Comment: Why premium touring should be a no-brainer in 2022

Chris Townson, Insight Vacations’ managing director, urges agents to capitalise on travel trends favouring escorted trips

Finally, the world has opened its doors again to international travel.

We can see it in at our airports, in our bookings, and on the ground, and it feels great to be looking after guests with more consistency again, especially as we gather pace towards our main operating season from late March.

But things aren’t completely back to ‘normal’ everywhere, which is why travelling with a premium escorted touring operator like Insight Vacations is still a no-brainer for me for 2022.

Firstly, as our agent partners are reporting, we’re seeing a shift from fly-drive towards travelling with a guided operator. It’s not difficult to see why.

Firstly, car hire prices have shot up exponentially thanks to vehicle shortages and a slowdown in manufacturing, coinciding with the return of demand globally.

With fuel prices also on the rise, many clients who would typically fly-drive are finding it makes sense to choose an alternative holiday style – touring – that affords them the same opportunity to cover a lot of ground but without those unnecessary price hikes.

Couple this with the convenience of not having to drive yourself, and you’ve got a much more hassle-free experience.

Enjoying those views, indulging in a glass of wine at lunchtime and not having to worry about getting lost, where to park the car or filling up with petrol should be part and parcel of a relaxing holiday.

The journey can then be as enjoyable as the destinations along the way, and the penny is dropping with customers.

This shift is real – you can see how and why it is playing out – and Insight Vacations is perfectly placed to service these customers with an on-the-road team of three and double the legroom, and double the window space (equalling double the view) of competitors in our space.

Another trend we are seeing is the continued shift towards premium and luxury travel as guests double down on their holiday plans for 2022.

There is real opportunity for agents to entice clients to choose a premium holiday that may previously have been outside of their budget.

With money saved and an appetite to make 2022 a year to make their holidays really special, we are seeing the more mainstream touring customer (who may not have travelled with us before) to choose to upgrade to premium, as they want to be sure of staying in fabulous and perfectly located hotels, eating top-notch food, enjoying expertly curated experiences and having the best Travel Directors in the business showcase the world’s wonders through their in-depth knowledge and passion.

Likewise, a typical premium client is now choosing to upgrade further to our sister brand Luxury Gold, for truly five-star accommodation, personalised service and money-can’t-buy-experiences. And on a holiday at this level, the commission-earning potential is huge.

The great news for agents is that when working with us, you’re dealing with one sales and reservations team, so that sales journey and conversion process is seamless. So together let’s capitalise on these trends – now is the time to make it happen.