Some things just don’t go together. Like an amicable divorce or a free lunch, surely a flexible escorted tour just doesn’t exist? Isn’t the whole idea that the trip is pre-organised with all the elements in place – and isn’t that the attraction?
Not always. While some passengers still want the warm cocoon of a traditional tour, with everything set in stone, increasing numbers of escorted tour providers are recognising that there is a proportion of their customers who, despite enjoying the security and hassle-free nature of an escorted tour, would like to introduce elements of choice into their holiday.
Whether it’s optional excursions, dining freedom or extra days here and there, many operators have begun adding flexible elements to their tours.
Agents can use these looser terms to help sell escorted tours to a whole tranche of customers who never thought this type of holiday would suit them. You can reassure them that by booking the right tour they won’t have to start every morning with an early wake-up call to pile back on the coach, and end every night at a large table with 20 other couples.
Adding on
Most operators offer the option to add extra nights on pre or post-tour, so clients can book-end the trip with time on their own, link up with a cruise or another tour, or visit friends and family in the area.
If you’re selling a Canada tour, why not suggest a cruise up the Inside Passage from Vancouver to Alaska? Travellers to Latin America can head out to the Galapagos or into the Amazon.
On European tours, suggest tacking a city break on to the beginning or end, and in Africa or Asia look at additional beach time, enabling customers to kick back and relax. Each extra option will earn you more commission.
Even if clients haven’t got extra time, they may have extra cash, so don’t forget that many operators can offer them upgrades on flights and rooms, enhancing their experience across the tour.
Eating out
Food plays a major part in any holiday, and many travellers enjoy choosing restaurants and finding romantic spots for an intimate meal.
“There are preconceptions that escorted tours include big group dinners every night, but this is not the case,” says Titan HiTours head of marketing James Hewlett.
Meals are not included in the operator’s tours, so clients are free to make the most of their evenings as they see fit. If they’re tired, they can pop out for a quick snack and head back to catch up on their sleep, or they can make the most of a culinary hotspot with a substantial banquet, or even hit the town.
While some operators stick to selling tours on a full-board or half-board basis, others, such as Thomas Cook Tours, offer product where the majority of meals aren’t included. Some operators make judgements dependent on the tour locations; Jetsave, for example, doesn’t include meals in its UK and Canada tours, but does in Asia, Latin America and Africa.
Staying put
Escorted tours don’t have to involve rushing around and living out of a suitcase. Cosmos Tourama’s Leisurely Tours can offer extra freedom to relax, simply because they are based in one location for the entire trip, with sightseeing trips by coach included in the price.
Its Discover Medieval Italy tour includes seven nights’ three or four-star accommodation in the spa town of Montecatini Terme, with day visits to Siena, San Gimignano, Assisi, Florence and Pisa, among others.
And because the party returns to the same base each night, guests can opt to spend a day relaxing in the hotel instead of taking that day’s excursion.
Similarly, Trafalgar Tours’ Free and Easy European itineraries offer a few nights at each location and plenty of free time, so guests can choose between exploration and relaxation.
Real freedom
Insight Vacations has launched a new style of touring to give added flexibility. Its Select Journeys retain the hassle-free elements of escorted touring but offer more free time and choice. These journeys are available in Europe, and the first departures left this month, all full.
While many operators offer a few optional excursions, the majority of the trip tends to be organised and, crucially, included in the price. On Select Journeys, there are fewer inclusions in the basic package level, so clients won’t feel like they are missing out on something they’ve paid for if they decide not to go on an excursion. Instead, guests can buy sightseeing packages as and when they like, or just take a look around under their own steam if that’s what they prefer.
As well as adding on nights before and after tours, clients can join late or leave early if they don’t want the full itinerary. Insight will even offer a free coach transfer to the next destination if the client just wants a lift there and then to do their own thing.
This product really does give clients the ability to make as much or as little use of the classic escorted tour benefits as they wish. Travel and bed-and-breakfast accommodation are included, as are free airport transfers, an orientation tour of each city and the help of the tour director.
For guests who want to utilise no more than this, they can almost look at the trip as a series of city breaks with some of the hassle and extra cost taken out; Insight claims these tours work out up to 30% cheaper than arranging the same hotels, transfers and car hire independently.
However, the extras are there as and when they wish. Guests can decide on the spot whether to join the optional half or full-day excursions, so they can see what mood they’re in when they wake up. For those who want the hard work done for them, but to retain an element of independence, these tours offer the best of both worlds.
Sample product
Shearings offers a Lake Garda coach itinerary including seven nights’ B&B at the three-star Hotel Imperial Garda and overnight coach travel from £599. A travel by air option is available, plus optional excursions to Venice, Verona, Milan, Florence and the Dolomites. shearingsagent.com, 01942 823449
Insight Vacations offers a nine-day Select Imperial Capitals itinerary visiting Budapest, Vienna and Prague from £1,025 including eight nights’ B&B, door-to-door transfers within 100 miles of the airport, and some excursions. Flights are extra. insightselect.com, 020 7468 4335
Cosmos Tourama offers a Discover Medieval Italy tour including seven nights’ half-board accommodation in Montecatini Terme, flights from Gatwick, and trips to Siena, Assisi, Orvieto, Arezzo, Florence, Pisa and more, from £649. cosmostourama.co.uk, 0871 423 8472
