20025/26 programme launches with introductory savings of up to £2,100 per person, and a new Kolkata & Lower Ganges Cruise

  APT & Travelmarvel has launched its 2025/26 Asia Collection, featuring escorted tours, new Small Group Journeys, and river cruises in Vietnam & Cambodia, India, Japan, and Sri Lanka.   The long-haul programme is brought to market with a special introductory offer*, allowing agents to save their clients as much as £2,100 per person on bookings made before 28 February 2025:  

• New Small Group Journeys to India, Japan and Sri Lanka: save up to £500pp, plus home-to-airport transfers included up to a 50-mile radius
• APT Vietnam & Cambodia river cruise and tour, aboard the all-suite Mekong Serenity: save up to £2,100pp
• Travelmarvel Vietnam & Cambodia cruise and tour, aboard the five-star RV Apsara: save up to £1,600pp
• APT’s new India tour and cruise itinerary (detailed below): save up to £400pp

  The Asia programme expands into the lesser-explored parts of India for the first time, with the addition of APT’s luxurious, 12-day Kolkata and Lower Ganges Cruise. Guests will enjoy three nights in Kolkata, India’s “City of Joy”, where the new trip begins and ends, and a seven-night cruise aboard the Ganges Voyager^, exploring the exciting destinations Bandel, Matiari, Khushbagh, Murshidabad, and Chandannagar.   Highlights of this land and cruise tour include a beautiful high tea, served at Kolkata’s Glenburn Penthouse, as a fascinating local resident provides unique perspectives on the city; a guided cyclo-rickshaw tour of Kalna, taking in Bengal's distinctive terracotta temples; experiencing the rural side of Indian life in the sleepy village of Baranagar; and learning about the culture of the Hari Krishna community from some of the movement’s dedicated followers in Mayapur. Onboard, a performance by Baul musicians showcases the spiritual customs that have been an important cultural contribution to Bengal for hundreds of years.   The trip starts from £5,795 per person, with departures in March, September and November 2025, as well as March 2026.   The Asia Collection also includes APT’s newest touring style, Small Group Journeys. With a maximum of 16 guests on each departure, the itineraries give access to lesser-known parts of India, Japan, and Sri Lanka, with experiences that have been carefully created to evoke all the senses.   Smell and taste take centre stage on the 15-day Southern India – Quest of the Southern Senses journey (from £3,195pp), which includes a dive into ‘Pondi’ culinary history on a chef-led market visit to select the fresh local produce to be used in a Creole cooking class; and using touch, guests will enjoy getting hands-on with a sushi-making class in Kyoto, and learning the art of calligraphy at a shodo lesson in Nara, on the 13-day Reveal the Traditions of Japan journey (from £5,995pp). The prices include savings of up to £500pp and free home-to-airport transfers.   Return flights from the UK, enriching sightseeing, stylish accommodations, delectable cuisine, the services of expert Tour & Cruise Directors and Local Guides, plus overseas transfers, porterage, port charges and tipping are included in each package, ensuring a seamless and stress-free holiday experience. Guests travelling with APT enjoy the convenience of included home-to-airport transfers, both ways.   Brad Bennetts, Head of Sales & Business Development for APT & Travelmarvel, said: “We are very proud to bring our 2025/26 Asia Collection to market, comprising our inaugural season of Small Group Journeys, and a brand-new Indian itinerary that allows guests to access Kolkata and sail the lesser-known lower regions of the Ganges for the first time. Agents and their clients have access to some outstanding early booking discounts with our introductory savings of up to £2,100 per person, and we have a full suite of sales and marketing assets available to our trade partners to help them capitalise on this critical ‘Peaks’ booking period.”   For more information visit www.aptouring.com, and the new Asia Collection brochure can be viewed in full here.

