Insight & Ireland set the pace for 2016

With only 43 days until 2016, Insight Vacations is giving winter-weary travel experts a reason to look forward to January.

The tour operator presented its lineup of its 2016-17 Europe Collection last night at a dinner attended by 21 of its top-selling agents. The night was hosted in partnership with Tourism Ireland, who was on-hand to share some of the highlights expected to grace the Emerald Isle in the coming year.

The collection features more than 100 itineraries and 13 new escorted products available through two different styles of travel: Insight’s all-inclusive premium journeys, and its premium-escorted journeys.

PAX sat down with Carla Brake, VP of sales for Insight Vacations, and Dana Welch, Manager, Canada - Tourism Ireland to find out a bit more about what’s new for the luxury tour operator - and why Insight specialists should be excited about it.

Pick your pace

Travellers now have four new premium escorted itineraries to choose from, including the 17-day Scenic France and Northern Spain journey, and the 10-day Romantic Northern Italy - which Brake describes as an up-and-coming destination.

“It’s not as well-known,” she said of the product’s featured experiences, which take guests off the beaten track to the Dolomite region and Italy’s Lake District. “People are hearing more and more about it and they want to go check it out. It’s less touristy, and more laid-back.”

Also new is Easy Pace Spain and Classic Cities of Northern Europe itineraries, which offer 10- and 11-day tours respectively – and are both designed to be leisurely experiences, with three-night stays in select cities to allow guests to explore and immerse themselves in their surroundings.

In keeping with the idea that vacations – even ones with a full itinerary – are meant to be restful, Insight has also introduced Relaxed Starts, available on various itineraries with a 9 a.m. (or later) start time.

“We’re trying to get past the misconception that a tour is always go, go, go,” Brake shared, explaining that this offering is in response to popular demand from guests. “This gives clients the option to sleep in, have a nice long breakfast, or walk around and explore a bit more.”

It’s all-included

Insight has added nine new itineraries to its all-inclusive premium journeys collection as well, with tours in Greece, Europe, and Morocco.

With daily breakfasts, dinners, excursions, Signature Experiences and Premium Highlights all included in a single price, Brake explained that the all-inclusive program is for guests who don’t want as much leisure time.

“They want to know that things are taken care of for them,” she said of the hand-selected itineraries, which range from seven to 14-day tours. Brake also pointed out that when agents crunch the numbers, they’ll find that Insight’s all-inclusive product gives clients a better bang for their buck.

“We are a little bit more expensive, but there’s more included so there’s great value to it. With the new all-inclusive tours, with all the things that are included, we actually come in as less expensive than some of our competitors,” she said.

Selling made simple

“I always tell agents: Always offer the product,” Brake said when asked about how agents can best sell these new itineraries. “Never assume that a client won’t be interested in a certain kind of tour. It’s all about explaining the benefits of doing an escorted tour with Insight Vacations, and being able to enjoy the destination, without worrying about travel deals.”

Also be sure to sign up for Insight’s Specialist Program, an online training program available to agents looking to receive higher earnings in their bookings and get exclusive exposure to product releases. Agents receive a certificate upon completion – along with first choice for exclusive FAMs.

PAX’s Michael Pihach was in Morocco last week for one such FAM, which invited along 30 top-selling Insight agents, and was entitled Taste of Morocco - based on the brand’s Best of Morocco itinerary.

“The way our tour guides in Morocco introduce the destination to our agents really helps them feel more comfortable when selling it,” Brake said of the reason behind hosting the FAM. “We like to introduce our agents to a new destination – as we know, the more they know about a destination, they’re more likely to suggest a destination.”

Meanwhile, on the Isle…

Following Brake’s dinner presentation, Welch provided an overview of all that Ireland has to offer, including choice must-see events.

With 2016 being officially named Ireland’s year of food and drink, emphasis was placed on the farm-to-fork movement, which involves creative local dishes made by the country’s top chefs.

For history buffs, Ireland’s Ancient East, which covers 5,000 years of historical moments from Viking life to Christian heritage, offers a break between bites of the island’s local fare.

Another central focus for 2016 is Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, which features 2,500 km of Atlantic coast, stretching through nine counties and three provinces – perfect for those who love to road trip.

Welch ended the evening by stating that agents who want to know more about Ireland, an increasingly popular destination for baby boomer travellers (or as Welch calls them, “culturally curious,”), to get in touch with her team.

For more information about Tourism Ireland, visit www.ireland.com

For more information about becoming an Insight Specialist, visit: specialist.insightvacations.com