And it’s even been tried and tested by a lucky group of Past Contiki Travellers…

  Contiki, the leading social travel brand for 18-35s, has announced its first ever trip to the Philippines. The new Philippines Island Hopping trip will give travellers the incredible chance to explore the country’s most famous tourist hotspots, all in less than 2 weeks.   The trip has two versions: a 9-day that goes to Puerto Princesa, Port Barton and El Nido, and a longer 13-day trip - the Philippines Island Hopping Trip with Boat Expedition, that includes an additional sea safari adventure to the Coron Islands. Contiki makes the Philippines – which can be challenging for travellers to navigate – much easier to explore. Both trips include internal flights, boat transfers and all other transport – along with all accommodation and various meals too.   Each of the trips include unmissable island adventures, such as a boat ride through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Subterranean River National Park, an island-hopping day trip in Port Barton, a Jeepney ride to Nacpan Beach, and a unique Special Stay and MAKE TRAVEL MATTER ® experience at the Isla Experience in Daracoton Island – which directly contributes to the welfare of the locals. Travellers will also have a chance to visit a local’s house for an authentic locally-grown Filipino Meal.   In an industry-leading move, Contiki invited a group of past travellers for an exclusive first glance at the newly launched trip. After receiving well over 1,000 applications, Contiki selected a lucky group of past travellers to be the very first to experience the trip. Jetting off on an all-expenses-paid adventure, the group had the exclusive chance to try and test the trip before its first public departure.   “Visiting Darocorton Island was amazing. Other than that, snorkelling, swimming at the beautiful beaches, and also meeting the local people. They were very welcoming, which I always enjoyed”, says Laura Reid from Ireland   “My favourite experience from the trip was trying all the traditional foods from the different restaurants. And also visiting the local village. Especially Nanay and hearing her story about how she earns money for her family through this”, says Terri-Anne Mattadeen, a past traveller from the USA.   Christian was born in the Philippines and aimed to trace his roots back through this trip. This was the first time he was visiting the country since moving to Australia in his childhood.   “I had heard a lot about the culture of the Philippines. It’s very friendly, warm, and welcoming. And as soon as we stepped off the boat to the islands, we got that tenfold from all the locals. It's really nice to go back and just interact with everyone”, says Christian. “For me, the special stay at Darocorton Island was a highlight. I just really enjoyed being with the locals. Such beautiful sights. And the sunset was just perfect.”   " I am delighted to announce the launch of our new trip to the Philippines, a highly sought-after destination for travellers worldwide, especially among the Gen-Z demographic. This trip promises to fulfil the demand for an easy and enjoyable experience in the Philippines, featuring the best spots and something for everyone. With stunning beaches, exhilarating marine adventures, and rich cultural experiences, we're thrilled to offer an unforgettable journey that showcases the beauty and diversity of this remarkable destination." - Kelly Jackson Managing Director EMEA.

 

The group travel brand’s latest product launch includes new trips across Greece, Georgia and the Baltics, plus bespoke travel styles to suit every type of young traveller.

