NEWS SPECIAL REPORT


Touring and adventure holiday aggregator TourHound reveals its latest search data to Travel Weekly. Samantha Mayling reports


A Shearings Grand Tourer coach; inset, TourHound chief Laurence Hicks


TourHound reveals top search terms


Solo trips and UK coach departures have been the most- searched-for holidays in the touring and adventure market this year, new data has revealed.


TourHound, an aggregator that


generates leads for more than 50 specialist operators in the sector, shared its search data for the first


three months of the year with Travel Weekly. In January, ‘singles’ trips were the most-searched-for type of product on the platform, accounting for 30% of enquiries, but dropped to second place in February and March when they accounted for 21% and 24% respectively. UK coach departures were


second in January, accounting for nearly 30% of searches, rising to top spot in February and March, with 41% and 36%. Adventure, youth and cultural


touring holidays shared the third, fourth and fifth spots each month, but never individually accounted for more than 5% of searches. TourHound offers a white-label


product for agencies to source tours and adventure holidays. TourHound managing director


Laurence Hicks said: “[Coach operator] Shearings is showing strong demand for UK coach tours,


and coaches are large and comfy with WiFi and air-conditioning.” Shearings rolled out free


entertainment system Roadshow, which allows passengers to play its collection of films and  shows on their own devices, on all branded coaches in March. Hicks added that the recent acquisition of singles specialist Solos Holidays by private euity investor tone entures demonstrated the strong interest


in the solo travel market. “And it’s not just for single


people,” he said. “Clients can be part of a couple but one of them wants to do something different.” Hicks added that touring


was “not just for young people”, adding that specialist operator G Adventures “says its average traveller is 50 to 65”, which he put down to people being fitter and wanting a “belated gap year”. Scenic, rail, small group and


cruise consistently featured in the next rung of search terms, while safari, food and music were nearer the bottom of the top-20 search lists. Hicks said the key to the sector’s success is the growing appetite for holidays where everything is laid on. “People might not be sure about


escorted tours beforehand, but afterwards they think they’re fabulous,” he added, noting that growth in the 50+ market is also driving sales.


Aggregator’s data shows the UK and short-haul lead the way


TourHound’s search data shows how holidays in the UK and Europe dominate the market, followed by the US and Canada. The UK topped search results


across January, February and March, peaking at 12% of touring enquiries, while England featured separately in the top three and Scotland in the top 10 each month. Italy was in the top four


every month, peaking at second place in January when it accounted for 8% of searches. Switzerland and Spain were


Venice


other popular European touring destinations. The US hovered between fifth and sixth place and Canada between sixth and eighth in the monthly lists of most-searched-for destinations. “Staycations are being


booked in addition to overseas


holidays – and there is a genuine interest in the UK,” said TourHound managing director Laurence Hicks. Southern hemisphere destina- tions appear further down the league table but still within the top 20, with Asian destinations such as Japan and Thailand becoming more popular. Hicks said: “The UK, North America and Europe are volume destinations. Other long-haul destinations command smaller volumes but are nevertheless very lucrative by comparison.”


12travelweekly.co.uk9 May 2019


PICTURES: SHUTTERSTOCK; PHIL GAMMON


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