Alberobello and Matera Bus Tour, from Bari

This review contains a number of inaccurate and misleading statements, and we believe it is important to clarify the facts point by point. 1. The temporary bus malfunction The vehicle experienced an unexpected and temporary technical malfunction, something that can unfortunately occur with any vehicle, particularly during periods of exceptionally high temperatures. What this review fails to mention is how the situation was actually managed. The driver stopped the vehicle safely inside a service area and immediately followed all the necessary safety procedures. The coach remained in a safe position, passengers were assisted throughout the situation, the doors were kept open where appropriate, and complimentary bottles of water were offered to all participants while the issue was being addressed. At the same time, our operational team immediately arranged replacement transportation so that the tour could continue with the minimum possible disruption. Most importantly, the technical issue was identified and resolved quickly. In fact, after the passengers completed the Bari–Alberobello transfer using the replacement transportation, the tour subsequently continued with the very same original coach, once the malfunction had been fully resolved. This fact alone makes it clear that this was not a serious or unresolved breakdown, but a temporary and unforeseeable technical issue that was handled promptly and professionally. Despite the inconvenience, our priority was never simply to move passengers from one bus to another. Our priority was to guarantee their safety and, at the same time, preserve the experience they had purchased. For this reason, the schedule was reorganised so that guests could still receive the promised visiting time in Alberobello and Matera, rather than simply losing part of their tour because of an unexpected technical event. We fully accept that an unexpected stop can be frustrating. What we cannot accept is a description that ignores the assistance provided, the immediate operational response, the safety measures taken, the complimentary water offered to passengers, the rapid resolution of the technical issue, and the fact that the same coach was able to continue the journey afterwards. 2. The drop-off point in Alberobello The statement regarding the supposedly “inconvenient” drop-off point also requires clarification. Tourist coaches cannot simply enter the historic and pedestrian area of the Trulli of Alberobello. Coach access and parking in Alberobello are regulated locally, and tourist buses must use the authorised coach areas. These locations are not arbitrarily selected by Apulia Smart Tour. The historic Trulli area is not a location where a large tourist coach can simply drive through narrow streets and drop passengers directly in front of the monuments. The walking distance between the authorised coach area and the historic centre is therefore a normal and unavoidable part of visiting Alberobello by tourist coach. It is misleading to present this as though our company deliberately selected a distant or inconvenient location when, in reality, coach circulation and parking are subject to local restrictions. 3. Instructions and assistance provided The claim that passengers were given “zero clear instructions” is also inaccurate. A member of our team was present and provided passengers with information regarding the organisation of the day, meeting times, departure times and how to reach the main areas of interest. Passengers were also provided with our informational material containing the relevant instructions and information for the visit. Following the unexpected technical issue, our staff also explained that the schedule had been adjusted specifically to protect the visiting time promised as part of the experience. Despite the delay caused by the temporary vehicle malfunction, our objective was to maintain the planned experience, including the time allocated to both destinations. It is therefore simply not accurate to suggest that passengers were abandoned without information or assistance. 4. The drop-off point in Matera The same clarification applies to Matera. The reviewer describes the Matera stop as “another disaster drop-off point”. This gives an entirely misleading impression. Tourist coaches cannot enter the Sassi of Matera. The Sassi are a historic area with significant traffic and access restrictions. Tourist coaches must use the authorised arrival and parking areas established according to local traffic regulations. Apulia Smart Tour does not have the authority to decide that a tourist coach should drive directly into the Sassi simply because a passenger would prefer to walk less. The drop-off location used was within Matera and was compatible with the coach-access arrangements applicable at that time. Walking is an unavoidable part of visiting Matera. The Sassi themselves consist of historic streets, stairways, slopes and pedestrian areas. A coach simply cannot drop passengers directly inside them. If access conditions or the designated coach area change because of local traffic arrangements, events, restrictions or decisions by the competent authorities, a tour operator must comply with those rules. Presenting this as an arbitrary decision by our company is therefore incorrect. 5. The Portuguese audio guide The statement regarding an SMS containing a Portuguese code is also incorrect. There is no SMS code that passengers are required to receive in order to access the audio guide. The digital content is accessed through the instructions and QR codes provided in the information material given to passengers. The procedure is explained to participants and is also clearly indicated in the material provided. Therefore, suggesting that a promised SMS code was “probably never sent” describes a procedure that simply does not form part of the service. A service cannot reasonably be described as missing because a customer was expecting a method of access that was never part of the product in the first place. 6. Wi-Fi Finally, the reviewer complains that the “Wi-Fi” did not work on any of the buses. This also requires a very simple clarification: Wi-Fi on board is not advertised or included as part of the product purchased. We therefore cannot accept the presentation of onboard Wi-Fi as a promised service that we subsequently failed to provide. Free Wi-Fi services may be available in certain areas of the destinations themselves, but onboard Wi-Fi is not one of the contractual inclusions of this tour. It is not reasonable to negatively evaluate a tour operator for failing to provide a service that was never advertised, promised or included in the booking. We completely understand that an unexpected technical issue at the beginning of a day tour can be frustrating, and we are sorry for the inconvenience caused by that temporary situation. However, there is an important difference between expressing legitimate disappointment about an unexpected delay and presenting inaccurate information about how the situation was managed, the assistance that was provided, the authorised coach drop-off points, the audio-guide procedure and services that were never included in the booking. Our team acted immediately when the technical issue occurred, ensured that passengers were in a safe location, provided assistance and water, arranged alternative transportation, resolved the malfunction, and subsequently continued the tour with the same original coach. We also reorganised the schedule in order to preserve the experience and visiting time as much as possible. Criticism is absolutely legitimate, and we always use genuine feedback to improve our service. However, future travellers also deserve an accurate representation of what actually happened and of what was and was not included in the tour.