APT has announced its 2025 Worldwide Touring Collection portfolio. The escorted tours and small group journeys for up to 16 people include destinations in South Africa, Sri Lanka, India and Japan.
The tour operator’s sales team aims to work closely with agents over the coming months to provide information about unique selling points and differences between small group journeys and escorted tours. The company’s objective is to position itself as the go-to operator for escorted holidays, building on its success in the river cruise sector.
In addition to providing training, sales tools and marketing assets, the campaign will include a £50 Love2Shop booking incentive for travel agents for all 2024 or 2025 small group bookings made before August 5 2024. Agents can get updates and related content from APT’s Agent Club website (aptagentclub.co.uk).
APT’s new collection of small group journeys has been developed to offer a more intimate and immersive way for like-minded travellers to explore. Itineraries for up to 16 people enable APT to expand into South Africa for the first time and reinstate operations in Sri Lanka, Japan and India.
The portfolio includes the new 13-day Uncover the Essence of South Africa journey, between Cape Town and Johannesburg. It costs from £3,995 per person, based on twin sharing, and includes transfers, accommodation, 26 meals, sightseeing and a local guide. Highlights include an interactive cooking experience in Cape Town, a dining experience in the Cape Winelands and an all-inclusive safari stay in the Eastern Cape’s Kariega Game Reserve. Departures are from January to December 2025.
Discover the Beauty of Sri Lanka, a 13-day journey, costs from £2,595 per person based on twin sharing. It includes transfers, accommodation, 21 meals, sightseeing and a local guide. The journey includes visiting a Buddhist monastery in Melsiripura, a Sri Lankan cooking demonstration in Habarana and touring the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya with a local botanist. Departures run from January to December 2025.
The 13-day Reveal the Traditions of Japan journey, from Toyko to Osaka, costs from £5,995 per person. It is based on twin sharing and includes transfers, accommodation, 21 meals, sightseeing and a local guide. Highlights include a Japanese tea ceremony in a Tokyo family home, a sushi-making class in Kyoto and learning calligraphy during a shodo lesson in Nara. Departures are between February and November 2025.
Savings of up to £500 per person are available on all new small group journeys bookings made before October 31 2024.
Laura Hughes, APT’s Touring Product Manager, crafted the small group journeys with UK travellers in mind. “It is exciting to roll out APT’s latest innovation, bringing a whole new touring style to market…Our five new small group journeys are designed to connect guests more deeply with each place they visit, focusing on experiences that evoke all the senses,” said Hughes.
“Travelling in smaller numbers allows each group to get further off the trodden path, spending time in authentic places without the infrastructure to receive larger group tours, giving opportunities to spend more meaningful time with locals for greater insights into their ways of life, and expanding into new destinations, for even more customer choice in 2025,” she continued.
