Adventure by AE: How the New B2B Tour Operator Is Meeting Demand for Active Travel

Active travel is on the rise. The adventure niche is estimated to represent $188 billion in market value for outgoing travel from the U.S. and Canada. Increasingly, Americans are being drawn to more immersive travel experiences that include an adventure component—including active experiences like cycling or walking tours.

With demand growing, so too is the need for new products tailored to travelers looking for something beyond traditional guided land tours.

Earlier this year, U.K. tour operator Active England announced the launch of Adventure by AE: a new, B2B active tour operator offering walking and cycling tours in England, Scotland, Wales, and, in 2027, Ireland.

Travel Market Report spoke with Gaby Cecil, commercial director of Active England and Adventure by AE, to learn more about the new brand, how “soft leisure adventure” fits into the active travel landscape, and the opportunities for U.S. travel advisors to get in on this growing niche.

The Adventure by AE Tour Experience

Adventure by AE effectively operates as a full-service U.K. DMC that specializes in trips with walking, hiking, and cycling experiences. Packages include accommodations ranging from luxury hotels to boutique inns and pubs with rooms, as well as private transportation, local guides, and immersive cultural experiences. Guests can choose from itineraries like a guided small group tour through the beautiful Cotswold countryside, a cycling tour of Scottish scenery with closed-door tastings, and an English walking tour that focuses on behind-the-scenes vineyard access.

Cecil characterized the itineraries as “soft leisure adventure,” emphasizing the combination of culturally focused guided experiences with gentle to moderate physical components.

“We are designing trips so that they are really walking and feeling their way to a destination on foot or by bike. From our perspective, it’s one of the best ways to see our country because we have an incredible public footpath network across the U.K.” she explained. “Our travelers are going to feel an overwhelming sense of space to really connect with the place that they’re experiencing because they’re not having to think and do any admin mundane tasks.”

Cecil added that the company views luxury through the lens of hospitality and personalization rather than traditional star ratings. While they may not book ultra-luxury accommodations, she said their accommodations are perfect for travelers looking for smaller, more intimate properties that feel connected to the destination itself.

“’Five star’ can actually mean walking into a property that you — OK, it’s basic — but the person that you’re meeting is so wonderful,” she said. “It is hospitality. It is warm. It is in the most amazing location.”

How Adventure by AE Differs from Active England

Adventure by AE has a compelling offer for travel advisors: the company is backed by years of experience operating walking, hiking, and cycling trips for Active England, but Adventure by AE books exclusively with the trade. And unlike Active England, Adventure by AE is poised to serve surrounding destinations, such as Ireland.

“Adventure by AE is our sister brand to Active England and we are basically taking the Active England ingredients and working with our B2B market,” explained Cecil. “We’re really taking everything that we’ve learned and built over the last five years and building that out for our B2B audience.”

Adventure by AE will also offer more flexibility in booking styles than Active England, including small groups, larger groups, and fully customized private itineraries.

“Active England is small group scheduled departures for our B2C audience … Adventure by AE will be small group, large group, and custom private travel.”

Finally, the Adventure by AE positions itself less as a tour operator and more as a boutique-style DMC with highly personalized service and intentionally paced growth.

“We’re growing intentionally, we’re growing slowly, but with purpose,” Cecil said.

Why Should U.S. Travel Advisors Work with Adventure by AE?

Cecil told TMR that travel advisors should consider booking active U.K. tours with them because they offer both regionally specific expertise and a dedicated team of passionate professionals.

“You have all the top people in the company working on your trips for your travelers,” she said. “We really care about every single thing and every single product that we’re designing and operating … We always want to remain [at] that level of passion and care.”

She also emphasized the company’s deep regional knowledge and local guide network as a major differentiator.

“You really become an expert by living in a place,” Cecil said, noting that members of the team have lived and guided throughout England and Scotland.

Adventure by AE currently works with more than 90 local guides across the U.K. and Ireland, pairing guides with travelers based on interests ranging from flora and fauna to film and television.

“We really want to make sure that everything we’re putting out is educating travel advisors and tour operators about how we can work with them in three ways: small groups, large groups, or custom, tailor-made travel.”

As the company grows, Adventure by AE will expand its trade presence in the U.S. through future trade shows, advisor education, and storytelling initiatives centered around its guides and destinations.

“The trade shows are absolutely incredible in this industry … it’s where the conversations and the magic really happen.”