Stay on top of market trends, says Cosmos and Avalon Waterways chief executive Giles Hawke
When I talk to people outside of the travel industry about what I do and the escorted touring holidays we offer, I meet similar reactions to those I encountered 16 years ago when I started working in ocean cruising.
“Isn’t it for old people?”; “I’d get claustrophobic”; “What if I don’t like it?”; “It isn’t for people like me” etc.
Over the past 16 years, ocean cruising has done a great job of shedding some of the misconceptions and demonstrating that the product and sector is very different to what might have been the view all that time ago.
In the touring sector, through the formation of the Association of Touring and Adventure Suppliers (Atas) and the work of individual touring companies, we hope it won’t take so long to change perceptions. Travel agents are key to helping us do this and, as operators, we have a responsibility to give agents hooks to help dispel incorrect assumptions.
Selling the sector
At Cosmos we have recognised a few trends that will help agents sell touring in a different way:
Flexible touring: There is a demand for more flexible escorted itineraries so we have launched à la carte touring programme Cosmos Lite. We believe this will resonate both with our traditional customer base as well as millennial travellers interested in testing the touring waters. Lite combines Cosmos’ essential features with a personalised approach, offering hasslefree travel with the freedom to tailor an itinerary to interests, budgets and pace. We get clients to each destination and coordinate accommodation, but their days – and activities – are up to them.
Key destinations: Interest levels in touring holidays to Italy remain strong – similarly, Ireland and the USA. We have looked at Abta’s list of destinations to watch in 2019 and feature all but one. Touring companies generally offer great holidays across all these up-andcoming destinations. I sent a note to my colleagues in Denver telling them to “watch out, the Brits are coming”. Their response? “Bring it on, we love Brits” – so much for overtourism concerns.
More exclusive, but great value: With over-50s holding 76% of the nation’s wealth, and 40% spending more than £3,000 a year on holidays, this market sector is looking for more exclusive holiday choices. Agents should highlight premium escorted tours that unlock even more authentic local experiences and come with VIP access to attractions. Escorted touring operators, including our sister brand Globus, offer highly rated hotels near attractions. We find customers want local experiences and more sightseeing included in the price.
More active holidays: Gone are the days when the ‘Nifty Fifties’ were content with a fly-and-flop or basic coach tour. This sector is looking to travel further afield to more exotic locations. With global escorted touring programmes covering the world, with destinations as diverse as Costa Rica, Hawaii, Borneo, Serbia and Israel, agents should explain to customers that touring holidays are suitable for all.
All these elements add up to escorted touring being the new black, and something agents should have in their armoury for any customer who walks into their shop or visits their website.