“Slow travel” is getting more popular, according to surveys from the US Tour Operators Association.
The trend is a stepchild of slow food.
“People want to slow down and have a relaxing vacation, but they still want an experience. Our guests are seeing that train travel offers a way to do both,” said Tertius Serfontein, Director of Reservations for Rocky Mountaineer Vacations (RMV). He adds:
“Guests want scenery that will inspire them. They want to be off the beaten track, where only a train can take them, and they want a chance to get off and explore it for themselves.”
Rocky Mountaineer is among tour operators combining elements of slow travel with soft adventure. Its train goes through glacier-fed lakes, towering canyons, lush ranchlands and the Canadian Rockies in Western Canada.
RMV is a luxury train company that offers vacation packages complete with adventure and relaxation. Reservation agents and train staff are seeing an increase in guests looking for a vacation where the journey is the destination, with a little off-the-beaten path excitement thrown into the mix, according to Mr Serfontein.
He defines slow travel as an “easier, simpler and slower way of travel” and includes rail and cruise travel, as well as villa stays.
RMV offers a variety of packages that allow travelers to enjoy the spectacular scenery à la window seat, or to pair it with a wilderness adventure. The key is that the rail packages can be customized, allowing travelers the freedom to choose their own level of adventure – slow or fast, says Mr Serfontein.
Options include the eight-day Rockies, Whales and Bears tour with its Pacific Coast scenery and a chance to visit a natural hot spring and search for black bears and whales.
Report by David Wilkening
