ASIA TOURS
All about ASIA
Where to start when selling tours on the
world’s largest continent? Get up to speed with the latest trends, says Alice Barnes-Brown
E
scorted tours and Asia are a match made in heaven – with many
miles to cover, myriad cultures to learn about and multiple language barriers to overcome, the continent lends itself to a guided style of travel that gets visitors straight to the heart of the destination they’re in. Over the following pages, you’ll discover how you can boost your Asia touring sales with tips from the experts, find out the latest insights from operators, discover the breadth of new itineraries on offer, and explore some only-in-Asia experiences to sell to culturally curious clients.
Trending
destinations The fastest-growing Asia
destinations from a cross-section of brands include:
✪ Bhutan ✪ Cambodia ✪ China ✪ Japan ✪ Kazakhstan ✪ India
✪ South Korea ✪ Sri Lanka ✪ Taiwan ✪ The Philippines ✪ Uzbekistan ✪ Vietnam
Who to sell to? Asia’s appeal is widespread across generations and genders, from families keen to discover Asia’s awesome attractions with the help of a guide to couples looking for an adventurous honeymoon. It’s a strong seller for solos too, with many travellers seeking the cost savings and security of travelling in a group. Cosmos Tours reports that solo travellers have made up 21% of its Asia customers this year, while Exodus Adventure Travels says 30% of its Asia bookings this year have been from solos. Solo travellers can even enjoy dedicated departures: the most popular Asia trips in G Adventures’
Travellers in Halong Bay, Vietnam
Solo-ish range are to Vietnam and China, with an average age of 45 and 75% female.
Where to go? Many operators have boosted their Asia programmes this year, and certain destinations are seeing a rise in new product, from the ‘Stans’ of central Asia to South Korea. Wendy Wu Tours, Ramble
Worldwide and Newmarket Holidays have expanded their India touring programmes, while First Class Holidays and Inside Travel introduced India last year – the latter’s first new destination since 2022. Tyler Palma, Inside Travel product director, says: “India has grown
steadily and there is more to come.” The announcement of visa-free
travel for Brits to China has also led to a spike in interest. Intrepid Travel is reporting a 146% rise in bookings for UK visitors since the end of January, while Just You’s 2027 Inspirational China and Yangtze Cruise is up 350% compared to last year. Other rising stars include Indonesia and Mongolia, both new for Wendy Wu Tours; Nepal, where Contiki has introduced a new small-group tour for 18-35s; and Cambodia, where G Adventures is holding its summit in September. It’s a reminder that Asia has 48 countries to discover – so there’s plenty more in store for clients keen to go further.
Asia tours in numbers
6 months YoY rise in Incredible
Increase in booked departures for Inside Travel in 2026 versus 2025
20%
Journeys’ Cambodia sales in Jan-Feb 2026
Typical booking window for Exodus Adventure Travels’ Asia tours, with February, March and September the most popular departure months
50% 500%Increase in bookings for 54%
Proportion of Cosmos customers to Japan
attracted by cherry blossom tours, followed by 41% for autumn departures
30 2 APRIL 2026
travelweekly.co.uk
Cox & Kings’ Uzbekistan: Heart of Central Asia tour in 2025
Gyeongbokgung Palace, South Korea
PICTURES: G Adventures/Shereen Mroueh; Shutterstock/PKphotograph
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