 

Save up to 40% off industry-leading cruises and tours, including exciting new 2025 product and travel styles

  To help the trade capitalise on sales during Peaks, APT & Travelmarvel has launched its 2024/25 Worldwide New Year Sale, offering the following savings on its market-leading trips and exciting new product offerings, when booked before 28 February 2025*:  

• Up to 40% off its relaxing River Cruises in Europe and Asia
• Up to 30% off Small Ship Cruises
• Up to £500pp off new Small Group Journeys, plus free home-to-airport transfers
• Up to £600pp off fully inclusive Escorted Tours

  The New Year Sale offers guests the opportunity to experience APT & Travelmarvel’s exciting new products for less. These include stunning fleet enhancements, such as APT’s new, architect-designed Ostara and Solara, which will elevate ultra-luxury cruising in central Europe in 2025; and Travelmarvel's MS Estrela which offers an elegant base for the gastronomic cruise through Portugal’s Douro Valley.   Also included are the brand’s new Small Group Journeys for up to 16 guests in South Africa, Sri Lanka, Japan and India – six new itineraries that have been designed to stimulate the senses, deepening guests’ understanding of each destination by evoking the unique tastes, smells, textures, sights, and sounds that define them.   Savings also apply to Travelmarvel’s new Small Ship Cruises, with 10 sailings that explore the hidden gems of Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands and Istanbul, aboard the all-suite MS Caledonian Sky.   Worldwide New Year Sale savings include:  

• New Cruise for 2025: Travelmarvel’s eight-day Highlights of the Danube river cruise from Munich to Budapest (and reverse) costs from £1,695 per person (was £2,495, saving £800). The cruise includes return flights; seven nights of accommodation on a five-star rated Travelmarvel Contemporary River Ship; sightseeing, 20 meals and soft drinks, beer and local wine during lunch and dinner onboard^. Guests will also get to enjoy Travelmarvel’s new entertainment and wellness programme, bringing ‘ocean-style’ activities to a river cruise audience for the first time.

• New Ship: Travelmarvel’s eight-day Douro Discovery river cruise, Porto return, costs from £2,495 per person (was £3,295, saving £800). Return flights, seven nights of accommodation aboard the new MS Estrela, 20 meals and soft drinks, beer and local wine during lunch and dinner onboard^. Highlights include dining at a local quinta, a traditional Portuguese winery, and learning all about the growing traditions behind the amazing fortified-wine production that makes port such a source of pride to the nation. They will also experience the fiery art of Flamenco with a special performance and explore the stunning baroque architecture that defines the region.

• New Ultra-Luxury Ships: APT’s luxury, 15-day Magnificent Europe river cruise, Budapest to Amsterdam (and reverse), costs from £4,795 per person (was £5,795, saving £1,000). Home-to-airport transfers, return flights, 14-nights of accommodation aboard one of APT’s new, ultra-luxury river ships, Ostara or Solara, 41 meals and onboard beverages are included in the price^. Highlights include a private cocktail reception and recital at Namedy Castle, a private performance at the Lichenstein’s City Palace in the heart of Vienna, and a lunch accompanied by music from the classic film, The Sound of Music, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025.

• New Small Group Journeys: Travelmarvel’s 13-day Sensory Marvels of Rajasthan Small Group Journey, Delhi return, costs from £2,995 per person (was £3,495, saving £500), plus free home-to-airport transfers. The journey includes accommodation, sightseeing and 25 meals^. Highlights include a ‘Pink City Rickshaw Co.’ tour of Jaipur, an environmentally friendly e-rickshaw tour of the city as part of a project that is creating sustainable livelihoods and economic independence for 200 local women; a local immersion in Jaipur on a visit to a local family’s home, where you can share a meal in traditional Indian dress; and a romantic evening boat cruise in Udaipur.

• Yacht Cruising: Travelmarvel’s eight-day Adriatic Coastal Cruise from Dubrovnik to Zagreb (and reverse) costs from £2,195 per person (was £3,195, saving £1,000). With a maximum of 36 guests aboard, the cruise includes return flights, seven nights of onboard accommodation aboard the Princess Eleganza, 17 meals plus soft drinks, beer and local wine during onboard lunches and dinners, sightseeing, and plenty of time for independent exploration^. Highlights include discovering the medieval Old Town of Dubrovnik, the untouched island of Vis, the natural beauty of Krka National Park and its waterfalls, and diving straight into the pristine waters of the Adriatic from the yacht’s very own swim platform.

