“More sight-doing than sight-seeing” with Collette’s Explorations line

Fresh off of its centennial celebrations in Rhode Island this past June, Collette is heading into its second century with the relaunch of its Explorations product line, ready to welcome even more guests in search of immersive travel experiences.

Originally launched in 2008, Explorations offers travellers ‘hyper-local’ experiences in a small-group setting, with the average tour welcoming 15 travellers (each tour is capped at a maximum of 19 guests). The latest itineraries include such tours as Taste of Vietnam, with a focus on the destination's culinary scene; The Northern Lights of Finland, featuring a stay in the famous glass igloos of Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort; and Italy’s Bella Vita, exploring the country's northern region including in-depth explorations of Florence, Bologna and Lake Como.

The Toronto launch of the updated Explorations line, the first to take place in North America, featured a number of interactive experiences for guests which mirror those found on the line’s various world-wide itineraries, from truffle-rolling to henna tattoos to sampling a Pisco Sour.

READ MORE: Collette: 100 years and growing

“It’s our hottest product line – it grew 56 per cent last year and judging from the reception we’ve received from agents, we’re expecting more growth this year,” Collette CEO Dan Sullivan Jr. told PAX. “It’s like your own personal tour and the travellers love being able to do that; it really brings the whole group together, whether it’s your own family or 15 people that you’ve never met who just became your best friends.”

“Our teams are all over the world and our buyers live in those areas, so if they find an experience that they like, we’ll add it.”

"Expect the unexpected"

Ron Lonsdale, Collette’s Canadian VP, explained to PAX that through the relaunch, Collette will further differentiate Explorations from its main product line.

“Part of the reason we’re doing the relaunch is that people think that it’s classical touring, when it’s not that at all. When they go through the itinerary and see how cool it is, we’re getting a lot of interest,” Lonsadale said.

“It’s ‘expect the unexpected’ – off the beaten path, more immersive, take in the cultures and flavours of a destination,” he said. “It’s more sight-doing than sight-seeing. This is for someone who is seeking adventure and looking for off-the-beaten-path, personal experience.”

Learn more about Explorations here