Tauck Turns 100: New CEO Jennifer Tombaugh Reveals Plans, Promotions, & More

Tauck is celebrating an impressive milestone in July 2025: 100 years in operation. TMR recently spoke with Tauck CEO Jennifer Tombaugh about the milestone and the company’s plan for the anniversary. 

“I never thought I would be in this role, frankly,” said Tombaugh, who assumed the CEO role in October. “I am so honored to represent the legacy that our owners and the Tauck family have built under Dan’s tutelage,” she added about Dan Mahar, the current chairman who served as CEO before Tombaugh took over.

“I really see my role as now standing on the shoulders of giants and driving the company with an amazing team.”

Tauck Centennial Celebration

The tour operator is kicking off its milestone year with Tauck’s Celebration of Roses event. 

“Our Rose Bowl event kickoff will bring a couple hundred of our guests together for a very special behind-the-scenes Rose Bowl experience in Pasadena. And that will be our very first event to mark the year,” Tombaugh told TMR.

As part of the 100-year celebration, Tauck is bringing back fan-favorite tours, like the Rose Bowl event, as well as England & the West Country. 

While more programs will be announced throughout the year, Tombaugh said one of the biggest events is taking place the first week of February. The tour operator will host approximately 700 guests — employees, top directors, board members, family, and valued sponsor partners — to Florence to celebrate the milestone.

Tauck chose Florence because of its historical significance as a center of cultural growth during the Renaissance. Tombaugh explained that following the Dark Ages, Florence became a center for the birth of humanism and innovation. 

“Especially coming out of COVID, what better place to mark that next century,” Tombaugh said. 

Tauck is using the anniversary as an opportunity to express gratitude to the trade. Tombaugh promised several activities for the travel advisor and supplier community throughout the year. 

“We actually have 12 different initiatives going on,” she said. “It’s all part of what we call our delightful dozen selection of activities to really mark this momentous occasion and acknowledge the history and the incredible path that we’ve gotten on.” 

“Small Is Big”

Tombaugh is bullish not just on the 100th year, but on the company’s future in general. Consumer confidence in travel is high, and Tauck’s own numbers are strong, and that trend is expected to continue.

“And advanced bookings for 2025 on our land programs across the board are the strongest we’ve had in our company’s history,” she explained.  “We expect to see strong growth in river and strong growth in small ship cruising. We’re having a record year there as well.”

Tauck is introducing two new ships in 2026 for its French river cruise product. As previously announced, the Emerald and Sapphire will be retired and replaced with two new vessels: a 135 meter and a 125 meter.

Although Tauck hasn’t shared many details yet, Tombaugh promises the new ships will raise the bar for its river cruise product in France. “They’ll have some really fun new design features that really, I think, speak to the changing trends of the consumer,” she said. 

Tauck has also seen great growth in small groups. “We’ve always had this mantra that small is big,” said Tombaugh. The company recently launched a smaller line that has an average of 15 guests. “We’re seeing some great pickup there,” she added.

Addressing concerns of overtourism and crowding, Tombaugh said the company is looking for opportunities and innovations that will “keep the intimate, special experiences Tauck is known for.” This entails exploring other segments of travel, while also investing in river cruises and the small groups line. 

“We’re going to continue to invest in our core, but then do some peeking over where there might be future seeds to plant in our garden,” she said.

Future Predictions: Increased Demand, Longer Booking Windows

Tombaugh told TMR she expects France to be a popular destination for Tauck customers.

“Europe, of course, is our biggest market — not only because of river cruising, but our land programs are incredibly popular,” she said. “I think coming out of the Olympic year and now the reopening of Notre Dame, France is really, really hot and growing.”

In terms of buying trends, Tauck is seeing clients who book multiple trips a year and want an extended booking window. 

“[There’s] already lots of demand for 2026 and even some increase for 2027. So it’s a question of how we can make sure we’re out there in advance [for the advisor community] to be able to meet that demand when it arises.” 

Capacity continues to be an issue for certain destinations, particularly for the luxury segment; however, planning further ahead can help the tour operator secure capacity in the competitive markets.

“We’re optimistic. One of the things that we’re celebrating in our centennial is the relationships that we have built and the partnerships that we have,” she said. 

“Whether they’re hotel partners or attractions that we’ve been going to for literally decades, we want to make sure that we continue to foster and nurture [relationships] so that we can provide the best experiences for our guests.”