash. These days, a large part of our industry has moved online, but every independent agency and operator began life on the streets of Rome. They would stop at nothing to extract as much cash as possible from tourists to the tune of thousands of dollars every day. All those guys on mopeds speeding home from said small offices after a day of paying no taxes? Quite possibly the husband or partner of the CEO, LOL, and you can bet your bottom dollar that his shoulder bag was crammed with cash. Seriously though, these people stole millions of euros from Rome, they raped Rome, and they still rape Rome. This pitiful story will roll on, it's the gift that keeps on giving, as it were.
Anyway, about tour guides in Rome, how to get the best Rome tour guide is not mission impossible. Always book your tours of Rome online and choose your tour operator carefully. For example, When In Rome Tours (again...) now trades as Italia Tours, How many times have I written "when in Rome" to lend weight to this article? Work it out.
Eternal Tours Rome has always respected Rome. We never abused our city. How many Rome tour operators can say the same? Likely zero, or count on one hand.
One agency began all this on St. Peter's Square about ten years ago. When in Rome Tours. They used maybe 10 nice normal promoters all around the Vatican to get tourists on to there tours plus 10 other heavies who protected their turf from other agencies. Several fights broke out. My boss was threatened. He left Rome ;/ Probably millions of euros disappeared into When in Rome tours offfshore accounts or under a matress. Now they are called Italia Tours, if you didn't know.
ReplyDeleteMy friend in Rome sent me a link to this article as i used to be a promoter for when in Rome. Our paymaster was a Columbian called Mo Perez, he ran the ratline between st. peter's square and the When in Rome tours office for years. The story goes that he moved well over 1 million euros cash for himself. Crazy days. Now he lives in Lugano, Switzerland where all the rich peopel live.
DeleteSame with me I know this company as an ex promoter of When in rome tours for many years. Who can forget Mauricio Perez and his criminal Cuban gang. The When in rome family left Rome during Covid and moved to switzerland to avoid paying back taxes. Probabaly 5 million euros :D
DeleteYes Switzerland. Mo Perez now lives here, Via al Gaggio 17 Lugano Switzerland 6912. it's his home address and published on the Base Camp Europe website, another thing they do.
DeleteMauricio Perez was just the messenger. His wife, Danielle Russo, was the architect of the biggest money laundering operation in the history of Rome tourism. Yes, they moved to Switzerland to avoid the Guardia di Finanza and yes, they now trade alongside Italia Tours, but I doubt that anyone at Italia Tours bothered to check the history of Perez and Russo.
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