Everybody is different, so why shouldn’t your holiday be too? Asks Joanne Lynn, head of short-haul product at Riviera Travel
If you think Riviera Travel itineraries are fixed, think again. Whatever your interests and preferred pace of travel, you’ll be spoilt for choice with an ever-expanding range of options. Now with over 140 destinations to choose from, take your pick from our expertly crafted holidays which show off the best of the region.
You might assume all our tour itineraries are fixed and perhaps wonder whether they might be a little too rigid for your customers. After all, their idea of a dream holiday is as unique as them. Which is why Riviera Travel continues to add ways to personalise their cruise or tour. Our latest initiative is called You’re Free to Choose: from 2020, a selection of classic European tours will offer the opportunity to choose between certain experiences or excursions, such as museum visits, walking tours and boat trips. There are no added costs or hidden extras – just the opportunity to do something they love and with plenty of time to enjoy it.
Whenever you see the You’re Free to Choose panel in the brochure they can take your pick from two options to create your perfect day. For example, on the Hidden Italy tour you can choose how to spend the rest of your day after the guided tour of Mantova: either keep exploring the city and visit its magnificent Palazzo Ducale or visit the beautiful Parco Sigurtà gardens. On the Florence and Tuscany itinerary your customers can immerse yourself in Florence’s famous highlights or take a walking tour of the city’s undiscovered sights.
“Tours are evolving,” explains Joanne Lynn, Head of Short Haul Product at Riviera Travel. “Everybody is different, so why shouldn’t your holiday be too? You might love museums, but your partner prefers gardens; or perhaps you’d rather swap your sea legs for a land-based tour. When you’re booking, we’ll ask which excursion you’d like to do – and if you change your mind, just let us know before the trip’s cut-off point.” This isn’t the only way customers are being offered more choice. Many would already have taken advantage of Personalise Your Holiday – the option to add hand-picked experiences at a surcharge, making dream holidays even more memorable.
You could catch a ballet performance in St Petersburg, take a helicopter tour of the Alps or spend an evening at the Verona Opera, to name but a few. New for 2020 are a classical concert on the Venice – Classic & Undiscovered holiday and a paella cooking class on Valencia & the Orange Grove Coast.
You can also pre-book dining packages for your customers on some tours, so they know exactly what to budget for. On certain long-haul tours you can relax into holiday mode before the departure day by booking an extension – arrive a little earlier and enjoy a few nights in the hotel of your choice. And if you fancy some time to unwind before travelling home, think about booking your customers an extended stay in your final hotel or adding a second guided tour. “Long gone are the days when everybody always had to do the same things, eat at the same time and never venture away from the group,” says Joanne. “Our itineraries have taken years to perfect and now you can make them that little bit more tailored to you. Better yet, you can book it all in one place.” So, what’s your idea of holiday heaven? It’s time to take things personally.