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COMMENT IN MY OPINION


Just about every definitive list of what today’s holidaymakers are looking


for will include the words “authentic”, “experiential” and “responsible”. While these words are broad in meaning, there is one thing that is beyond doubt – increasing numbers of people are looking for an expanded sense of what their travel experience looks and feels like. Generic holidays to well-trodden


destinations are losing out to the exotic, the far-flung and the ‘out-there’ places. People want opportunities for learning, for cultural immersion, for unique experiences that they can share. They want holidays that make them feel special. They want to inspire their friends and family with stories of their experiences, either in person on their return home or via social media. And they want irreplaceable memories.


Kale, quinoa and cardio Newer ways of enjoying holidays are emerging. Cycling is the new golf, appealing across generations and growing rapidly, with more and more people looking for the vantage points that only two wheels can provide. Multigenerational family holidays are


growing as the older generations fund holidays for the cash-strapped youth. Increasing numbers are learning to cook real Italian food. ‘Kale, quinoa and cardio’ wellness holidays are allowing people to disconnect and get in shape. These are all holidays that move


us from observation to participation: holidays that might be active or sedentary in nature, but are immersive.


Travellers today want immersive and exotic trips


Inspire your customers to try new things and visit new places


MATHEW PRIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR, SPECIALIST HOLIDAYS GROUP, PART OF TRAVELOPIA


It’s not only our customers who benefit from this type of holiday. Small-scale, positive-impact tourism brings benefits to many communities, helping to preserve the environments we travel to see, and provide real and positive social exchanges.


Agents can inspire There are so many possibilities in the world and so many ways that people find out that these experiences exist. Magazines, TV programmes, talking to friends and neighbours. And, of course, travel agents. There are many, many agents growing their businesses fantastically well, selling increasingly experiential holidays to their customers. No one understands or can inspire their clients like agents do. Travelopia, the new name for our


soon-to-be-independent collection of tour operators, specialises in exactly


these kinds of niche experiences. That’s why we’re increasing investment in our on-the-road sales teams. We’ve also launched our agent-only brand, Travelmood, to complement our existing agent-friendly brands, Hayes & Jarvis, Citalia, Austravel, Exodus and Headwater. Travelmood gives agents exclusive


access to a fabulous search engine and the most expert telesales team in the business. Together, we can help piece together an itinerary that undoubtedly offers one of the most exceptional experiences in the industry. We think that the match of


high street travel agents’ customer focus with our ethos of delivering outstanding customer experiences is a strong one. Let’s get our customers thinking of holidays and experiences that they might never have tried before. › Special Report, page 12


32 travelweekly.co.uk 19 May 2016


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