Youth travel and social adventure specialist TruTravels is expanding its tours while making it easier for agents to connect travellers to the right trip.
Trips are being categorised into four styles of travel, all of which will have extra appeal for post-pandemic millennial and Gen Z travellers.
Three new styles – FitVentures, SailVentures and Flashpacker – join the portfolio this week.
The new trips will join TruTravels’ ‘classic’ tours in destinations including Vietnam, Thailand, Bali, Mexico, Sri Lanka and Colombia.
The pause in international travel caused by the pandemic has given the small group operator the opportunity to rethink its product positioning and how to make the portfolio more agent-friendly as travel consultants become more important for consumer peace of mind, according to TruTravels co-founder Mark Pope.
FitVentures caters to travellers seeking fitness-focused and wellbeing experiences such as beach-based bootcamps with the first departures in Bali and Thailand from October.
‘Flashpacker’ is described as a natural progression from backpacker adventures aimed at travellers looking to ‘keep it real’ but with a splash of style and private accommodation.
‘SailVentures’ allow travellers to stay closer to home, combining exploration and action with yacht floatilla parties in Greece and Croatia this summer.
Pope said: “We know travellers are going to crave social adventures after months of isolation and separation from their friends and family, but at the same time we are witnessing a shift away from sharing dorm-rooms to a desire for personal space in terms of accommodation options.
“Some travellers are seeking closer-to-home options this summer, and the SailVentures we’ve created offer the perfect balance of action and relaxation along some of Europe’s most stunning coastlines.
“Our existing ‘TruTravellers’ are also growing up with us – they still want all the best parts of the backpacker experience, but with a bit more comfort, so the Flashpacker style is perfect for them.
“Additionally, there’s been a huge movement towards increased health, wellness and mindfulness following the pandemic, and this is extending to how people choose their travel.
“Many travellers don’t want to spend a full week in a bootcamp centre, so we’ve created our FitVentures tours to celebrate local wellbeing and great outdoor fitness, while still allowing the group to explore amazing destinations such as Bali and Thailand.”