Insight Vacations ‘Bullish’ on Europe, Luxury Demand

Insight Vacations Expands in Europe, North America for 2013
Insight Vacations has added eight new tours along with three new Gold itineraries to its 2013 collection. New to Insight’s premium offerings are the nine-day Highlights of Portugal tour and the 14-day Treasure of Greece and the Islands journey.
 
“Greece is going to come back strong in 2013,” Marc Kazlauskas, president of Insight, told Travel Market Report.  “We’re increasing our product line across Europe. We’re bullish.”

According to Kazlauskas, Insight has faced challenges this year in selling trips to Italy, Greece and the United Kingdom. “We saw great sales this year for the USA and Canada, however,” said Kazlauskas. “We’re up almost 26% in North America this year.”

Insight has moved to double-down on its luxury offerings in North America to capitalize on demand.

They added a new luxury Boston, Cape Cod & The Islands tour to its 2013 program. The nine-day trip, priced from $3,095 per person, land only, double occupancy, lets guests follow Boston’s Freedom Trail, visit whaling city New Bedford and explore the island of Nantucket. Insight has also upgraded its Capitals of Eastern Canada tour to a Gold Luxury Tour.

“Luxury has fared much better than every other segment,” said Kazlauskas. “We’re already seeing big demand for 2013.”

Kazlauskas also encouraged agents to place their bookings as soon as possible, since he has seen booking windows dwindle heading into the fall of 2012.

“We have people calling and just asking what’s available,” Kazlauskas said. “We’re still taking in many bookings for 2012.”

Globus Announces New Destinations in Africa . . .
Globus released more information on its five Small Group Discovery tours, starting at less than $3,300, in addition to information on 10 new destinations on seven itineraries. Experiences include visiting a Maasai village, taking a Cape Malay cooking class and watching a clan of wild meerkats play. New for 2013 is the 13-day Exploring South Africa package, along with the 11-day Essence of Namibia and 9-day Classic Kenya Flying Safari.

. . . And Launches Free App
Globus released its free “Passport to Travel” app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad devices. The app lets travelers stamp top destinations for behind-the-scenes stories, listen to audio about popular sites and receive travel deals from Globus.

Tauck Lets Guests Walk With Lions
On Tauck’s new Botswana, South Africa & Zambia safari set for 2013, the tour will include a walk among a pride of juvenile lions at a lion research center near Livingstone, Zambia. Guests on the small group adventure will also explore a meerkat colony on Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pan and take a private steam train journey through Zambia’s Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. The 12-day journey is priced from $8,890 per person, double-occupancy, plus international and on-tour air.

Travcoa Goes ‘Over the Top’
Travcoa announced its newest collection, Over the Top Escorted Journeys. The collection’s six journeys include the 14-day Italy’s Heart and Soul, priced from $15,290, the 10-day Mystical Israel, priced from $6,495, and the 19-day Ultimate Australia & New Zealand journey, priced from $22,995.

Trafalgar Launches Gastronomic Programs, Early Booking Discounts
New for 2013, Trafalgar will launch its Taste of North America program which includes four gastronomic itineraries across North America. Travelers can save between 5-10% on their trips when they book and pay in full at least six months in advance. Trafalgar is also offering up to $1,500 in savings per couple on any 2013 First Class itineraries booked and paid in full before Dec. 27, 2012.

Cox & Kings Heads to North Korea, Nicaragua
New for 2013, Cox & Kings will launch a 14-day North Korea Explorer journey that includes tours of the isolated nation’s palaces and historical sites. Also new is the nine-day Complete Nicaragua journey that takes guests to lesser known destinations such as the volcanic lagoons of Lake Nicaragua.

CIE Tours Promotes Jim Kelly
CIE International Tours has appointed Jim Kelley to the new position of Vice President of National Accounts. Kelly has served as Vice President of Sales since 1996. “As industry distribution channels continue to evolve, CIE recognized the need for a dedicated and experienced executive to be the voice of the CIE product on a daily basis,” said Brian W. Stack, president and CEO of CIE Tours International, North America. “Jim Kelly’s broad experience and personal relationships with key decision makers throughout the industry made him the natural choice to fill this position.”

ETOA Appoints New Group Tourism Manager
Linda Haydon, the former director of product development for Trafalgar and director of operations for Insight Vacations, has been appointed manager responsible for Group Tourism for The European Tour Operators Association.

Virgin Vacations Cuts Danube Cruise Price
Virgin Vacations has dropped the price of its nine November Danube River Cruises from the regular $1,599 per person price to $799 per person, and is also offering two for the price of one for trips booked by September 26. A Category berths with a French balcony have been dropped from $1,999 to $999 for November as well.

A&K Launches Value Itineraries
Abercrombie & Kent USA has revealed its Connections by Abercrombie & Kent portfolio of 17 new itineraries that offer affordable small group journeys across six continents. Itineraries include Canyons of the Southwest in North America, Tanzania & Kenya – Experience East Africa in Africa and Adventure Down Under in Australia.

Sacred Earth Details Unique India Journey
Vedic scholar and author Jeffrey Armstrong will lead a new 15-day Once Upon a Time in India: A Spiritual Journey to the Soul of India’s Historic Culture from Sacred Earth Journeys. The tour begins in Delhi and visits the cities of Agra, Jaipur, Haridwar, Vrindavan and Mathura. Group size is limited to 20 participants.