A new range of ‘mini adventures’ under the Detour brand has been introduced by Contiki.
The operator for 18 to 35-year-olds has added the 18 locally hosted, short break adventures to its 2021-22 range of worldwide trips.
The development follows a poll of Contiki’s UK youth audience which found that more than 90% citing unique experiences as something they wanted to do to make their 2021 holiday count, following a year of lockdowns and travel restrictions.
The same survey also showed 40% saying the biggest lesson they have learnt from the pandemic is to appreciate travel more.
Almost three quarters (71%) of the UK audience surveyed said they are making more plans to travel domestically in 2021 with 38% naming Scotland as a place they want to visit, and almost 15% wanting to experience English National Parks such as the Lake and Peak Districts.
The Detour trips will bring together an average of just eight people and have one of a range of themes, from active and adventure to foodie and wellness.
Each one is hosted by a local who will invite travellers into their lives or homes and share their passions.
UK domestic breaks are included alongside trips to Austria, Botswana, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Italy, Morocco, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Uganda.
The short breaks have been created to form easy add-ons to some of Contiki’s longer holidays.
UK and Europe sales and marketing director Donna Jeavons said: “This new range of mini adventures is all about travel that connects you, teaches you and changes you, and it’s another example of Contiki innovating to anticipate and meet the needs of our diverse millennial and Gen Z audiences.
“Called Detour as it is designed to be a ‘detour’ from the ordinary, it’s immersive travel at its very best as each one is hosted by a local and has been carefully curated to showcase a different side to the destination, one that appeals to different passions or interests from food to photography, or wine to wellness.
“In making them easily combinable with existing Contiki trips, it provides the perfect opportunity for agents to upsell to their clients, turning an already amazing trip into something truly unique and individual to the traveller’s interests.
“It’s also the perfect alternative to booking individual day trips for those who prefer a more tailormade holiday – a lot less hassle for agents and a much more immersive experience for the client. We have also created a full suite of trade marketing materials that agents can use to promote these new trips.”