In January, the Globus family of brands – consisting of Globus, Cosmos and Avalon Waterways – received new “Wish List” survey results from 31,600 past Globus and Cosmos travellers, revealing the latest touring trends for the new year and beyond.
Life is short; the world is wide. But Europe reigns supreme for tour travellers. From Paris to Prague, Athens to Zagreb and Glasgow to Genoa, the storybook landscapes, castle-dotted cliffs and vineyard-clad hills of Europe continue to drive touring interest. According to the Globus family of brands’ “Wish List” survey results, the destinations topping traveller bucket lists for 2024 are:
- Italy (21%)
- Greece & Turkey (18%)
- England, Ireland & Scotland (Tied at 15% each, respectively)
- Portugal (11%)
“Italy awes. It inspires and moves travellers like no other destination on Earth,” said Steve Born, chief marketing officer for the Globus family of brands. “From Michelangelo’s art to the artful cuisine throughout the country, Italy invites travellers to enjoy la dolce vita in every way. And Globus and Cosmos take them to 13 of the country’s postcard-perfect regions on 30 tours inviting guests to enjoy the ‘wow’ that’s waiting.”
Catering to travellers interested in milder temperatures, thinner crowds and thicker wallets – thanks to the best deals – Globus also offers off-season Escapes by Globus in Greece and Turkey for as little as $1,219.
Finally, with its sunny disposition, sloping vineyards and sleepy villages, Portugal presents a treasure trove of experiences. And Globus’ new survey results show that wayfarers are taking notice with Portugal, rounding out the top six most popular European destinations for tour travellers.
“Catering to growing interest in Portugal, in 2024, Globus is diving into the warmth of Europe’s hottest destination in even more ways,” said Born. “We’re showcasing Portugal’s best with a new, 11-day Taste of Portugal tour and have also unveiled two (2) new tour extensions in Madeira and Azores – inviting travellers to enjoy the country’s picture-perfect islands.”
Off the beaten cobblestones. While culture, history and must-see landmarks are the top motivators for travellers on a tour, the new “Wish List” Survey pointed to an important new trend: Forty-five percent (45%) of travellers are interested in getting off-the-beaten-path on their touring vacation.
“There’s an outdated belief that tour travellers are only interested in classic sites in bucket list cities,” said Born. “Instead, our travellers want to walk along cobblestones less traveled and are using their tour as the way to get them to new, exciting and off-the-beaten-path places. They’re doing this with our Undiscovered series of tours across Europe and North America including Hidden Treasures of Southern Italy; The Sicilian; Scottish Highlands & Islands and New England & The Hudson Valley.”
Beyond the traditional tour. Another myth-buster found in this survey, according to Born, is that tour travellers are passive – interested only in following a perfectly planned itinerary.
“According to our survey, travellers want a mix of must-see sights and the opportunity to personalize their vacation,” said Born. “While 74 percent (74%) of guests treasure expert-guided sightseeing, that doesn’t mean they don’t also want the opportunity to tailor their trip to their interests. Most (92%) of tour travellers believe that having the opportunity to customize their vacation is important.”
That’s where Choice Touring by Globus comes into play. From Scotland and Spain to the Southern United States, Choice Touring by Globus’ 12 tours – including NEW, refreshed itineraries for 2024 – provide all the wonder of the world with wonderful ways to experience it.
“These revolutionary, tours du jour across North America and Europe offer unmatched personalization with optional excursions on two- to three-days of each vacation at no extra cost,” added Born.
The ideal travel squad. The final standout statistic Globus found with its latest survey is a growing interest in solo travel. More than one-fourth of travellers (27%) said they plan to go solo on their next trip – that’s double previous years.
“Those driven by wanderlust don’t want to wait for the perfect traveling party to go on vacation,” said Born. “Tours do that naturally, providing solos a ‘nolo’ experience: On your own but never alone. Catering to this growing trend, we have waived the single supplement on 15 Cosmos tours across the globe. We also waive the single supplement for solo travellers on most of our off-season Escapes tours.”
