Newmarket Holidays is witnessing significant growth in long-haul travel bookings, thanks to the efforts of travel agents.
- India, Japan, and Borneo stand out as the most popular long-haul destinations at the start of 2024.
- A revitalised focus on Italy continues with new tours enhancing its standing as a top short-haul option.
- Long-haul bookings are exceeding expectations, surpassing figures from 2019, with a trend towards exotic locations.
- Travel agents play a crucial role, empowering customers to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations.
Newmarket Holidays, recognised for its escorted tours, is experiencing an impressive surge in bookings to long-haul destinations in early 2024. This growth is attributed significantly to the strategic efforts of travel agents whose engagement helped bookings return to pre-pandemic levels.
Among the sought-after destinations, India, Japan, and Borneo have gained remarkable popularity. While Italy remains the most favoured short-haul destination with new tours such as Milan, Verona & Lake Garda, and a Venice to Rome itinerary, the appeal of long-haul ventures has notably increased.
Verity Rice, product, purchasing & operations director, expressed enthusiasm about the surge in interest, stating, “We’re thrilled to report a remarkable growth in bookings for long-haul destinations which are outperforming last year and, in many cases, beating 2019 sales.” This indicates a growing appetite for exotic travel experiences.
India is particularly drawing attention with three new tours launched in 2023 surpassing initial booking expectations. Additionally, the reintroduction of Japan as a destination with the new ‘Japan Unveiled’ itinerary has rejuvenated interest after it was previously withdrawn in 2019. Borneo, as a rainforest adventure, is also gaining traction, showcasing tourists’ willingness to explore less conventional paths.
The pivotal role of travel agents in this success is underscored by their ability to instil confidence in travellers, encouraging them to pursue destinations that are often underexplored. Verity Rice highlights this saying, “Travel agents are playing a massive part in the success by giving their customers the confidence to seek out destinations that are normally off their radar.”
The thriving partnership between Newmarket Holidays and travel agents showcases the dynamic potential of the travel sector as long-haul tours gain renewed interest.
