Innovation is necessary in every industry, but Travel Innovation is much needed especially when the options you have are so much alike in terms of activities…
Whomever came up with the proverb, “Necessity is the mother of invention” must have seen far into the future as the phrase is as relevant today as it was over 500 years ago! Travel being what it has been for as long as I’ve been in the industry is finally beginning to make a very interesting turn, with operators offering something more in terms of hybridity for the traveler. For example AMAWaterways which was founded by Rudi Schreiner (Uniworld), Kristen Karst (Viking River Cruises), and Jimmy Murphy (Brendan Tours) has partnered up with adventure company, Backroads to add a little more activity for the active traveler, and the idea has paid off very well! Imagine having the option to Bike through bicycle paths throughout the Wachau Valley and Donauradweg during the day and afterwards enjoying the relaxation of your cruise in the evening; it’s the perfect pairing. Even though the Bike/Cruising adventure is only limited to the Danube itineraries, AmaWaterways and Backroads are already planning to expand throughout Europe and Asia in 2016!
Another pairing that’s taking the travel world by storm is the incorporation of Food & Travel… Did you know that more and more people today relate travel with food more than ever before? In fact, when relating travel with anything else associated with it, more are choosing food as the most important (slightly) over People (culture), Accommodations (Hotels), Sites (sightseeing), and Places (popular cities). More and more travel companies are taking full advantage of this information. One such travel company is Insight Vacations who today with their Insight Gold product has a more impressive epicurean dining program than any other travel operator. In fact, every one of their Insight Gold Itineraries include dinners at local 5-star restaurants located outside hotels. This ensures or guarantees the best foodie experience when comparing how one part of a country prepares their food over the other, and best of all the experience is included in the price! In addition to experiencing real good food at high-end restaurants, many travel companies including Insight Gold are incorporating more than just tastings (Food, Wine, Etc…) and walk-throughs in vineyards, farms, and olive groves in their itineraries. No more are the days of just watching and listening, tour operators are taking us on a journey of the senses with the actual vintners, farmers, and olive growers who are giving us the hands on experience.
(Photos) Courtesy of Insight Vacations
Finally we have cruise lines that have made it their business to bring the experiential in a BIG way to their guests. One cruise line in particular that has brought this on in spades is Azamara Club Cruises with their AzAmazing Evenings which is comprised of us choosing the AzAmazing Evening Excursion we wish to experience on one of Azamara Club Cruises’ overnight ports of call stays, and the chance to book it at least four (4) days prior to departure in order to ensure space. In addition to experiencing an excursion that is best seen in the evening, you’ll have the opportunity to experience some of the best nightlife and activities the world has to offer! You can experience a Flamenco Show in Seville; Tapas, Wine, & Paella in Barcelona; and some of the best nightlife the world has to offer in popular cities like Hong Kong, Saint-Tropez, Shanghai, Buenos Aires, or Cannes. And for all you Formula 1 fanatics, Azamara has the overnight of a lifetime! The Monaco Grand Prix is known as THE F1 Event every driver dreams to win and every fan dreams to attend, and now you can be a part of it with Azamara!
(Photo) Courtesy of Azamara Club Cruises
Innovation is the result of there being a necessity somewhere and someone doing something about it, or in some cases simply joining forces. The more you can differentiate yourself from the status quo, the more likely you’ll be able to catch someone’s attention & introduce them to something insanely great, and isn’t that what it’s really all about? I for one am grateful to be a part of an industry that provides customers with the opportunity to make their dreams come true, and I’m only happy to help make that happen by introducing my customers to travel companies that go out of their way to think outside the box and provide something spectacular.
