Having recently experienced an Aurora Expeditions cruise in the UK, World Journeys director Chris Lyons has written a blog about his journey to becoming a committed fan of cruising in remote regions. 

‘Exploring wild places such as the Outer Hebrides, it was great to be able to go on Zodiac excursions with knowledgeable guides, and return to the warmth and comfort of the ship each evening,’ Lyons says. ‘The landscapes are wild and rugged, and the history is fascinating – from Neolithic ruins to the remnants of Viking settlements. The birdlife was prolific too, from the puffins, to enormous concentrations of gannets, guillemots, terns, cormorants and auks. ‘

Cycle Europe has special offers on its Bike, Boat & Barge tours for June, July and August in France, Belgium and the Netherlands of between €100-200pp.

Director Jill Grant says the company is offering a €200 discount (approximately $340) on France Meets Belgium, a 14-day tour between Paris and Bruges for 25 June and 23 July. 

Explore Worldwide has launched 11 new European adventures that show off highlights while also travelling slowly through lesser-known parts of Europe. 

Many of the tours focus on using public transport with opportunities to explore on foot and really get under the skin of these beautiful destinations.

A Walker’s World’s 12-day Apulia and Basilicata walk/cycle combo tour explores the best of Italy’s ‘heel in the boot’ during six days of semi-guided walking and six days self-guided cycling. 

‘Having a local expert guide to interpret the fascinating UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Sassi of Matera, Valle d’Itria and Alberobello, is a huge advantage and highlight of the tour,’  says A Walker’s World direct, Jill Grant.

A Walker’s World is reporting steady interest from the trade as it releases its 2022 Europe digital brochure.

Director Jill Grant says the company’s product has always ticked the sustainability box and attracts clients who enjoy the outdoors and being active – all things that have come even more into their own after the last couple of years.

Heritage Expeditions is offering an exclusive 10-day stay on Wrangel Island in the Arctic Circle. Up to five guests will be able to stay on this remote island during The Ultimate High Arctic Expedition in July 2022.

They will be guests of the rangers who man the Wrangel Island Nature Reserve, best-known as the polar bear denning capital of the world, as well as for having the largest population of Pacific walrus and a rich natural history.   

Cycling Europe reports that there has not been one single outbreak of Covid on any of its bike, boat and barge tours in Netherlands, Belgium and France this European season.

‘The thought, care and protocols put into the organisation of these cruises has paid off,’ says A Walker’s World / Cycling Europe managing director Jill Grant. ‘With some 100 plus tours and thousands of guests, this is a sound record of safety.’

A video of the protocols in place on these trips is on the Cycling Europe website so agents and clients can and see for themselves how the tours operate in the Covid era. CLICK HERE.

‘Small groups and natural social distancing while cycling are natural advantages.  Looking to 2022, travellers can have great confidence booking these tours and the Bike Boat & Barge 2022 brochure is available now,’ says Grant.

For the brochure, CLICK HERE.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is adding new ‘Nights Out’ evening experiences throughout Europe from 2022.

The five excursions are private offerings, showcasing top European cities in a new light.

These will be part of Uniworld’s all-inclusive itineraries. For 2023, ‘Nights Out’ excursions will be included on all of Uniworld’s European cruises.

Irish Whiskey’s ‘serious revival’ has not only given rise to an influx of new distilleries but also led to the formation of several tours based around the spirited beverage.

John Callely, founder of Whiskey Island Premium Tours and Tastings, says that for a long time the island of Ireland’s whiskey industry lay dormant. ‘At one stage we were down to just two distilleries, now we have 39 and more (about 25) on the way.’

He says whiskey trails offered to guests take in a number of distilleries but also stop at some of the historical, cultural and scenic highlights along the way.

More than 25 tourism providers from the island of Ireland, as well as four operators based in Australia and New Zealand, will re-engage with travel advisors at Tourism Ireland ANZ’s first Ireland Virtual Expo on 7 and 8 September from 5pm-7pm.

At the online B2B event, Tourism Ireland will facilitate an Exhibit Hall as well as one-on-one pre-scheduled video appointments, where advisors will connect with the exhibitors to obtain the latest in news and experiences. The event will help advisors discover/rediscover the wide range of products and experiences in Ireland.

