US operator Tauck is boosting the number of special small group land tours by 35% this year over pre-pandemic levels.
Small group departures will feature on around 75 land journeys in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.
Most tours average 24 passengers, with many African safaris featuring as few as 18 on all departures.
The expansion of the small group land journeys is being supported by a new 28-page e-brochure listing all itineraries where small group departures are available.
Chief executive Dan Mahar said that Tauck’s focus on providing small group experiences pre-dates the pandemic.
He added: “Even before Covid, we’d been evolving our product lines to reflect our ‘small is big’ mantra.
“Our guests understand and appreciate that they’re able to immerse themselves in the destination in a more interactive and authentic way, and enjoy a more engaging and enriching experience, when they travel in a smaller, more intimate group setting.
“The onset of Covid boosted the appeal of small group travel for very different reasons but even before the pandemic, Tauck was already moving firmly in that direction.”
The ethos extends beyond land journeys to include how the company operates its ocean cruises, European river cruises and its standard-group-size classic land tours, according to Mahar.
Tauck’s primary maritime partner on its small ship ocean cruises is luxury French line Ponant, with vessels carrying less than 200 passengers.
The operator’s newest European river ship Andorinha carries just 84 passengers on the Douro River in Portugal, the lowest capacity than any other riverboat in its fleet.