Transat launches 2016 Europe brochure

On the heels of successful touring services to Prague and Budapest in recent years, Transat will be debuting direct routes to Zagreb, Croatia in 2016, as well as six new cycling tours through France, Portugal and Spain.

These were just two of many talking points at Transat’s 2016 Europe VIP cocktail event at Blu Ristorante last night (Jan. 20) in downtown Toronto.

At the center of the food-off-napkin soiree was the launch of Transat’s new 2016 Europe brochure, which includes details on more than 314 European vacation packages, including the latest on Transat’s 36 original guided tours, as well as its European ocean and river cruises.

Adding Croatia to the European lineup was a natural fit, a point Transat reps stressed to the some 60 travel marketing pros, presidents and account partners in attendance.

“We’ve seen [Croatia] as an up-and-coming destination over the past five years,” Dan Prior, Transat’s sales manager for Ontario and Atlantic Canada told PAX.

Transat’s Croatian package includes visits to the country’s western coast, such as Split, Dubrovnik, Hvar and the island of Mljet, and at reasonable prices, reps said.

“For Europe, [Croatia] has the value,” said Nicole Bursey, commercial director for Transat. “It still has a lot of well-priced, quality accommodations. And it’s beautiful.”

Direct flights to Croatia will depart from Toronto every Tuesday from June 14 to Oct. 4, with connector flights from Montreal.

In addition to serving 28 other European destinations, Transat’s flight service will be expanding this year to include flights to Glasgow from Montreal and to Rome from Vancouver. This comes after Transat expanded its winter flight service between Toronto and Montreal last November, 

Transat’s new cycling tours, a product available in partnership with Vélo Québec Voyages, include visits to the castles of France’s Loire Valley, Douro wine country in Portugal and the shorelines of Spain’s Costa Brava.

Also new to Transat’s European brochure is a series of icons that make shopping for vacation packages more user-friendly. For example, packages that include an icon with a train graphic means the trip will, at some point, involve a journey down a railroad.

Europe-bound travellers can also now take advantage of the Transat’s Option Flex program, which was recently adjusted to include the company’s European destinations.

Option Flex, which costs $89 per person, lets customers change their departure date, destination or hotel up to 72 hours before departure, transfer a vacation package to another person up to seven days before departure or cancel their trip and get a full refund (subject to conditions).

To view Transat’s 2016 Europe brochure visit Transat.com.