  Leading youth travel brand Contiki, part of TTC Tour Brands,  is giving travellers more choice than ever before with its latest product launch – with brand new destinations available, plus new Pride trips and limited edition age-restricted trips for those travellers who’d prefer to travel with more like-minded people.   Contiki’s newest trips include ‘Greek Explorer’ which covers the historic hotspots and geographical wonders of Athens, Meteora, Corfu and more, ‘Best of Georgia’ which is a cultural deep dive into one of Europe’s most exciting emerging destinations, and ‘Best of Baltics’, which visits the hidden gems of Eastern Europe, including Split and Budapest.   Contiki has also crafted some bespoke versions of their existing trips, designed to give travellers more choice for who they travel with. Next year, popular European trips including Croatia Island Sail and Greek Island Hopping will run variations exclusive to both 18-22s and 27-35s.   Reunion trips, made exclusively for past Contiki travellers and friends aged between 35 and 45, will run across Morocco, Italy and Spain.   For members of the LGBTQIA+ community, keen to travel with a group of fellow community members (and allies too), there are two brand-new Contiki Pride trips: Greek Island Hopping Pride and Croatia Island Sail Pride. Both are variations of existing Contiki trips, and will each feature their own private Pride celebration during the trip.   Popular trips ‘London to Athens’ and ‘London to Athens & Greek Island Hopping’ are now available as part of the ‘Plus’ range, which gives travellers the same Contiki experience, but with upgraded accommodation. They will stay in a minimum 3-star hotel, in a twin-share instead of a multi-share hostel dorm.   Elsewhere in the new offering for 2024 is the Vegan Food Europe Explorer – perfect for vegetarian & vegan travellers (or those who just like plant-based cooking) who want to discover Europe with a like-minded group.   “Every traveller is different, and this latest product launch is all about recognizing that,” says Natasha Lawrence, Commercial & Product Director at Contiki. “We’re known around the world for our multi-country European adventures, but there are many more ways to explore Europe with us – and our newest trips demonstrate this perfectly. There’s Greece which is hugely popular,  Georgia which is still a bit of an unknown and the Baltics which offer up thriving art, food and music scenes across cities like Tallinn and Riga.   “We want choice to be at the heart of everything we do. Of course every 18 to 35-year-old is welcome on all of our trips (and will have a fantastic time!) but we also know there are 19-year-olds and 33-year-olds who might want to travel with people their own age; there are people from the LGBTQIA+ community who might prefer to travel with a group of fellow community members; there are travellers who want to travel as a big group – but don’t necessarily want to share a room with five other people. We hope that, now more so than ever, everyone will find just what they’re looking for with Contiki.”

 

~Opportunity for agents to win a once-in-a lifetime Indian adventure~

  Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is introducing a new versatile 2024 Cruise Collection brochure with enhanced itineraries, alongside an exciting incentive for agents, with the chance to win a luxury 13-day spectacular journey in India and an eight-day European Christmas Market cruise for two.   The new 2024 Cruise Collection flip style brochure combines sophisticated European river cruises with unforgettable exotic bucket list journeys, including the enhanced* 18-day coast-to-coast showcase of India by land, rail and river, Cruise & Rail Sacred Ganges & Maharajas Express, in partnership with the Maharajas’ Express - India's most luxurious train. The brochure also includes a host of new extensions within the Spectacular Journeys collection, including Splendours of Egypt & The Nile with Sharm El Sheikh & The Red Sea, India’s Golden Triangle & the Sacred Ganges with Varanasi and Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong with Ha Long Bay.   The brochure is now available for agents and offers the option of two front covers which can be racked side-by-side, and allows agents to protect onward sales thanks to the exclusion of a Uniworld call to action.   In addition, as a thank you for the industry’s efforts in generating a bumper year of sales for the boutique river cruise company, UK agents now have the opportunity to win two unforgettable holidays as part of Uniworld’s new incentive, including a bucket-list Spectacular Journey to India for two. This incredible prize - the 13-day India’s Golden Triangle and Sacred Ganges - combines a seven-night cruise with a luxury tour of the Golden Triangle, including two visits to the Taj Mahal – one at sunset and one at sunrise.   Onboard the luxury Ganges Voyager II, sailing Kolkata to Kolkata over seven nights, guests will travel to a host of villages lining this beautiful river to engage with local people and customs, as well as have time to indulge in the wellness programme onboard, including the Serenity River Spa. Exploring the Golden Triangle, guests will stay in three luxury Oberoi hotels in Jaipur, New Delhi and Agra, exploring the cities’ wonders, from incredible palaces, to trishaw rides through Bengali streets and walking tours of four UNESCO World Heritage sites.   “At Uniworld, we are always trying to go the extra mile to ensure our valued trade partners have the best possible assets that offer their clients choice and inspiration when looking for a luxury holiday,” said Chris Townson, UK Managing Director at Uniworld Boutique River Cruises. “Big, immersive and luxury bucket list adventures, including land extensions, are still very much in demand from our customer base, and the new 2024 brochure really reflects that, but also the eye-catching design gives agents the versatility to sell our long-haul journeys and sophisticated European itineraries with a simple flip, and display our breadth of product more effectively.”   “As a huge thank you to our hard-working agent partners for helping us to achieve a bumper year of sales, we are excited to launch one our biggest incentives yet, with a host of incredible holiday prizes for the deserving winners, including our iconic top selling Indian Sacred Ganges itinerary and the chance to experience a magical European Christmas Market river cruise.“   For a chance to win these holidays and more, agents will need to earn points on Uniworld bookings (valid on bookings made between 1 August – 31^st October 2023), with more points available for higher cabins, long-haul bookings and 2023 departures. The agent with the most points on the closing date of 31 October 2023 will win the top prize, with the second prize being an 8-day Christmas Market cruise for two  (choose from a selection of December 2023 departures throughout Europe), with more prizes beyond. All prizes exclude flights. For more information, see Head of Sales Angela Sloan talk through the incentive here: INCENTIVE VIDEO. Agents can contact their Uniworld Key Account Manager for more information. For more information on Uniworld Boutique River Cruises visit www.uniworld.com

