TORONTO — The right product at the right time: that is the key to success in 2017, according to Insight Vacations CEO John Boulding. Joined by Insight Vacations Canada President Cris David and The Travel Corporation Canada President Jeff Element, Boulding spoke about his excitement for the travel industry in 2017.

“In 2016, there were many misconceptions about travel, especially Europe,” said Boulding, “but I’m now seeing participants at our consumer showcases focused on planning, not on fears.”

At Insight Vacations, clients, tour directors and contractors have all contributed to making tours better with their comments and suggestions, and as Boulding explained, there are three things that every traveller wants to experience.

“It’s all about the individual,” said Boulding, who said that food, bucket list aspirations and learning are key to making their travel experiences memorable. Unlike in the past, travellers are no longer just sightseeing, but want to take a step deeper and Insight Vacations has responded, with their tour directors in contact with guests prior to trips, to make sure their aspirations are met.

The Insight Vacations team

There is plenty of new offerings to lure Canadian travellers to Insight Vacations, including three new tours: Warsaw and The Baltic States, a nine-day tour through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia; Country Roads of Southern Scandinavia, a 13-day tour; and a Scandinavian Heritage tour, a 30-day trip with experiences in Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

As Insight Vacation Canada’s David explained, Ireland and Scotland are the most popular destinations with Canadians travelling with Insight Vacations, buoyed by the success of marketing campaigns by both countries to encourage visitors to explore their ancestry.

Another part of Scandinavia that is on every traveller’s bucket list is Iceland. “There is an endless number of people who now want to visit Iceland,” said David, “and my advice is to book early.” But not just Iceland. Many European destinations are high on Canadian lists, from Spain and Portugal in Western Europe to Croatia and Bosnia in Eastern Europe.

Another focus for Insight Vacations is its Luxury Gold Collection. Offering the next level of exclusivity, these A-list tours are focused on providing many more VIP experiences to guests and are available in Europe, North America, South America and Asia.

Boulding illustrated the in-depth offerings of the Luxury Gold Collection by sharing a recent experience from a trip that included a visit to Memphis and its most famous address: Graceland. Unlike most visitors who go on the regular tour, Luxury Gold guests take an after-hours tour with Elvis Presley’s best friend George Klein and enjoy dinner on site, learning about Presley more than one would ever know from the standard tour or the history books.

With a focus on its Luxury Gold Collection, new and updated itineraries and partnership with the Me to We Foundation, Insight Vacations is poised for continued success, said Boulding. “Travellers have left behind 2016 and 2017 is looking like it will be a busy year for us.”