Europe History Tours Focus on World Wars

History buffs and family roots travelers are among those heading to Europe in 2014 to remember the 20th century’s two world wars – and that spells opportunities for travel agents.

The four-year centenary of World War I, the Great War, begins next year. In addition, 2014 will see the 70th anniversary, on June 6, of D-Day, the Allies’ momentous World War II invasion of Europe along France’s Normandy beaches.

Tour operators large and small are offering comprehensive site tours and narratives at battlefields, museums and monument sites for those seeking in-depth experiences.

Others are combining trips to war sites with more general attractions, such as wineries and art galleries. European barge operators are among those who are taking the “history lite” approach by offering one or two war-study itinerary stops.

Different motivations
People visit battlefields, war museums, and monuments for different reasons, according to tour operators.

Many go to visit the resting place of a relative, while others are curious about the history they’ve encountered in movies or books. Standing in the places where wars occurred is a life-altering experience for some.

“We used to cater to veterans, but most of them are gone now, so it’s the families going,” said Vicky Middagh of Valor Tours.

“For 2014, we have a couple of tours about WWI and 22 itineraries for WWII,” she said. “What many people don’t know is that in 1944 there were also liberations in the Pacific islands that became launching pads for bombing raids over Japan.”

Potential clients
Middagh said clients for her firm’s history tours include college professors, high school teachers, authors doing research, and people who want to see where their relatives fought and sometimes died.

Another tour firm, Boston-based ACIS, works primarily with the student market. The company’s European War History tour for 2014 is booking 20% ahead of previous years.

“A majority of our group leaders are history teachers,” sais James Matthews, ACIS vice president of operations.

River cruises with a WWI angle
Barge Lady Cruises, a broker with a portfolio of about 50 vessels, mostly in France, is offering Champagne itineraries in 2014 that include WWI sites.

Company co-owner Caroline Sack Klein said itineraries also include other cultural attractions, such as wineries, basilicas, chateaux and villages.

“We have a WWI expert tour guide on one barge, and people will get some military history stops along with Michelin star dining, the famous Reims Cathedral and Champagne making houses,” she said.

An overwhelming experience
The National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City offers in-depth tours annually as part of its mission.

“We work with Battle Honors, an excellent operator out of the U.K., because they have access to locations others do not,” said vice president Patrick Raymond.

“Most people find it is an overwhelming experience to be at the sites, to see the topography, like the trenches where they fought,” said Raymond.

Clients may be published scholars or simply those interested in investigating a relative’s wartime experience, according to Raymond.