by Bonnie Tai
With multigenerational travel predicted to make a comeback this year, it appears that it’s not only those in their ‘naughty forties’ who are looking to explore the road less travelled, as made apparent by a younger crowd joining Back-Roads Touring on its touring programs in Europe and the UK.
“We’ve got the mum and dad who might be in their 60s and 70s and their adult children in their 30s wanting to travel together, but they want to do it in such a way that appeals to both,” commented the group’s Head of Sales, Hugh Houston.
“We broadly say our demographic is 40, but interestingly, we are getting a lot of younger people becoming interested in travelling with Back-Roads just because of the proposition we offer.”
As the name suggests, the boutique operator takes travellers on an adventure off the beaten path, exploring what Houston calls, “the real Europe” and the “real UK”.
Continuing its tradition of crafting charming countryside tours, Back-Roads has unveiled its new 2016-17 cool-season brochure, titled Christmas Markets and Winter Lights.
New itineraries this year include: the eight-day ‘Imperial Cities: Prague, Vienna & Budapest tour’, the six-day ‘Christmas Time at Court House Manor’, and the eight-day ‘Essence of Iceland journey’.
“It’s about breaking away from those traditional European countries, and opening up Europe a little bit wider to show people places they haven’t been before,” according to Back-Roads general manager Hazel Moore, who’s pictured with Houston during a visit to Australia last month.
The tours are leisurely paced and offer exciting culinary experiences. “We make sure that you have those great food moments, letting people taste, as well as cook, some of the local delicacies from the countries they’re visiting,” she said.
The brochures are on the way to agents’ offices now.
