U.S. travel agency air ticket sales are off to a record start in 2024. According to Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC), February air ticket sales totaled $8.9 billion—a 6 percent increase from February 2023 and the second straight month with agency sales setting a record. In January, air ticket sales also totaled $8.9 billion—roughly 7 percent better than 2023’s totals.
Total passenger trips for the month were up 9 percent over 2023, with both domestic (+11 percent) and international (+5 percent) trips up. The average ticket price was $583, which is the same as 2023 but 5 percent higher than January. That said, total passenger trips remain down when compared to 2019 and 2020.
New Tour Offerings and Operator Updates
Insight Vacations has launched small-group, women-only tours for 2025. These itineraries have been designed to encourage solo travel and spotlight women in the travel industry. Female travelers will have the chance to explore a range of destinations with 11 tours across Europe, the Americas, India and Africa. These tours will be capped at 24 guests and have all been designed by women. Travelers will have the chance to explore cultures and celebrate women’s achievements across numerous countries.
Separately, Kensington Tours announced a limited series of luxury itineraries designed around golf and tennis events, including the Wimbledon Championships. These trips are designed for travelers who seek to combine their passion for sports with cultural exploration. While any of these trips can be customized, sample itineraries include a visit to the U.K. for Wimbledon; golfing across the “Emerald Isle;” enjoying golf, whisky and castles in Scotland; and a 14-day trip to New Zealand for a chance to play at six different courses.
Heading elsewhere in the world, Tauck this week unveiled its first-ever tour of Colombia, as well as the company’s first-ever Tauck Bridges family travel adventure in Japan. Travelers visiting Colombia with Tauck will make a base in Bogotá, Medellín and then Cartagena to explore the surrounding areas. The Tauck Bridges “Journey Through Japan … A Family Adventure” begins with a stay in Tokyo before heading off to Hakone, Hiroshima, Kyoto and more. Included in the price are most meals, gratuities to all local guides, hotel staff and restaurant servers, all sightseeing and other activities, airport transfers, luggage handling, taxes and more.
Lastly, Contiki will be heading to the Philippines for the first time with new nine- and 13-day “Island Hopping” tours. The new tours will visit the country’s tourist attractions and hidden gems on Palawan Island, including Puerto Princesa, Port Barton and El Nido, with stays at beachfront hotels and bamboo huts. Travelers can also enjoy underground river tours, snorkeling, jewelry-making and more.
In other tour operator news, Central Holidays has unveiled guaranteed departures on some of its most popular escorted tours to Italy. Guaranteed departures also equate to guaranteed commissions for advisors as well as the assurance that their clients’ trips will occur as planned. The guaranteed departures include Central Holiday’s “Italy’s Sunbelt, Rome & The Amalfi Coast” itinerary, as well as “Italy’s Northern Highlights,” “Best of Italy” and “Magnificent Italy and the Amalfi Coast.” Each of these options has eight guaranteed departures this year.
TTC Tour Brands also announced the addition of Brendan Vacations to its Travel Advisor Portal (TAP). Advisors can now book all guided itineraries across the TTC Tour Brands portfolio— including Trafalgar, Contiki, Costsaver, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold and, now, Brendan Vacations—using one portal. Travel advisors can use TAP to book itineraries with flights and insurance, pre- and post-nights, pre-paid gratuities and discounts for each client’s booking. Advisors can also access downloadable itineraries and invoices.
New Marketing and Tech Tools
Global Travel Collection has unveiled a new technology tool in collaboration with PlanitEasy, a cloud-based travel planning platform that enhances services for travel advisors. PlanitEasy is a customer relationship management (CRM) solution with a suite of planning tools that keep all trip-planning information in one place. Global Travel Collection travel advisors can make use of a software system to manage client and supplier profiles, a trip planner to create customized proposals and itineraries, a mobile app for clients to access itineraries while traveling, and real-time air updates for clients to receive notifications of flight changes.
In addition, Norwegian Cruise Line has launched NCL Connect, a co-branded marketing solution powered by technology from Approach Guides that aims to boost the sales and marketing efforts of the travel partner community. Travel advisors can instantly co-brand digital content experiences pre-designed by Norwegian’s in-house marketing team, as well as create content shareable to social media, email and other marketing media. All leads go directly to the travel advisor.
Vote Here!
The NCAA’s “March Madness” has made its way to travel. Luxury Travel Advisor, a sister publication to Travel Agent, is hosting its bracket-style Most Instagrammable Hotel in the World tournament. Readers are encouraged to vote for their favorites to help them advance through the bracket until a winner is crowned. Round 2 is running through Monday, March 25 at 10 a.m. ET. Don’t miss out!
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