If you’ve never sold a touring and adventure holiday, it’s probably because you think ‘touring’ is only for mature travellers and ‘adventure’ is for young, active clients, but this actually isn’t the case. Here we explode these and other myths around touring and adventure holidays:
Not at all. Explore! says its clientele are typically between the ages of 40-60, with its first-time customer averaging 54. Likewise, Intrepid says its tours cater for all ages ‘from one to 99’ and, in the past five years, it has seen a 30% increase in UK customers aged 50+.
Forget overland trips in clapped-out 4x4s, G Adventures has placed comfort at the core of its new Geluxe Collection, which offers dozens of tours with hotel accommodation and travel by private vehicle.
Explore! admits that its trips are not luxury or top-end, but neither are they ‘basic or rough’. Since accommodation and transport varies from trip to trip, it’s best to check the trip notes before booking.
Also worth noting is that Intrepid’s best-selling tours via travel agents are Premium and Comfort trips, aimed at 60+ travellers who want experiences with a little more luxe. Accommodation can range from eco-lodges to boutique hostels to luxury tents.
If you think you can’t suggest a tour for a family holiday, think again. Exoticca Managing Director Neil Sealy says his kids don’t want to do a single centre holiday anymore, since the family has discovered the joys of touring together. “I have done touring trips with my family for years, visiting Thailand, Oman, South Africa and Egypt in the last five years alone, and my boys have gained so much from this – they don’t want to do single centre holidays anymore because they love exploring and learning about new countries,” he said.
No, in fact they are very competitive, according to Neil. “Touring is often similarly priced, or even less expensive than staying in one hotel, whilst offering a range of different experiences,” he said. For example, Exoticca has a nine-night Grand Tour & Kasbah Route’taking in Marrakech, Casablanca, the Atlas Mountains and a night in the desert city of Ouarzazate from £999 per person, including flights from London, accommodation, activities, half-board and transfers; or a 10-night ‘Treasures of Anatolia’ tour taking in Istanbul, Ankara, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus and Troy, including flights, accommodation, transfers, activities and some meals, from £599pp.
Adventure and touring holidays are great ways to meet like-minded people with shared interests or hobbies. Solo travellers needn’t be apprehensive as operators will organise dinner or a drinks reception on the first night so people can get to know each other. Single travellers can choose to either share a room with another solo traveller of the same sex, or can have their own room. Some operators offer selected tours with no single supplement and others run tours exclusively for women.
Being part of a tour means being with other people, but that doesn’t mean clients have to be stuck to each other 24/7. Most tours will have some free time – how much depends on the itinerary. There’s usually free time in the evenings and clients who want a quiet dinner on their own or with one or two in the group can do so.
It depends on the tour, but operators plan different itineraries to suit all fitness levels. Trips that involve walking or cycling, for example, are graded to show the level of fitness required and the itinerary will list how long each day’s activity should take.
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Aren’t adventure tours just for young people?
Not at all. Explore! says its clientele are typically between the ages of 40-60, with its first-time customer averaging 54. Likewise, Intrepid says its tours cater for all ages ‘from one to 99’ and, in the past five years, it has seen a 30% increase in UK customers aged 50+.
But don’t you have to rough it on an adventure tour?
Forget overland trips in clapped-out 4x4s, G Adventures has placed comfort at the core of its new Geluxe Collection, which offers dozens of tours with hotel accommodation and travel by private vehicle.
Explore! admits that its trips are not luxury or top-end, but neither are they ‘basic or rough’. Since accommodation and transport varies from trip to trip, it’s best to check the trip notes before booking.
Also worth noting is that Intrepid’s best-selling tours via travel agents are Premium and Comfort trips, aimed at 60+ travellers who want experiences with a little more luxe. Accommodation can range from eco-lodges to boutique hostels to luxury tents.
Children wouldn’t enjoy a tour, would they?
If you think you can’t suggest a tour for a family holiday, think again. Exoticca Managing Director Neil Sealy says his kids don’t want to do a single centre holiday anymore, since the family has discovered the joys of touring together. “I have done touring trips with my family for years, visiting Thailand, Oman, South Africa and Egypt in the last five years alone, and my boys have gained so much from this – they don’t want to do single centre holidays anymore because they love exploring and learning about new countries,” he said.
Are touring and adventure holidays more expensive?
No, in fact they are very competitive, according to Neil. “Touring is often similarly priced, or even less expensive than staying in one hotel, whilst offering a range of different experiences,” he said. For example, Exoticca has a nine-night Grand Tour & Kasbah Route’taking in Marrakech, Casablanca, the Atlas Mountains and a night in the desert city of Ouarzazate from £999 per person, including flights from London, accommodation, activities, half-board and transfers; or a 10-night ‘Treasures of Anatolia’ tour taking in Istanbul, Ankara, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus and Troy, including flights, accommodation, transfers, activities and some meals, from £599pp.
Are they suitable for single travellers?
Adventure and touring holidays are great ways to meet like-minded people with shared interests or hobbies. Solo travellers needn’t be apprehensive as operators will organise dinner or a drinks reception on the first night so people can get to know each other. Single travellers can choose to either share a room with another solo traveller of the same sex, or can have their own room. Some operators offer selected tours with no single supplement and others run tours exclusively for women.
Do you get time on your own on a tour?
Being part of a tour means being with other people, but that doesn’t mean clients have to be stuck to each other 24/7. Most tours will have some free time – how much depends on the itinerary. There’s usually free time in the evenings and clients who want a quiet dinner on their own or with one or two in the group can do so.
Don’t customers have to be really fit?
It depends on the tour, but operators plan different itineraries to suit all fitness levels. Trips that involve walking or cycling, for example, are graded to show the level of fitness required and the itinerary will list how long each day’s activity should take.
The post Busting the myths around touring and adventure travel appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
