ESCORTED TOURING MILLENNIALS DESTINATIONS


ASK THE EXPERT


Anna Biesty,head of land product trading, STA Travel: “Millennials will have done a lot of research and taken advice from friends. They will be looking for quality guides who will provide support and be personable and knowledgeable about destinations. Understanding how much guidance a customer requires is key to selling the right tour – as is understanding the length of trip and how much a client wants to see.”


in South America, Asia and Africa. By replacing higher-end accommodation with more basic hotels, hostels and campsites, younger clients have more to spend on optional activities and late-night antics, with greater choice in shaping their schedule. There’s also plenty on the market


for clients who want to combine the independence of solo travel with the safety blanket of tour guides and pre- arranged accommodation. Busabout offers a hop-on hop-off service across Europe, the US, Asia and Africa, allowing passengers to take things at their own pace and adapt the itinerary as they go. Contiki has its own answer in the form of the all-new Independent Insider range, which gives guests the flexibility to choose their own duration, as well as the start and end point, on a selection of itineraries – which span Greek Island Hopping to Berlin to Budapest – while tours, transport and accommodation are taken care of. That independence is key when it comes to this market, according to


RIGHT:


Lake Bled, Slovenia


Contiki’s UK and Europe sales and marketing director, Donna Jeavons, who says: “These travellers are seeking an increasing amount of autonomy, even when travelling in a group.” It’s also worth highlighting the


freedom they’ll have on tours with a more traditional, fully planned itinerary. Anna Biesty, head of land product trading at STA Travel, says: “Many


customers shy away from adventure tours, as they are under the impression they are a group experience from start to finish. This isn’t true, as every tour has free time so people can explore on their own.”


w CULTURAL IMMERSION It’s not just autonomy that Gen Y is after, though. Research reveals time


1 March 2018 travelweekly.co.uk 61


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