A destination management company in Asia which has an online bookable portal for UK travel agents has launched more authentic and sustainable tours on the back of increased demand.
DTH Travel is the parent company of DTH Direct, which connects agents to thousands of products and services in Asia that can be booked online through its portal.
The company attributed sales growth last year and this year to new slow travel experiences after it rebranded from Diethelm Travel to DTH Travel and repositioned itself as a specialist in authentic tourism. Sales were up by nearly 40% year on year for the month of January.
The company has now announced further sustainable product, bookable by agents, for 2024.
A new 11-day Laos Explorer tour uses various forms of public and private transport through the country while a slow travel nine day Cycling Holiday explores remote mountains in North Vietnam and gives holidaymakers the chance to interact with villages in local communities.
Other new tours available through the trade focus on corporate social responsibility, local guides, cultural exchanges and homestays.
These include a visit to Kayanwala Pahala Wewa, a traditional rural village in Sri Lanka, and in Malaysia, new community-based, eco-edutourism itineraries offering homestays in remote villages.
In Cambodia, a ‘2 Faces of Life Walking tour’ supports the education of underprivileged children, with the chance to talk to children to help them learn English, and a walk through shanty villages in Phnom Penh, while a Lotus Farm Tour in Siem Reap focuses on the manufacturing practices of eco-friendly textiles which provide jobs for vulnerable women.
The company has also revamped existing tours to fit its new values. For example its Thai-lights tour now includes three Unesco World Heritage sites, Ayutthaya, the Ancient Town of Si Tep, and Sukhothai, and interactive workshops to highlight local culture such as traditional ceremonial drum-making and making natural cosmetics using age-old techniques.
DTH Travel chief executive Stephan Roemer said: “We are focusing on developing and delivering even more sustainably focused experiences that highlight the unique aspects of our top selling destinations. We are proud of the new tours we’ve created for 2024, that ensure surprising adventures and heartwarming experiences for both first time and repeat visitors.”