 

The first global tour operator to have verified net zero targets

  The Travel Corporation (TTC), a family of 40 award-winning travel brands, has become the first global tour operator to introduce verified net zero targets validated by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). The company has also introduced an industry leading internal carbon fund to achieve net zero.   In a major reset to its Climate Action Plan, TTC has accelerated its original climate action commitments:  

• The organisation has received validation on net zero targets by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi); making TTC the first tour operator to do so in accordance with the 2021 Net Zero Standard*
• The group’s approach prioritises reductions and eliminates the use of offsets
• TTC has established an internal carbon fund to invest in its net zero transition
• Their not-for-profit foundation, TreadRight, will move to prioritise nature-based solutions, in support of its three pillars of Planet, People and Wildlife

  *Targets will be updated on the SBTi website in the coming weeks   ““As a global industry leader, we appreciate the support of our travel industry partners as we take collective action to fight climate change. Our focus is to identify a way forward that marries what the science is telling us with solutions to enable our decarbonisation. We need to reduce our emissions and the surest way to do that is through direct investments into our business and our operations,’ says Shannon Guihan, The Travel Corporation’s Chief Sustainability Officer & Head of TreadRight. ‘The Carbon Fund, in concert with our TreadRight Foundation, enable us to invest in decarbonisation in two ways: by utilizing the Carbon Fund to reduce the emissions we produce, and by prioritising financial support for nature-based solutions through TreadRight,’ she added.   TTC Climate Action Plan Evolution – from carbon neutral to net zero   In 2020, The Travel Corporation which includes brands such as Trafalgar, Contiki, Red Carnation Hotels and Uniworld, launched its sustainability strategy, How We Tread Right (HWTR), setting a goal to be carbon neutral by 2030. TTC’s climate goals have been backed by a five-point Climate Action Plan to measure, reduce, remove, offset and evolve. In 2021, a number of TTC brands including Contiki and the Radical Travel Group, consisting of Haggis Adventures and Highland Explorer Tours - announced that all trips would be carbon neutral, beginning in 2022.   Science Based Targets   A critical commitment of TTC’s Climate Action Plan is to evolve with climate science, available technology and business practices. In the time since the organisation announced plans to become carbon neutral, its singular focus has been on decarbonisation, appreciating that emitting less carbon into the atmosphere is the most effective means to address climate change. As such, TTC is announcing a reset of its Climate Action Plan, setting ambitious reduction targets and a Carbon Fund to invest in achieving net zero by 2050, replacing its goal to be carbon neutral by 2030.   TTC has set the following carbon reduction targets:   Net Zero Target  

• Reach net zero GHG emissions across the value chain by 2050 from a 2019 baseline year

  Short Term Target  

• Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 46.2% by 2030 from a 2019 base year*
• Reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services, business travel, and use of sold products 27.5% within the same timeframe

  Long Term Target  

• Reduce absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions 90% by 2050 from a 2019 base year*

