Atas members report long-haul destinations ‘bouncing back’
Members of the Association of Touring and Adventure Suppliers are urging travel agents to tap into surging demand for long-haul destinations to capitalise on buoyant post-pandemic trends.
Speaking on an Atas webcast, three suppliers highlighted how sales to Asian nations such as Japan, China and Vietnam are surging while other destinations such as Antarctica, the Galapagos and Costa Rica are also growing in popularity.
Claire Brighton, Atas account director, said research among the association’s members showed that Italy remains the top seller for 2023.
But she noted how the US has returned to second place, while South Africa, India and Vietnam are all “racing forward”.
Gary King, head of trade sales at Wendy Wu Tours, said: “Asia, as a continent, is back.
“Japan has been riding a great wave since [Covid] restrictions were reduced last summer.
“China’s back on. There’s been no international tourism into China now for three years…but that doesn’t mean everything has got cobwebs, because it has a huge population [and they had] staycations in China.
“We’ve introduced Colours of Costa Rica and the trade have responded fantastically.”
Katie Bunting, global purpose specialist at G Adventures, agreed that Costa Rica is a “big one” at the moment, especially as it offers wellness, activities and family tours.
Other popular options include Vietnam, Jordan and Peru, she told the webcast.
“It’s great to see those destinations bouncing back,” she said.
Donatella Valzasina, UK regional sales manager at Silversea Cruises, said the expedition cruise line is seeing clients seeking experiential destinations such as Antarctica and the Galapagos islands.
“People want to see the world faster and these may have been bucket list destinations…now they’re thinking ‘I want to bring you to the top of that list’,” she said.
“They’re saying ‘I do want to do it now, I don’t want to wait’.”
Furthermore, clients are adding extensions onto Galapagos holidays to visit places such as Machu Picchu or the Iguazu falls.
Closer to home, the cruise line is offering Arctic and British Isles itineraries, which have been boosted by the latest David Attenborough wildlife series.
The speakers also highlighted how more clients want experiences on their tours and cruises, such as visiting a rehabilitation centre for orphaned orangutans in Borneo, or seeing chimpanzees and mountain gorillas on a trip to Uganda and Rwanda.
Bunting said: “Destinations like the Galapagos and Borneo, all these amazing destinations that Atas members can offer customers – they’re achievable now. They are affordable and within people’s reach.”
Not only are the destinations affordable, the operators ensure that responsible and sustainable tourism is at the top of their agenda.
G Adventures, for example, has a charity called Planeterra which runs more than 100 projects around the world, while the Silversea Fund supports conservation efforts in the Galapagos.
The suppliers also offered key selling tips to agents, including using videos from Atas members, educating clients about different options and focusing on solo travellers.
The webcast was part of the ‘where’ themed week, which was part of Atas’ Touring & Adventure Month in April.
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