As high season ramps up, travel advisors have the chance to take advantage of the hottest trends in travel to make sure they help their clients find the best tours, wherever they might be heading.
While the post-pandemic travel fever continues strong, it has changed when travelers book trips, where they want to go, and with whom they want to travel. Advisors who understand how to cater to these new inclinations can be nimble and knowledgeable with requests and prepared with options that fit these popular priorities.
We checked in with Guy Young, the Chief Trade Engagement Officer at TTC Tour Brands, North America, to hear what trends travel advisors should keep an eye on and how they can help clients. TTC Tour Brands’ Always commitment is a refreshed promise, underpinned by on-the-ground staff investment, that centers guest experiences, so that travel advisors can sell confidently ahead of the busiest travel season.
Shorter Booking Windows
The decision paralysis is real: travelers are taking longer to book their trips, leaving things as last-minute as they can. “I encourage advisors to take advantage of the shorter booking window and use it as an opportunity to nurture their relationships to secure sales,” says Young. They’ve noticed a significant increase in customers booking just a month or two before travel. He recommends that advisors capitalize on this and keep working on their inquiries and leads. TTC Tour Brands, which include Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold, Contiki, Costsaver and Brendan Vacations, have a wide range of itineraries, definite departures, and tools to help travel advisors close sales, no matter how close to the departure date. Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Costsaver and Contiki also have Last Minute Deals available with up to 15% off.
European Summer
The more things change, the more they stay the same: Summer travel to Europe is still in high demand and remains the top destination for TTC Tour Brands. “We expect the summer to be busy and we continue to invest in our on-the-ground resources to ensure guests have an amazing experience during the high season,” says Young. With more than a century of experience in the region and 24/7 support, TTC Tour Brands makes sure clients will be in good hands during European summer adventures.
Secondary Destinations
The travel madness goes beyond Europe, though. “We’ve seen a growing demand for travel to secondary destinations this summer in addition to our popular European itineraries,” says Young. TTC Tour Brands has particularly found this true on itineraries in Latin America and Asia. From luxury safari adventures in South Africa to budget-friendly explorations of Eastern Europe, TTC Tour Brands’ 1000 itineraries to more than 80 countries across six continents mean advisors can help their client get to every destination they can dream up.
Women-Only Tours
In a study sponsored by TTC Tour Brands, JourneyWoman surveyed more than 1000 female travelers and found that the majority were looking for tour companies with women-only tours or other offerings for solo women. “We’re excited to be offering 11 women-only itineraries – created by women for women – on select Insight Vacations departures in 2025,” says Young. Ranging from India to Italy and including the American South, the tours connect women to like-minded travelers and build community through exploration.
Less Crowded Times of Year
Travelers looking to avoid those summer crowds are flocking to fall. Kids are back in school and the sun backs off a bit. “September is an ideal time for travelers to enjoy Europe,” says Young, noting the milder temperature and off-peak pricing weighed on decisions as much as the crowds in the increase of autumn bookings TTC Tour Brands has observed to popular destinations such as Spain, Portugal, the UK, and Greece.
From the Sponsor:
About TTC Tour Brands
The ease of touring has never been more important nor relevant, and no one does tours better than TTC Tour Brands. The portfolio includes the award-winning brands of Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, Brendan Vacations, Costsaver, and Contiki. TTC Tour Brands are the global leaders in tours for any and everyone. From budget to luxury and everything in between, the portfolio brings agents access to over 1,000 tours, across 80+ countries via one single sales, reservations, and marketing team, with the added ease of a single sign-on booking platform.
TTC Tour Brands is part of the family owned and run The Travel Corporation (TTC), driven by service for over one hundred years. For more information, please visit agents.ttc.com.
About The Travel Corporation
The Travel Corporation (TTC) is a family owned and passionately run international group of 40 award-winning brands, with over 100 years’ experience. Our exceptional portfolio of brands spans 70 countries and offers an extensive selection of travel and tourism companies, encompassing a variety of guided travel experiences, independent holiday packages, boutique river cruising, luxury hotels and safaris. We are committed to consistently delivering outstanding service, experiences, and value to every one of our guests – and we do so through continuous innovation. For more information, please visit TTC.com.