  *The target boundary includes land-related emissions and removals from bioenergy feedstocks   “Climate science tells us that we need rapid and deep emissions cuts if we are to achieve global net-zero and prevent the most damaging effects of climate change,” said Luiz Amaral, Chief Executive Officer of the Science Based Targets initiative. “The Travel Corporation's net-zero targets match the urgency of the climate crisis and set a clear example that their peers must follow.”   How this will be achieved - Internal Carbon Fund and Nature-Based Solutions   Today, TTC’s Climate Action Plan has been reset to four points; Measure, Reduce, Restore and Evolve; replacing both ‘remove’ and ‘offset’ with ‘restore’. For its part, TTC’s TreadRight Foundation will shift to prioritise nature-based carbon removal solutions that restore the planet, in an effort to address climate change as well as the rapid loss of biodiversity.   In addition, TTC is also announcing the development of an internal Carbon Fund. This fund will be generated through revenue from TTC brands that will be used solely for initiatives that contribute to TTC’s net zero journey.   To achieve TTC’s science-based targets, TTC’s decarbonisation plan identifies five key areas of focus for the business’s carbon reduction efforts.    

• Reduce energy use and transition to low-carbon technology at Red Carnation Hotels
• Generate and utilise renewable energy across all offices and facilities
• Reduce fuel emissions from Uniworld ships
• Secure zero emission vehicles for TTC’s Tour Brands
• Reduce the carbon footprint of trips in collaboration with the supply chain and destinations

  TTC will publicly report on its Carbon Fund, alongside its progress against its science-based targets in future annual impact reports, its next report due in the first half of 2023 on 2022 progress. Please read TTC’s 2021 Impact Report to learn more.   For more information see:  http://www.treadright.org/ https://impact.ttc.com/

Tour operator group The Travel Corporation (TTC) announced a global reorganisation of its tour brands including Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold, Costsaver and Contiki under a new division, TTC Tour Brands. The entity will serve as a single source for sales, marketing and operations of the individual brands. TTC Tour Brands will be led by Gavin Tollman, who becomes CEO of the newly created division along with veteran TTC executives Ulla Hefel Bohler, who steps into the role of Chief Operating Officer, Dee Marrocco as Chief Marketing Officer and Duncan Robertson as Chief Digital Officer. Adam Armstrong remains CEO of Contiki. Laddering up to these executives will be heads of five aligned global sales and marketing regions in UK & Europe, Oceania, North America, Asia and South Africa. According to Tollman, TTC Tour Brands was designed to make it easier for travel agency partners to do business with the individual tour brands at a moment when touring and expert guidance have become increasingly important to travellers. “The expertise and confidence of a touring holiday has never been more relevant, and we saw a unique opportunity to leverage this moment to bring together our diverse brands under a singular marketing, sales and operational structure,” said Tollman. Our efforts to make it even easier for agents extend beyond our team reorganisation. In June we are also launching a single sign on agent booking portal, where agent partners can look and book all TTC tour brands in one place..” Currently Sales & Marketing Director for Contiki, Costsaver and Trafalgar, Donna Jeavons will additionally take responsibility for Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold, leading the TTC Tour Brands across UK, Ireland and continental Europe. Chris Townson will continue in his role as Managing Director for Uniworld Boutique River Cruises with the expanded remit of European markets, as it enters its fully operational 2022 European season on 20 March. “I’m thrilled to lead the newly formed combined TTC Tour Brands team and am pleased we will be able to further support travel agents to match the right tour brand to the right client, ”said Jeavons.

Australasia specialist AAT Kings is prepping for the travel rebound to Australia and New Zealand with the launch of new campaign 'Wild Awaits.' AAT Kings' new direction leans into the natural wilderness and spirited adventure of a holiday with AAT Kings. Developed by award-winning, full-service creative agency Thinkerbell, 'Wild Awaits' focuses on the places, stories and tastes of Australia and New Zealand. It showcases the landscapes food and drink, stories from local people and unexpected experiences on offer. Thinkerbell worked alongside AAT Kings' in-house marketing, web and design team to bring the new brand positioning to life via creative assets, brand identity, and content. The 'Wild Awaits' campaign will launch in consumer-facing owned media, display, social, and BVOD. Margot Windenburg, Senior Sales Manager, North America, for AAT Kings, said, "Wild Awaits brings to life AAT Kings' 100+ year history  uncovering these places, stories and moments so our guests can pursue their spirit of adventure. This is not just a comms strategy, but a philosophy embodied in our people and local partners."

