ESCORTED TOURS Myth Busting
Coach tours, and to a lesser extent, train tours and cruises have traditionally been the reserve of an older crowd, but they shouldn't be, says Laura Gelder
The Myth: “We want to be active,
not sit around all day” The Facts: Milestones offers the family-friendly Rockies Thrills and Glacier Chills nine-day tour from £2,370. The Vancouver to Calgary itinerary has plenty of adventurous and sedate options. In Whistler there's a two-hour guided bike tour of the Olympic Park, or a trip to the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Center; in Jasper, whitewater rafting or a float on calmer waters; in Banff, a helicopter flight over Mount Assiniboine or horse riding along the Bow River.
The Myth: “You won't interact
with the locals on an escorted tour” The Facts: Amy Shine, Product
T
he long distances, wide open spaces and epic, changing scenery of Canada is made for
touring. But convincing some people to take to the road on an organised tour is another matter. They might think of this as a loss of independence. For agents, the escorted touring is a
potential goldmine! With all those extras such as guides, meals and excursions included, you’re cashing in on every bit of the action – not just the transport and accommodation. Here are a few common complaints you might get from customers if you suggest an escorted tour, and some ways to bust those myths:
The Myth: “Doing it ourselves will
be cheaper” The Facts: Lockie Kerr, Account
Manager for APT says comparing value is key to getting clients on board: “On face value, a self-drive holiday looks by far the best value option but once you have included meals, excursions, tipping, national park fees, fuel, insurance, accommodation and a local guide, you will see that an escorted holiday is very good value. It’s important to highlight this when quoting for the holiday.”
The Myth: “Escorted touring is for oldies” The Facts: Not these days! There are plenty of companies which cater for younger markets, such as Trek America or Intrepid. “I absolutely loved the APT Rockies Highlights tour,” says Lockie Kerr, “so it’s not to say people under 50 will dislike it, but it’s important the tours are sold correctly. " Edwina Coppock, Agency Sales Manager for Titan says: “Mature travellers are becoming more and more adventurous and ‘younger-minded’ and, as the focus of escorted tours reflects this, the mix of holidaymakers is increasingly broad, from 20-somethings to 80-somethings. Few customers these days are likely to be ‘immune’ to the attractions of an escorted tour.”
The Myth: “We’ll lose our
independence on an escorted tour” The Facts: Lockie says: “APT offers a
concept called Freedom of Choice which allows guests to choose, at no extra cost, from a raft of excursions and dining experiences that range from Heli Flightseeing, Wildlife Safari or a Glacier Jeep Safari to a spa treatment at Fairmont Banff Springs.”
The Myth: “Escorted tours mean
you have limited time in each place” The Facts: An escorted tour doesn’t
have to be the entire holiday. You can organise an itinerary which leaves your clients ample time to relax and explore at their own pace at either end of the tour. Travelsphere offers a 14-day Canadian Rockies & Vancouver tour, with a Calgary Stampede pre-tour stopover including three nights in Calgary and two days at the Stampede, enjoying the two-hour parade, a rodeo in the Platinum section and an evening Chuckwagon show in the Gold section. Guests then transfer to Banff for the main itinerary onto Lake Louise, Jasper, Kamloops and Vancouver, with two free days in the city. From £2,349.
The Myth: “Coaches are old- fashioned and cramped” The Facts: Edwina Coppock says: “Titan’s are spacious, comfortable and hi-tech with large picture windows and daily seat rotation, in the interests of fairness. Plus, some Canada tours also feature ocean cruising journeys on iconic trains such as the Rocky Mountaineer, or even a dynamic combination of all of these.”
Manager of Cosmos Tours & Cruises commented: “Many tours provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy local culture at fantastic festivals and events. Our twin-centre holiday to experience Québec’s Winter Carnival lets visitors see the snow and ice sculpting and even try dog sledding and snow rafting.
WHERE TO BOOK IT FOR WILDLIFE: Cosmos Tours & Cruises - 0844 573 0662 -
www.cosmostoursandcruises.co.uk The 11-day ‘Bears, Whales and Vancouver Island’ tour is from £2,185 to include return flights, nine nights’ accommodation, transfers and tour director. Highlights are city sightseeing in Vancouver and Victoria, bear and whale watching at Tofino and Telegraph Cove and a visit to Campbell River.
TOP TIP “It takes less than five minutes to complete a £5,000 booking that earns an agent over £500. And the average customer spend on escorted tours to Canada with Titan now tops £3,350pp.” EDWINA COPPOCK Agency Sales Manager, Titan
SELLING CANADA • SUMMER 2012 17
©OTTAWA TOURISM
©GOVERNMENT OF YUKON DEREK CROWER
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