United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
New tour group is unprecedented
In what they call an unprecedented collaboration, five of the US’s top tour operators agreed to co-promote a series of departure tours to North America and the world.
“This is not a merger,” said Jerry DePietro, TOURCO president. He added:
”We are taking the best of each company’s tour offerings, and bringing to the market an attractive mix of tours and cruises throughout the US, Canada and the Caribbean — even Europe, Central America and China.”
Each individual company has contributed five or six itineraries with guaranteed departures, he said, lowering exposure and risks.
“”A year of planning has gone into this,” said Bob Hoelscher, president of flemming tours and cruises. He added:
“We have seen some major travel industry consolidation efforts fail over the past several years, and we wanted to ensure that we didn’t travel the same path.”
The companies worked for months to establish required standards for all the various tours, which include commission structures for agents and incentives for group leaders and others.
The new entry is called Encompass Tours and Cruises.
In addition to Mr Hoelscher’s St. Louis-based company and the Maine-based TOURCO, the three other partners are Incredible Journeys of San Antonio, TX, Main Street Tours of Torrance, CA, and Pacific Northwest Tours of Seattle, WA.
The group plans to launch a Web site and attend group leader shows in the next few weeks.
Report by David Wilkening
David
Tony from Gatto’s Pizza on Columbus’s Unique Pizza Trail
Sophia Hyder Hock on Global Social Inclusion in Tourism
Sustainable Tourism: Don Welsh on Community Values and Global Collaboration
Jane Cunningham: Enhancing European Engagement in Tourism
Kristin Dunne: Navigating Destination Strategy
Revolutionizing Mobile Connectivity: Boris Bijlstra on HUBBY eSIM
Capturing Glasgow’s Vibrancy: An Interview with Susan Deighan, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life
Lebua Hotel & Resorts: Rajan Khurana on Hospitality and Bangkok’s Charms
Sustainable Tourism and Growth: Insights from Chiravadee Khunsub from Tourism Authority of Thailand
Revolutionizing Travel: SmartSIM USA’s Dale Takio Unveils the Power of E Sims
TravelMole Interview with Hishan Singhawansa, Deputy CEO of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, Sri Lanka
Unveiling the Essence of Magari Tours: A Dive into Authentic Italian Experiences
EU airports bring back 100ml liquid rule
CLIA: Anti-cruise demos could cause itinerary changes in Europe
Co-pilot faints, easyJet flight issues ‘red alert’
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Woman dies after getting ‘entangled’ in baggage carousel