Selling Travel September 19

80
OVER 50s TRAVEL
TALKING TO... TITAN TRAVEL
“TV is a big influence. Celebs
give others the confidence to
be adventurous, whatever
age they are”
A decade ago there was a stigma that
over-50s travel was limited to coach trips
to Europe, but since then we’ve opened the
door to so many far-flung destinations around the
world that weren’t previoulsy easily accessible.
At Titan we exclusively cater for the over-50s
market so we know just how diverse this sector is.
It’s important to remember that, regardless of age,
everyone is an individual and they all want different
things from their holiday.
What’s trending?
Small group tours continue to be popular for us. A
great example is our recently-added Wild Collection,
which includes Wild Costa Rica and Wild Borneo.
These itineraries can be slightly more adventurous.
On the flip side we’re also seeing demand for
relaxing week-long river cruises through Europe, so
it’s all about catering to different needs.
India’s Golden Triangle goes from strength to
strength, especially when it comes to trade bookings.
Orangutans in Borneo
BEN DAVIS,HEAD OF
PRODUCT TITAN
YEARS IN THE
INDUSTRY: 24
FAVOURITE
HOLIDAY
DESTINATION: Italy.
(Helps that my wife
speaks Italian too!)
TRAVEL DISASTER:
Leaving my Passport
at LHR when flying
to Edinburgh with my
family.
I think it’s one of those bucket list destinations that
people are a bit hesitant about booking for fear of
the unknown. That’s why they choose to go with a
reputable operator such as Titan, which has been
travelling there for decades. Guests feel safe in the
knowledge that they will be transfered door-to-door
with our VIP service and looked after by experts.
We’ve also noticed how TV has had a huge influence
on bookings to long-haul destinations. For example,
The Real Marrigold Hotel TV series built up a huge
demand for India and we’re capitalising on that
with new itineraries. There’s been an increase in
travel to Armenia, Georgia and Uzbekistan thanks
to Joanna Lumely’s Silk Road Adventure; Borneo is
doing really well following the Wild Borneo Adventure
documentary with Judy Dench, and anything that
Jane McDonald touches seems to turns to gold! I think
these celebrities give others the confidence to be
more adventurous, whatever age they are.
Here’s what you didn’t know
Agents are surprised about how diverse Titan's
product is and we want to remind them about our
more relaxed Stay and Explore option – a one or twocentre
trip with three or four nights in each place.
We’re also the only company that operate these tours
in the UK. Clients are picked up from their front door
and driven to and from their hotel, with the option of
daily excursions.
In other news, we’re excited to have Zimbabwe back
in our portfolio, since it has been off the travel map for
about 25 years. Our 14-day escorted tour to Zimbabwe
is a small group journey, with a cruise on Lake Kariba,
a visit to Victoria Falls and a game drive in Hwange
National Park. In comparison to South
Africa, Zimbabwe is very much unspoilt and
the game has been left mostly untouched.
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