About Insight Guides
Insight Guides is a tailor-made travel company connecting travelers with vetted local travel experts in more than 1090 destinations.
Founded in 1970, Insight Guides has more than 50 years of experience helping people understand and explore destinations around the world. Today, our core business is personalized private travel planned and arranged by local professionals.
Our network includes around 300 local travel experts. Each expert brings direct destination knowledge, professional travel experience and access to established local suppliers.
- Around 300 local travel experts
- More than 1090 destinations
- Hundreds of traveler reviews
Trending travel destinations
More than 50 years of destination knowledge
Insight Guides began in 1970 with a publication about Bali created by founder Hans Johannes Hofer. The brand became known internationally for detailed destination coverage, photography and cultural context.
As travel planning moved online, Insight Guides developed from a travel publishing brand into a tailor-made travel company. The focus shifted from explaining destinations to helping travelers experience them through personalized trips designed by people who know those places firsthand.
That history still shapes how we approach travel: understand the destination, work with knowledgeable people and provide travelers with enough information to make informed decisions.
Why “Insight” matters
Our name reflects what we believe makes travel planning valuable: understanding a destination beyond a list of places to visit.
Insight means knowing how regions connect, when conditions change, how long journeys take and which choices suit a traveler’s interests, pace and available time. This understanding turns separate accommodations, activities and transportation into a coherent itinerary.
Today, that insight comes primarily from the local travel experts in our network. They apply firsthand destination knowledge to each proposal and explain the practical choices behind the route.
“Insight” represents destination understanding. Today, “Guides” represents our experts who create your trip.
28/09/2026
16-day couple trip to Italy
“This was our second trip planned by Martina, Senior Italian travel agent. She is FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!! She planned a trip of a lifetime for our 30th anniversary celebration. It was fun, historical, relaxing and all around perfect. We had the most personable drivers and guides. She planned very unique private excursions for us, from archeological excavations to bread tasting, olive oil production, winery tours and tastings, mozzarella and burrata making and tasting, historical tours, and the most amazing cooking class in which our instructor hosted us in her private home. Martina also reserved unbelievable lodging (5 star!) for the many cities we visited. We will definitely call her to plan our next Italian getaway!”
14/09/2026
27-day group trip to Peru
“The itinerary was varied but a bit rushed. The Amazon experience in Manu national park required a degree of physical fitness which was not mentioned in the itinerary. Overall the trip was very satisfactory and would recommend the company to others.”
The people responsible for Insight Guides
Insight Guides is managed by an international team responsible for the company’s strategy, platform, expert network and traveler support.
The people responsible for Insight Guides
Rene Frey — Chief Executive Officer
Rene Frey is responsible for the overall direction of Insight Guides and APA Group.
Tomasz Burda — Head of Product
Tomasz Burda oversees the operation and development of the Insight Guides tailor-made travel business.
Franziska Wirth — Head of Sales
Franziska Wirth leads the team supporting travelers during the inquiry, proposal and booking stages.