Luxury safari specialist African Travel will require all travelers to be fully vaccinated on their small group safaris in 2022. African Travel, Inc. is the first U.S. safari outfitter exclusively focused on Africa to require Covid vaccinations. Starting January 1, 2022, guests traveling in non-family groups of 10+ and on African Travel's set group departures will need to provide proof of an approved Covid-19 vaccination before joining their safari and upon arrival to their destination. Guests will also need to comply with specific PCR testing requirements imposed by airlines and/or governments. "This decision ensures our commitment to our guests that their well-being is our top priority," said Sherwin Banda, president of African Travel, Inc. "It is essential that we take personal responsibility to help protect each other, and the places we visit." African Travel's safari vacation packages on set group departures to Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania and Southern Africa average no more than 12 guests. Each of African Travel's journeys are tailor-made and clients can add additional experiences based on interests. "Guests can feel safe knowing that when they join a set departure or group hosted by their advisor, they are traveling with others who are vaccinated," said Banda. "

The Travel Corporation (TTC) is opening up its extensive Destination Management Company (DMC) portfolio to other travel companies for white label opportunities. TTC has 12 DMCs offering local experiences, corporate travel and ancillary services across Africa, Europe, the Americas and the South Pacific, and already operates as ground handler for a number of international travel brands. To tap this growing space, TTC has launched a new website at https://dmc.ttc.com/ It offers marketing assets and training Overseeing TTC's DMC project is Gavin Tollman, President, TTC, who said: "During the uncertainty of the pandemic, we spoke to a number of our partners who were looking for an operational solution to deliver on the ground in a new post-pandemic world." "They were excited when they realized we could provide that solution across multiple destinations worldwide, affording them deeper access to the expertise and service for which our brands are well recognized." TTC's solutions cover escorted travel, river cruising and day tours, as well as bespoke features including custom groups, yachts and small ship cruising, safari operations, meetings and events, and specialist trips such as culinary or active. As well as offering the DMC program in English-speaking markets, it will also offer guided custom group trips in a number of languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Turkish, Spanish, German and Italian. Part of TTC's message to prospective partners is to reiterate its financial stability after 101 years of operations. TTC's DMC brands include AAT Kings in Australia and New Zealand, Siva Travel in Greece and the Greek islands, and Brendan Vacations in Ireland and Scotland. It has operations all across Europe, UK and the Eastern Mediterranean from Albania to the Ukraine, Destination America in the USA, Canada and Latin America, and a number of Africa specialists such as Cullinan, Thompsons and Grosvenor Tours.

The Travel Corporation (TTC) and its family of brands announced a five-step Climate Action Plan with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. TTC and its TreadRight Foundation are investing in two nature-based carbon removal solutions, Project Vesta and GreenWave. TreadRight has also launched a new Impact Hub in an effort to be transparent about the  progress made at TTC towards the groups' 11 sustainability goals, while also providing tips to travellers on how they can help. The Travel Corporation's Climate Action Plan addresses the first two goals of its five-year sustainability strategy. Respectively, the goals commit to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and to sourcing 50% of electricity from renewable sources across the organisation by 2025. This includes TTC's 20+ offices, 18 Red Carnation Hotels, 13 Uniworld ships, six accommodations/facilities, 500+ vehicles and more than 1,500 itineraries operated worldwide. The company's Climate Action Plan progress made to-date includes the installation of solar panels in 2020 at the Uniworld head office in Encino, California. "There is much debate as to the right approach when it comes to decarbonising travel and tourism, and our position is that this must be a process that begins now and commits to evolving as the solutions continue to improve," said Brett Tollman, Chief Executive of The Travel Corporation. TTC says it has committed to carbon neutral offices and business travel beginning 1 January 2022, through its partnership with offset provider South Pole. On the same timeline, Contiki will move ahead to become a completely carbon neutral business.