Citalia, Sovereign Luxury Travel & American Holidays, the three leading tour operator brands within the Travelopia Tailormade stable, have detailed a marked increase in repeat booking trends for both Summer Lates and Winter Sun booking periods. A trend which could support agent trade partners during the current busy peak booking season, to work with existing clients to either drive new sales or extend current bookings for the months ahead.   Some of the key repeat booking trends identified include:   Summer 2024 Across Citalia, Sovereign Luxury Travel and American Holidays for summer 2024, repeat bookings are up as much as 40%.  

• Looking more specifically by brand and destination, Citalia has seen a marked increase in demand in Italy for The Lakes YOY. Alongside the Lakes, Sicily is also proving popular for summer 2024 driven by demand for Taormina and Cefalu.
• For Sovereign Luxury Travel, across the portfolio there is a shift towards extended shorter breaks as guests opt for more a luxurious experience for a shorter period rather than the longer seven, ten and 14-night stays and Spain is leading the way in terms of bookings and enquiries. Its accessibility from the UK makes shorter breaks possible and popular.
• Across the Atlantic for American Holidays for summer 2024 a cross-section of destinations are proving popular. The Deep South, New England and West Coast make up nearly a quarter of repeater summer bookings, with New England in particular seeing a 50% increase YoY.

  Winter Sun 2024-2025 The volume of repeat bookers has increased share of winter sun bookings by a quarter, from 50% in 2023-2024 to currently 75% in 2024-2025.  

• Within Sovereign Luxury Travel, nearly half (42%) of all winter sun bookings are from repeat bookings. The most popular destination is Tenerife, making up a quarter of all repeat bookings. Over half (54%) of repeat winter bookings are for departures in February and the average length of trip for a repeat booking is 9.75 nights, demonstrating guests are prepared to invest in guaranteed sunshine away from the colder months at home
• For Citalia a quarter of all winter sun bookings are from repeat bookings, with the Italian cities proving the most popular across Venice, followed by Rome and Florence. Over half (54%) of repeat winter bookings are for departures in November, however the average length of stay is shorter compared to Sovereign Luxury Travel: 5.3 nights which is perhaps to be expected given the cities are the more popular destinations, more suited to long weekend breaks.
• Across North America American Holidays has reported a fifth of all winter sun bookings are from repeat bookings. Across the winter months, Florida is the most popular destination for November departures, followed by New York, cruise holidays and rest of the USA for December. A fifth of repeat winter bookings are for departures in December, with the average trip duration of a repeat booking being 11.6 nights.

  Erin Johnson, Marketing Director for Citalia, Sovereign and American Holidays, comments:   “Reassuringly there is still a strong commitment to holiday spend. However, guests are keen to ensure they are taking valuable time out to destinations and with agents and operators they know and trust.  This is good news for us as tour operators and for agents, as well as across the wider supply chain, as it means there is already a captive market to engage with who know and appreciate a particular destination or hotel and are keen to revisit. Looking further ahead to 2025, beyond the winter months we are also already seeing a significant proportion of bookings as repeat for those guests keen to plan ahead as well as secure holidays for the winter sun season.”

Italy holiday specialist Citalia has launched its Destination Guide for 2024. It is a new take on the more traditional style brochure. Curated by Citalia’s team of specialists, the Guide offers a host of personal suggestions and top tips that agents can use as inspiration when booking Italy holidays. The Destination Guide is divided into five broader themes within Italy, namely Coasts, Islands, Lakes, Countryside, and Cities. Each section highlights the best places to stay, dine and explore. The Italian villas and hotels are handpicked, and tried and tested by the Citalia team. There are also many multi-destination holiday options. Erin Johnson, Marketing Director at Citalia said “We are continually seeing interest in our multi-destination holidays grow, and we expect this pattern to continue well into 2024.” “Holidays which offer the variety of experiences are a popular choice to get the most out of an Italy holiday.” “Our expert team are able to tailor the experience perfectly to support agents.” The 2024 guide also explores the many different ways to travel across Italy, with recommendations for those seeking an extensive road trip or with a rail tour. The new Destination Guide follows the recent launch of three new escorted tours by Citalia for 2024 across its Escorted Tours Programme. These include tours of the Villas and Gardens of Lake Como and Lake Maggiore, Gatronomic Highlights of Emilia Romagna, and Walking Tour of the Amalfi Coast.