Rail Europe’s new module, available on its e-learning platform, The Rail Agent Course, is designed to help travel agents learn about the Eurail pass in all its forms.

As an added bonus for participants, agents who complete the module have the chance to win a Eurail pass, First Class, for unlimited travel in Europe.

In February, Rail Europe released a mobile version of the Eurail passes on its API and agent website. The mobile pass allows travellers to cross up to 33 countries on several railway networks, using one pass. 

Adventure World Travel is offering an exclusive offer on two Follow the Lights itineraries in Scandinavia. Clients who book with Adventure World Travel before 20 February 2021 can save up to $500pp.

The offer applies to both the northbound and southbound versions of the Follow the Lights journey onboard a Hurtigruten ship. Both itineraries take guests through fjords and ports of Finland and Norway, with a possibility to spot the Northern Lights.

The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA’s) new estimates for the impacts of Covid-19 on air transport and economies in Europe in 2020 indicate a further deterioration in revenues, job prospects and economic activity across the entire continent.

IATA’s latest economic forecast reveals that in 2021 Europe is expected to be the worst hit global region in terms of airline losses (-$11.9 billion). Passenger traffic (measured in revenue passenger km, RPK) is estimated to have

The reopening of borders has led Switzerland Tourism to launch the Million Stars Hotel.

Bike Boat & Barge tours in Netherlands and Belgium will start the tour season on 17 June 2020, reports A Walker’s World / Cycling Europe.   ‘In the Netherlands, the Covid-19 crisis is under control and from 1 June the lockdown will be lifted. From this date, places such as restaurants, cafes, attractions, museums and shops will open again, as well as harbours and waterways,’ says Cycling Europe’s managing director Jill Grant.

Tourists and Icelandic residents entering the country will be given the option of being screened for the novel coronavirus from 15 June.

The choice means the 14-day quarantine will not be mandatory for passengers arriving at Keflavík International Airport.

The United Kingdom’s early response (or lack of) to Covid-19 is unlikely to damage its reputation as a holiday destination in the medium to long term, says Australian-based Carolyn Childs, chief executive officer of My Travel Experience.

‘The UK had already done quite a bit of damage to its brand around the handling of Brexit,’ said Childs as part of the ongoing Keeping the Dream Alive series of webinars. ‘Visit Britain had tried to minimise that and I

Ireland is giving agents and clients the chance to discover the island’s great whiskeys from the comfort of their armchair.

Irish whiskey has undergone a huge renaissance over the last decade. New arrivals from distilleries like Slane, Dingle, Walsh and Echlinville stand beside centuries-old favourites like Bushmills, Jameson, Teeling and Tullamore D.E.W.

IrishWhiskey360° https://irishwhiskey360.com demonstrates the importance of the master distillers, who combine quality Irish ingredients and a variety of cask finishing to create new flavours.

Last year, 17 distilleries on the island of Ireland welcomed more than one million visitors for tours that give a behind-the-scenes insight into their products. While visits are not currently possible, people can still discover the stories of Ireland’s whiskies on websites and through virtual tours.

Jameson 

Teeling Whiskey 

Walsh Whiskey 

Bushmills

www.ireland.com

A number of Ireland’s museums and other attractions have opened their doors virtually.

Cycling Europe / A Walker’s World is getting product ready for next year, earlier than usual to allow the smooth transition of postponements for this year’s bookings to next year, says the company’s director Jill Grant.

Fez Travel GSA, Exotic Holidays, is promoting a nine-day Uzbekistan Classic Tour priced from $2899 per person twin share.

Eastern Europe continues to be a significant emerging destination for many of The Travel Corporation’s (TTC’s) companies, according to chief executive Brett Tollman.

Clients considering a trip to Ireland this year can save 15% on an Irish Legends Tour if booked between 5 and 11 February.

For the biggest and most engaging festivities in Ireland for St Patrick’s Day, clients should head to Dublin or Armagh.

Horror loving clients should check out Ireland’s annual Bram Stoker Festival.