ESCORTED TOURS GAP YEARS DESTINATIONS
booking rise, highlighting the US’s popularity as a gap year choice. US specialist TrekAmerica is also
a great choice for gap year students topping or tailing working, studying or volunteering in the Americas, with its escorted tours providing them with a time-saving, cost-effective way of touring the States and meeting people. The operator keeps deposits at £100 or 10% of the total trip cost to maintain its appeal to its 18-39 audience. For clients on a round-the-world
ticket, recommend a cross-country tour, such as TrekAmerica’s Southern Sun trip linking New York and Los Angeles, as it allows young people to travel point-to-point without flying. Those who want a dash more comfort can opt for one of its four new Plus tours, which feature twin- share accommodation, rather than the camping or budget lodging on its regular tours, extra included activities and a larger group size. If they’re not working abroad in the US or Australia, some young gap year-takers are reducing the amount of time they spend travelling to suit their budget. Tim Fryer, STA Travel’s
UK country manager, says: “Travelling is an expected rite of passage for most young people, and the majority will try to fit in a trip of some kind over the summer, whether it’s embarking on a round-the-world year- long gap itinerary or a shorter ‘snap gap’ of a few weeks.” STA’s most popular gap year
destinations remain Thailand, Australia, the US, Peru and New Zealand, showing that longer trips are still the
preferred choice. However, a more surprising destination is Iceland, sales to which are up 54% this year. Fryer says the country, as well as being popular with ‘snap gappers’, is increasingly being included in multi- stop itineraries with North America.
SAMPLE PRODUCT
TrekAmerica offers a new 56-day Ultimate
Transcontinental trip, departing June 2017,
from £5,269. trekamerica.
co.uk
Wendy Wu Tours offers a 13-day Discover Japan tour from £4,590 including flights from Heathrow, domestic transport, accommodation and all meals. wendywutours.
co.uk
w THE CAREER-BREAKER Whether they’re ditching their job for good and using the time away to reflect on a career change, or taking a break to fulfil a dream trip before settling down and having kids, this is an audience worth knowing about: the career-breaker will often have a clear idea about what they want to do during their time away and is also likely to have money to spend. “Rather than students on gap years,
we are seeing more people in their 30s and 40s taking career breaks,” says Daniel Pawlyn, head of business development at Intrepid Travel. “They will often book six or seven trips with us over an eight or 10-month period, and they tend to combine group travel with independent travel.” This is great news for agents, as
ABOVE:
Monument Valley with
TrekAmerica LEFT:
Taj Mahal, India
career-breakers often mean extra chances to earn commission on multiple tours as travellers make up for the gap year they never took or travel to destinations they missed the first time round. That could include India, Central or South America, ticking off epic experiences such as watching the sun rise over the Taj Mahal or trekking to Macchu Pichu. They’re also more likely to want to delve deeper into a local culture and get off the beaten track, says Pawlyn. Clients looking to avoid the
25 August 2016
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