•  All-Suite Luxury Sailing in Asia: APT’s luxury, 15-day Vietnam & Cambodia Highlights river cruise, Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City (and reverse), costs from £4,995 per person (was £6,345, saving £1,350). Home-to-airport transfers, return flights, 14-nights of accommodation aboard APT's all-suite Mekong Serenity river ship, 41 meals, and onboard beverages are included in the price^. Highlights include witnessing sunrise at Angkor Wat, being welcomed backstage at Phare Circus to meet the performers, and visiting Opportunities of Development through Art, a OneTomorrow partner which provides free English education and an introduction to computer skills to children living in Siem Reap’s remote villages, with the aim of improving their future employment opportunities.

  Brad Bennetts, APT & Travelmarvel Head of Sales & Business Development, said: “We are delighted to unveil this year’s Peaks Season campaign, our Worldwide New Year Sale. Offering the trade savings of up to 40% across our market-leading programme of river, yacht and Small Ship Cruises, and our new Small Group Journeys and fully inclusive Escorted Touring, the trade is set for success during this key booking period.”

  As it approaches its centenary, APT continues to innovate its touring product with the launch of a brand-new Small Group Journeys travel style.   Designed by the operator’s specialist tours division, led by product expert, Laura Hughes, who joined APT as its first dedicated Touring Product Manager in December 2023, this collection of itineraries will offer groups of up to 16 guests a deeper immersion into the culture, food and local experiences in some of the world’s most exciting destinations.   Initially, APT is launching Small Group Journeys with three distinct itineraries in India. Operating between October 2024 and December 2025, the new trips will showcase India’s most incredible sights in comfort and style.   Guests can watch the sunrise over the Taj Mahal, hand select ingredients for a cooking lesson on a chef-led tour of spice-scented markets, and search for tigers in Ranthambore National Park. Adventurous experiences are complemented by local dining experiences; luxurious, boutique and unique accommodations; and free time to explore.   APT’S INAUGURAL SMALL GROUP JOURNEYS:   The 15-day Southern India – Quest of the Senses itinerary, from Chennai to Kochi, costs from £3,995 per person and includes accommodation, transport, 27 meals, sightseeing and expert local guides. Highlights include a dive into ‘Pondi’ culinary history with a chef-led market visit where guests will select fresh local produce to prepare in a Creole cooking class, an Ayurvedic massage in Kumarakom, and cruising Kerala’s beautiful backwaters on a traditional houseboat.   The 16-day Northern India - West to East Odyssey itinerary, Delhi return, costs from £4,495 per person, and includes accommodation, transport, 23 meals, sightseeing and expert local guides. Highlights include crafting a personalised fragrance in Delhi, enjoying homemade food in a local family’s home in Jaipur, the atmospheric changing of the guards at the Wagah border between India and Pakistan, and the sights and sounds of an Aarti from the banks of the Ganges.   The 14-day Northern India - Sensory Marvels of Rajasthan itinerary, Delhi return, costs from £3,995 per person, and includes accommodation, transport, 24 meals, sightseeing and expert local guides. Highlights include a ‘Pink City Rickshaw Co.’ tour of Jaipur, an environmentally friendly e-rickshaw tour of the city as part of a project that is creating sustainable livelihoods and economic independence for 200 local women; a local immersion in Jaipur on a visit to a local family’s home, where you can share a meal in traditional Indian dress; and a romantic evening boat cruise in Udaipur.   Laura Hughes, APT’s Touring Product Manager, said:   “Unveiling the first itineraries from our new collection of Small Group Journeys is the proud culmination of months of work to bring APT’s exciting new travel style to market. Complementing the investment that our owners are making to elevate our river cruises, we’re delighted to reveal that touring is getting the same treatment. Almost a century ago, APT was founded on the quality of its guided holidays. For nine decades the brand has remained a global leader in touring by balancing product innovations with a consistent, gold-standard level of service. We continue this legacy with the launch of our Small Group Journeys, keeping APT’s touring product as fresh and appealing as it was 100-years ago.”   For more information please visit www.aptouring.co.uk.   Agents can access more information from the APT Agent Club at www.APTAgentClub.co.uk.