TTC Tour Brands’ ‘Big Tour Study’ includes feedback from 1,800+ Canadian travellers

New findings from TTC Tour Brands’ first-ever annual ‘Big Tour Study’ sheds light on the travel preferences of travellers worldwide, including Canadians.

More than 1,800 Canadian TTC Tour travellers took part in the global survey, revealing vacationers’ motivations for choosing guided vacations, says the company. The poll underlines the latest tour trends for travel advisors booking open-aged brands Trafalgar, Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Brendan Vacations and Costsaver.

“We strive to create the most knowledgeable and resourceful advisor community in the industry and continue to identify ways to better support our partners in their business,” said Guy Young, Chief Engagement Officer of TTC Tour Brands. “This comprehensive annual study will continuously demonstrate what the thousands of TTC tour travellers seek in their travel experience and serve as an asset for travel advisors, arming them with the insights they need to make the sale.”

Young added: “Beyond knowing the in’s-and-out’s of each brand and itinerary, understanding traveller sentiment and purchase consideration is crucial information that our advisors need in their pockets to personally pair each traveller with the right travel experience for them – from premium to value, luxury or special interest.”

The Big Tour Study surveyed 1,896 respondents across Canada. Respondents were majority female (69%), aged 55+ (91%) and retired (67%) with average household income of $100,000.

Key insights from the Big Tour Study include:

• Hidden gems are just as important as landmark travel experiences. The majority of TTC Tour travellers cite bucket list travel experiences as the top motivator for going guided (55%) but ranking as even more important is the desire to experience those off-the-beaten path moments that you may only fi nd through an expertly guided tour (61%).

• Guided tours give assurance in destination and logistical expertise. Findings suggest that tour travellers choose guided tours for the assurance of expertise, with 68% of TTC travellers trusting that TTC organizers are the utmost experts in planning an all-around ideal travel experience.

• New cultures and new countries drive higher spending, more bookings. New cultures (70%) and ticking off a new country (69%) are driving factors for booking a tour, according to the study. TTC says travel advisors can convert more sales by diving into the itinerary highlights in new destinations with rich culture elements, adding “these travellers are also open to spending more on travel to guarantee a premium (31%) and personalized experience (40%).”

• Tour travellers seek connection with like-minded travellers. Traveling with a tour provides guests the opportunity to easily connect with like-minded travellers, and nearly half of tour travellers cited this is something they seek in their guided travel experience. This is a key sales point when advising clients on the benefits of going guided or traveling solo.

• Two-week European getaways are most popular with working professionals. According to the study, the majority of Canadian working professionals who book with TTC Tour are opting for tours between 8-14 days, which aligns with Canada’s PTO (paid time off) policy. Retirees are 16% more likely to book a tour 15+days compared to working professionals in Canada. The top regions of interest are Europe & Britain (86%) with the top destinations being Italy (37%) and England (36%).

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