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Insight Vacations Offers Discount on Air Fare on European Fall Itineraries Booked by Aug 29

June 29, 2019

Visit scenic Seville on Insight Vacations’ “Amazing Spain and Portugal” itinerary © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Insight Vacations shows travelers the wonders of Europe in relaxed style that puts them into the heart and soul of a destination, premium hotels in the best locations, iconic sites and experiences. And for bookings through August 29 on travel from from Sept. 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020, the tour operator is offering a discount on the air fare on a selection of itineraries:

Best of Ireland and Scotland: Trace back to Gaelic roots, gaze at marvelous landscapes and cherish warm-hearted communities on this 14-day journey across Ireland and Scotland. In Dublin, enjoy VIP priority entrance to the legendary Book of Kells and a guided walk though Trinity College with a university insider. Meet one of Northern Ireland’s best storytellers, Ronan, as he walks with you inside the 17^th-century, gothic city walls of Londonderry. In Ardgowan, learn the wonderous and exciting history of the Shaw Stewart family on a tour with Sir Ludovic Shaw-Stewart, who will personally show you his 10,000-acre coastal estate. Along the way, you’ll get the chance to walk inside the historic walls of the Edinburgh Castle to see the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny and Mons Meg and also venture into a world of towering cliffs, lush lakelands and villages in the magical Ring of Kerry.

Italian Escapade: Revel in city riches and observe the beauty of Italian landscapes on this 13-day adventure filled with history, food and art. View the mighty Colosseum and stunning architecture of Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches throughout the ancient city of Rome. In the charming hill town of Assisi, marvel at beautiful stone-built structures that overlook the grand Mount Subasiom and visit the actual birthplace of St. Francis at the Basilica of St. Francis, that’s filled with colorful medieval paintings, gold plated ceilings and mosaic-tile floors. Take time to relax on a cruise through the famous sun-kissed Isle of Capri, surrounded by beautiful blue Mediterranean waters. In the glistening city of Florence, enjoy a mouth-watering, traditional Bistecca alla Fiorentina steak dinner and sip on decadent wine at a historic winery in Lake Iseo.

Amazing Spain and Portugal: Delve into the heart and soul of each destination on this 9-day journey through the Iberian Peninsula. Tour the celebrated Alhambra Palace with a Local Expert, taste authentic Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon, and see the ancient Roman arches across the river Tormes in Salamanca. Embark on a scenic drive to Seville to explore the maze of narrow lanes and shady squares of the Santa Cruz Quarter, and see the final resting place of Christopher Columbus, along with his tomb, at the grand 15th century Seville Cathedral. In the historic city of Toledo, visit the workshop of a master craftsman and see how Damascene swords are made. In Jabugo, taste the famous jamon Iberico (Iberian ham) and learn about its history and production.

From now until August 29, travelers can take advantage of an air offer of $150 off per person on economy, $200 off per person on premium economy and $250 off per person on business class with British Airways, American Airlines, Finnair or Iberia Airlines. This exclusive offer is valid for travel from Sept. 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020 and can save travelers up to $500 per couple. Offer is valid on our Europe, Morocco, Egypt and Eastern Mediterranean Itineraries.

To find out more, visit insightvacations.com.

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Tags:European tours, Insight Vacations, tour operators, tours
Posted in European travel, tour companies, tour packages, travel deals, travel discounts | Leave a Comment »

Where to Go in 2019: USTOA Reveals Top Destinations, Travel Trends

February 7, 2019

Venice, Italy. USTOA named Italy as the top destination for 2019, but also raised concern about the impact of overtourism in the most popular places, like Venice. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Tour operator members of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) named Italy the most popular or “hot” destination for travelers in 2019, in a recent survey conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC).

The top 10 “hot” destinations for the coming year also included Iceland, which ranked second, followed by Japan, Vietnam, Australia, France, Spain, Colombia, Cambodia and Portugal.

USTOA tour operator members also identified their top 10 off-the-beaten path or emerging destinations that they see gaining popularity in 2019: Iceland ranked first, Cambodia ranked second, followed by Croatia, Colombia, Vietnam, Portugal, Bhutan, Bolivia, Myanmar, and Ethiopia.

“It’s interesting see five destinations – Iceland, Cambodia, Colombia, Vietnam and Portugal – appear on both the hot destinations and emerging destinations lists,” added Terry Dale, President and CEO of USTOA. “This tells us that off-the-beaten path travel experiences continue to grow in popularity among travelers.”

Demand for immersive, culturally rich travel programs continue to remain high. Roughly 82% of members offer art and culture travel experiences. The art and culture category was also the highest ranked experiential program for travelers in 2017, based on volume of sales. Two thirds of membership offer honeymoon and romance programs, 63% of members offer adventure programs, and more than half (56%) offer multi-generational family programs.

Economic Impact and Growth Ahead

According to the study, the tour operator members of USTOA project to close out 2018 with sales reaching $18.7 billion dollars, representing 9.8 million individual travelers.

Furthermore, member operators are extremely confident about business in the year ahead: 100% of responding tour operator members anticipate growth in sales in 2019.

“Since the first PwC study was commissioned in 2012, it’s the first time we’ve seen such a bullish response with our entire membership projecting growth ahead,” said Dale. “It’s even more encouraging that more than half of members (56%) forecast growth of sales ranging from seven to 10% or more in 2019, indicating a potential boom year.”

While the Active Members of USTOA view the upcoming year with optimism, they also addressed the global risks that could impact the industry over the next three years. Terrorism topped the list with 17% of members responding they are “extremely concerned.” However, this level of concern is a considerable drop compared to the 2016 PwC study when more than half of member (59%) were “extremely concerned.”

Political instability and overtourism, a new category this year, were the next two global risks that members were “extremely concerned” about, as named by 13% of survey respondents.

In addition, tour operator members projected that roughly 63% of total packages sold in 2018 were through travel agencies, “Reinforcing the critical role of travel advisors in the continued success of members’ businesses,” Dale cited.

When asked whose traveling, tour operator members responded that about half (48%) of their customer base are 51 to 70 years of age. The next largest category was age 36 to 50 years representing 20% of customers. Gender is split evenly with 51% female and 49% male. Within the escorted/guided and custom tour category, female passengers were represented slightly higher at 59%.

The research was released at USTOA’s 40^th Annual Conference & Marketplace, held at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge in Phoenix AZ, November 26-30, 2018.

U.S. Tour Operators Association members, representing nearly $19 billion in revenue, provide tours, packages and custom arrangements that allow 9.8 million travelers annually access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value and freedom to enjoy destinations and experiences across the entire globe. Each member company has met the travel industry’s highest standards, including participation in the USTOA’s Travelers Assistance Program, which protects consumer payments up to $1 million if the company goes out of business. As a voice for the tour operator industry for more than 40 years, USTOA also provides education and assistance for consumers and travel agents.

For more information on USTOA, visit www.ustoa.com, call 212-599-6599, or email information@ustoa.com.