TORONTO — Imagine planning a client’s trip to Ireland or Scotland, and one of the highlights is a clan gathering where the client gets to meet 20 new family members.

That’s the sort of magic that can happen with ancestry travel. On these once-in-a-lifetime journeys, travellers don’t just discover a country, they discover their family heritage too.

TV shows like PBS’s ‘Finding Your Roots’, where actors delve deep into their family tree – always uncovering secrets along the way – have fuelled renewed interest in genealogy. Adding a travel component can make the ‘trip back in time’ that much more compelling.

Pembroke PR’s Tracy McCann says her interest in ancestry travel was piqued by another show, ‘The Reluctant Traveller’ on Apple TV+. Canada’s own Eugene Levy hosts the popular show, and in one recent episode, Levy travelled to Scotland for the very first time, and learned about his mother’s early years along the way. “As soon as the show was over, I’m texting my sister that we have to go to Scotland. We’ve never been but that’s where our Dad was from,” says McCann.

As interest in ancestry travel continues to grow, Travelweek wanted to find out more about how agents can connect with clients looking to explore their family heritage ‘on the road’.

Ashford Castle, Ireland

First up, an interview with Catherine Reilly, Managing Director of Brendan Vacations. The tour operator, part of TTC Tour Brands and a specialist in travel to Ireland and Scotland, offers plenty of product – and help – for agents researching ancestry travel for clients with family roots in those countries.

Travelweek: When did ancestry tours really start taking off for Brendan Vacations?

Reilly: “Brendan Vacations has always had guests travelling with us seeking a connection with their ancestry.

“Over the past few years, we have seen a surge of interest in travel rooted in personal heritage, responding to the popularity of ancestry tracing technology like Ancestry.com and 23andMe.

“More than ever, travellers are booking vacations that bring them closer to their personal heritage, providing a profound familial connection in the place of their heritage. Travellers are looking to explore their own stories and seek out the beginnings of their family, tracing their journey to America.

“Beyond walking the roads that their ancestors once did, ancestral travellers are seeking experiences with the locals, learning their heritage through both geography and cultural connection.

“The Irish believe, ‘blessed are the families whose homes are too small to fit the whole clan’; this belief is infused in every Brendan Vacations offering as they cater to travellers seeking an ancestral experience.”

Travelweek: Many travellers no doubt would love to research their family history and take a trip like this, but think it will be complicated. Is it? How does it work?

Reilly: “Brendan Vacations aims to make ancestry travel as stress-free as possible. We understand that ancestral travel can be an enormous and daunting event and we want to ensure our guests have a comfortable and positive experience.

“We recommend travellers work with us to build a customized itinerary that allows travellers to see exactly what they want and nothing they don’t.

“We’ll connect travellers with expert genealogists in both Ireland and Scotland who can pinpoint exactly where travellers need to go to feel connected to their roots. We can also arrange for a VIP tour with a museum curator and book a genealogy consultation with a family history report at the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum or a visit to the Culloden Battlefield, where travellers of Scottish descent can trace their surname to see which side their family was on in the famed battle of 1745.

“Travellers can also trace their lineage on their own and work with Brendan Vacations to create an itinerary that explores the region where their familial story began. For example, if a traveller traces their lineage back to the Clann Suibhne (McSweeney), upon request Brendan Vacations can curate an immersive itinerary in the Irish province of Ulster, where the family settled as Gallowglass warriors in the Middle Ages. Travellers along this route can share a pint in a Belfast pub, where their ancestors may have enjoyed their nightcaps.”

Travelweek: Is there a typical duration for ancestry tours, and are tours privately guided or are clients on their own?

Reilly: “Ancestry trips are completely customizable and vary in length however most of our guests opt for trips between one and two weeks.

“Travellers who prefer to have a guide throughout their trip will feel most comfortable with one of Brendan’s private chauffeur itineraries. Each of our chauffeurs is an expert in the destination and can offer tons of information while guests travel through the Scottish Highlands or around the Ring of Kerry.

“Guests will also have a Local Host to meet them at every stop on their journey to provide even more insights and personal stories in each city and town.

“Travellers who prefer to be on their own can book a Locally Hosted Rail or Self-Drive itinerary that allows travellers to explore on their own but also meet with Local Hosts to give them insider tips and information in each city – from the best local pub for a Guinness, to which jeweller makes the nicest Claddagh rings, and where guests’ ancestors may have lived or worked based on research.”

Travelweek: Can you give us the highlights from a sample itinerary from an ancestry travel client? 

Reilly: “We can use any itinerary as they are all sample itineraries and tailor it to the guest’s ancestry needs.

“For example, travellers interested in learning about the ancestry of the coastal villages of Ireland can use Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way itinerary as their guide with stops in Donegal, Westport, Connemara and more but then adapt the itinerary based on the knowledge of their own ancestral roots.

“Or travellers interested in searching for their history can pay a visit to Trinity College & the Book of Kells to witness the more than 200,000 books bursting with Irish history.

“We can even arrange for an elegant castle stay to give our guests the chance to feel as the ancient kings and queens did – such as Clonalis House, which was home to the kings of Ireland and Connacht for over 1,000 years.”

Travelweek: What’s one of the more interesting ancestry travel stories that you’ve come across?

Reilly: “Whilst it’s always rewarding to find homesteads, gravestones, government, and church records that prove ancestry, we often get to arrange meetings with relatives our guests didn’t even know existed. On one occasion, we helped organize a clan gathering for one guest of 20+ new relatives.”

Travelweek: What’s your best advice for agents interested in this niche?

 Reilly: “Do your research. When advisors present the possibility of an ancestry trip to a client they should be able to offer their assistance with the initial genealogical research whether that’s recommending a database or a DNA testing service.

“From there, advisors should have an idea of where certain lineages date back to, to suggest a general region of exploration such as Northern Ireland or to be more specific, Belfast. Always ask questions and try to get an idea of the client’s end goal. Is the client hoping to find an ancestral home or simply experience the culture of their relatives?

“The team at Brendan Vacations will take care of all the logistics but the more information we can get from advisors the better.”

Enjoying the craic in Ireland

For more information see https://www.brendanvacations.com/en-ca/travel-inspired/ancestry/. Check out part 2 of Travelweek’s ancestry travel series in an upcoming edition of Travelweek Daily.