Courtesy Brendan Vacations
In response to changing travel trends, Brendan Vacations is embracing a new style of travel with its 2013 offerings of small group tours called Boutique Journeys to exotic destinations such as Mexico, Vietnam, South Africa, India and Columbia.
Originally focused on traditional tours and packages to Ireland, Brendan Vacations began to explore new types of itineraries when the tour operator introduced Boutique Journeys to Ireland. These guaranteed departures with a maximum of 24 passengers featured upscale Irish hotels, castles and manor homes, as well as more immersive activities.
Boutique Journey destinations for 2013 include Iceland, Italy, France, Greece, Germany, Vietnam, South Africa, India, Thailand, Laos, China, Guatemala, Columbia, Peru and Mexico’s Baja California. Each itinerary will be limited from four to eight departures. For convenience, passengers will stay at no more than three properties per trip, with day trips from hotel hubs.
Brendan Vacations will incorporate immersive or unique themes and activities to differentiate the new itineraries from the existing tour product, such as whale watching excursions in Mexico’s Baja California and cooking classes in France.
“For the well-established markets, our themes will add activities and creativity not found on a larger tour,” said Nico Zenner, president of Brendan Vacations. “For the up-and-coming destinations, the small-scale approach fits well with the needs and expectations of our clientele.”
Zenner believes the small group product with more boutique-style properties and cultural activities will be a growth center in the tour industry. The Boutique Journeys brochure will be released in September with finalized pricing.
For more information, read the Travel Weekly article or visit www.brendanvacations.com.
