They’re the ultra-organised guides herding us from A to B and other scenic spots in the alphabet. They do all the groundwork, make us feel welcome and secure, and act as our comfort zones in foreign parts of the world. Using their connections and creativity, they get us to places and into events that are off-limits to many travellers … from feasts in privately owned chateaux to exclusive night tours of top museums.
Guided tour companies cannot rest on their laurels, however. They must innovate and adapt to travellers’ changing needs. One of their top priorities right now is …
What women want
Women are the new driving force in the travel business. These days, solo female travellers account for 24 per cent of Flight Centre’s Australian and global customer base, and women-only guided tours are becoming more attractive.
“Women tend to be social and adventurous when it comes to travel,” says Rachel Kingswell, the General Manager of Travel Associates. “We see this reflected in the types of holidays they’re booking. Locations such as Italy, France, Bali and the UK are always a hit, and experiences are popular too — think health, history, food, and wildlife.
“No matter the location, tours are consistently a top pick for women travelling alone because they prefer something a little more organised, value safety and security, and being hosted by a familiar face throughout. G Adventures, Trafalgar Tours and Insight Vacations all have fantastic offerings.”
Insight Vacations champions the cause
Earlier this year, Insight Vacations introduced 11 women-only guided tours in response to research showing that 43 per cent of Aussies felt that the travel industry was ignoring solo or older female travellers. For Insight Vacations Managing Director Toni Ambler, it was a logical move — “seventy-five per cent of our clients are already female,” she told The Weekly at the time. COVID had disrupted plans to roll out the women-only tours much earlier.
“Women are inherently more social, and our female travellers are likely to be the organisers or lead passenger on our tours,” she says. While many women’s guided tours focus on adventure, Insight proudly puts the emphasis on comfort and style: “We call them ‘business class’ tours.”
Exclusive: Insight Vacations is offering readers of The Australian Women’s Weekly an exclusive 10 per cent discount on its women-only tours, for bookings up to November 30, 2024, for travel dates from January 1 to December 31, 2025. Quote the promo code PPAWW10OFF at insightvacations.com (where you can view the tours by typing “women only” in the search field).
Making connections with Collette
There’s more to guided touring than seeing famous sites. Ask Collette, which has been in the touring business for 106 years now.
“Women travellers in the 40-plus age demographic are increasingly looking for people-to-people interactions,” says Roger Clulow, Collette’s Senior Global Contracting Manager. “That is, meeting and engaging with a local person versus having a tour guide tell you about a local person.” Collette has 170 guided tours across all seven continents and five travel styles to choose from.
A standout destination for Aussies is Japan. “From a woman’s perspective, Japan is especially intriguing due to its rich, well-preserved and unique culture,” says Roger. “There are few places in the world that provide such a rich smorgasbord for culture as Japan does, and Australian women want to learn about it and experience it.”
We like: Collette’s new 15-day Japan & South Korea: From Tokyo to Seoul. It includes a Japanese tea ceremony, seeing female Ama free divers in action, and in South Korea you’ll get to “spend time with a North Korean defector — usually a female — and hear their firsthand testimony on how they escaped the iron-fisted regime,” says Roger. See gocollette.com
Psst! This is where you should go next
Last year the younger travellers found themselves priced out of popular travel spots such as Venice and Dubrovnik. So, they descended on Albania instead, came home and raved about it to their parents. The food and drink was so cheap, the beaches were awesome and they had them all to themselves! Now the adults want what their kids are having.
Explore Worldwide’s bookings for Albania have shot up 107 per cent year on year. “There’s truly something for everyone in this emerging European destination,” says Caroline Phillips, Explore’s Programme Manager, Europe. “Many of our female travellers particularly appreciate Albania’s warm, welcoming atmosphere and its untouched charm, free from the crowds of mass summer tourism. It’s a peaceful, inviting destination.”
We like: Explore’s 11-day Highlights of Albania tour, which visits historic sites and beauty spots such as the Adriatic coast, White Mountains, Lake Ohrid, and more. See exploreworldwide.com.au
Stand tall and conquer
Aussie women like a challenge, says World Expeditions CEO Sue Badyari. “They’re looking for something that requires an element of physical and mental preparation and delivers a sense of achievement on completion.”
There’s a healthy element of vanity too — “the discovery of new destinations and bragging rights — being the first to travel somewhere that their peers haven’t. This could be going remote on the trails in Bhutan and Nepal, doing a Flinders Island hike or exploring the canyons of the Karijini National Park in Western Australia.” Cultural adventures led by destination experts are also in vogue.
We like: World Expeditions’ 16-day Wellness, Wine & Wisdom — a women’s tour in Turkey with Aussie-Turkish travel writer Dilvin Yasa. Highlights include the best of Istanbul, hot air ballooning in Cappadocia, a spa day in Pamukkale, and lots more. See worldexpeditions.com
For grand tours of home, Intrepid’s got it covered
Melbourne-based Intrepid Travel is a firm favourite with Aussies, and its women’s guided tours in Turkey and Morocco have been highlighted in our travel pages this past year. It has a fabulous range of local tours too, and Aussies are taking advantage: family holidays are its top category currently, up 158 per cent on 2023.
“Australians are increasingly looking looking at intergenerational travel, from grandparents treating their children and grandchildren through to parents providing experiences for their young families,” says Intrepid’s ANZ Country Manager, Brett Mitchell.
We like: The nine-day Best of Tasmania: It goes from Launceston to Hobart, via the Cradle Coast, Tarkine rainforest, Port Arthur, Bruny Island, and more. intrepidtravel.com
We have ignition!
Love touring, but wish you could linger longer? Grab a set of keys from Apollo Motorhomes, download the thl Roadtrip app and you’re away! Apollo’s accommodation ranges from two-berth campervans to seven-berth motorhomes. They are easier to drive than you might think, says Apollo Motorhomes spokeswoman Rebecca McKenzie — no special licence is needed.
Apollo has depots in Canada, Ireland, and the UK, but it’s in the Antipodes where they come to the fore. “Australia and New Zealand are home to some of the best camping facilities on the planet that cater to those who want to get closer to nature,” says Rebecca. Added to this is the joy of slow travel — “really experience the areas you’re visiting and take your time finding hidden gems and local hot spots,” she says. “HipCamp (it’s like the Airbnb of camping!) is also a great way to get off grid and immerse yourself with a community.” See apollocamper.com