  Ahead of the upcoming peaks season and following increase in demand from guests keen to make the most of their time in Italy and immerse themselves in its culture and cuisine, the leading Italian specialist Citalia has announced a new series of offers across its exclusive Escorted Tours programme for 2024.   Each Escorted Tour allows a maximum of just 18 guests and offers a more personal, authentic opportunity to experience some of Italy’s celebrated highlights on a break away. Each one is hosted by an expert guide full of knowledge and insights to ensure guests have the opportunity to learn more about Italy’s history, architecture, culture and food all while experiencing it first-hand. The new series of offers follows a 25% increase in demand for Citalia’s Escorted Tours from guests throughout 2023. As a result it has expanded its Escorted Tours itineraries for 2024.   The Escorted Tour series and offers are available now for agents to book and include:   Authentic Puglia Small Group Escorted Tour   This trip throughout the region of Puglia takes in olive oil tasting in Ostuni, baroque architecture in Lecce and the opportunity to make Puglia’s own pasta, orecchiette, as well as explore the caves of Castellana.   SAVE up to £200 on tours departing on 15 May 2024 and 12 June 2024, priced from £2,149 per person. Price includes return flights from London or Manchester, seven nights accommodation, breakfast and dinner daily, one lunch, selected excursions and private tour guide. Tours also depart 11 and 25 September 2024 – price may vary for these dates.   Gastronomic Highlights of Emilia Romagna   A tour of one of Italy’s most celebrated foodie regions, taking in some of its most charming towns and food producers across Bologna, Parma and Modena. Guests have the opportunity to sample Parma ham, balsamic vinegar and learn about the art Parmigiano Reggiano.   SAVE up to £250 on tours departing on 03 June and 02 September 2024, priced from £2,125 per person. Price includes return flights from London, five nights accommodation in Bologna, breakfast daily, three dinners, selected excursions and private tour guide.    Jewels of Southern Italy   Experience the highlights of Southern Italy on a journey back to Greek and Roman times through the historic city of Naples, Pompeii’s Roman ruins and Paestum’s Greek temples before arriving in the breathtaking Amalfi Coast.   SAVE up to £150 on the tour departing 15 June 2024, priced from £2,399 per person. Price includes return flights from the UK, 7 nights accommodation, breakfast daily, three lunches, three dinners, selected excursions and private tour guide. Tour also departs 31 August 2024 – price may vary for this date.    Sorrento and the Bay of Naples   The ideal way to experience some of Italy’s most celebrated scenery with a tour through the bustling city of Sorrento in the heart of the Bay of Naples. Venture along the Amalfi Coast to Capri and Pompeii to take in Mount Vesuvius before indulging in some of Italy’s finest gelato and limoncello, the perfect way to end a day of sight-seeing.   SAVE up to £150 on the tour departing 03 May 2024, priced from £1,875 per person. Price includes return flights from the UK, 7 nights accommodation and breakfast daily, selected excursions and private tour guide. Tour also departs 27 September 2024 – price may vary for this date.    Treasures of Sicily   Sicily is home to Europe’s largest active volcano as well as beautiful beaches, bustling market towns, vineyards, Baroque architecture and ancient Greek ruins. This tour offers the opportunity to experience it all whilst sampling some of the finest Sicilian produce along the way.   SAVE up to £100 on the tour departing 05 June 2024, priced from £2,299 per person. Price includes return flights from the UK, 7 nights accommodation, breakfast and dinner daily, selected excursions and private tour guide. Tour also departs 15 May, 11 September and 25 September 2024 – price may vary for these dates.