TourTalk
New tours to the destinations on your clients’ bucket list expand your options to offer them a unique experience.
Avanti Destinations has added new itineraries in 14 Asian countries—eight to be exact—plus more than 25 new excursions, many of which focus on food, and over 50 new boutique and luxury hotel offerings. Avanti’s Asia vacations are all customizable, including a private guide in most locations.
Avanti’s new destinations include Yichang and Chongqing in China for pre- and post-Yangtze River cruises; the beach resort city of Pattaya in Thailand; and Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido, as well as Miyajima in Japan. Among the new itineraries is the Treats & Treks of Bali, an 8-day journey in Ubud and Nusa Dua that includes private rafting on the Ayung River, a private sunrise trekking on the Batur Volcano, and a private foodie tour with a private Seminyak (traditional Indonesian) cooking class, plus daily breakfast. Rates start at $1,245per person.
The new excursions, meanwhile, include activities such as a private geisha teahouse experience in Kyoto; a private market visit, sake tasting and cooking lessons in Kyoto; a private Osaka family fun tour with activities for children; or a seacave canoe excursion in Phuket, plus much more.
For a complete list, make sure to order the company’s new 84-page Essence of Asia brochure, which includes city maps showing chosen hotels in relation to major sights, and the routing of multi-destination itineraries—this brochure was designed with the agent in mind, making it easy for you to share with your clients. You can earn $50 bonus commission for each booking of $1,500 or more made by Feb. 28, 2018 for travel now through March 31, 2018.
Backroads has launched a brand-new small ship ocean segment. These sailings are the perfect fit for travelers looking to mix the flexibility of an active vacation with the luxury of living aboard a state-of-the-art expedition vessel. These intimate ocean cruises offer planned active trips in Alaska, Antarctica, Japan, New Zealand, the Baltic Sea, the Galapagos Islands, Iceland, and other destinations for a total of 51 departures on 14 itineraries. On these itineraries guests can opt to hike, bike, and actively explore at their own pace and then return to the ship for an elegant dinner.
Also expanding its portfolio is Collette with 21 new options, including Northern Lights of Finland (starting at $3,999 pp) and the 14-day Culture of Peru and Bolivia (starting at $4,999 pp). Exploring Sri Lanka has also been added; this 13-day tour, starting at $3,599 pp, visits a home for orphaned elephants, and has participants climbing the fifth century Sigiriya Rock Fortress—a former palace and UNESCO World Heritage site—and viewing elephants in their natural habitat at Minneriya National Park. Guests will also learn about unique spices used in Sri Lankan cuisine, and visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, plus much more.
For the 18-to-Thirtysomething traveler, G Adventures has revamped its former Yolo style of youth tours. “Our younger customers tell us they’re looking for more real-world social experiences beyond their online life, which is great. They also want cool content to then share out with their digital networks,” said Bruce Poon Tip, owner and founder of G Adventures, in press materials. “This growing interest in a social-first experience that helps young people build connections but which is also affordable, prompted us to think differently about how we market our small-group youth product. It should be easily discoverable and instantly clear who we are speaking to.”
G Adventures notes that young American travelers have been booking their tours all around the world, but Thailand has been the most popular destination, followed by New Zealand, Costa Rica and Australia. Their average client is spending $1,810 for trips that last 14 days on average.
The 185 tours in G Adventures’ 18-to-Thirtysomething portfolio are affordable—the majority priced under $2,000, not including airfare—running from less than one week to more than nine weeks long. They’re designed to be fun-filled and fast-paced, featuring more camping, hostel, or basic service level hotels. On the itineraries, Big Night Out experiences are included for those who want to party after a full day of adventure.
Contact Information
Avanti Destinations: avantidestinations.com
Backroads: backroads.com
Collette: gocollette.com
G Adventures: gadventures.com
