Newmarket Holidays has brought out a Premier Collection of seven ‘wish-list’ escorted tours offering premium and slow-paced group travel experiences.
Of the seven tours in the new programme, three have been newly introduced by the operator for 2025-2026, and four already existed. Three tours depart this year.
Chief executive Niel Alobaidi said the aim was to increase the number of Premier Collection tours to 20 within the next three to four years, adding: “The vast majority will be new product.”
The collection follow feedback from travel agents and consumers for more premium product, more free time in destination, more centrally located hotels and smaller group sizes.
Groups are capped at 24 in the new collection, which offers luxury, boutique and characterful accommodation, with lighter-paced itineraries.
Tours range from palaces in India to safaris in South Africa and historic or luxury hotels of the Iberian Peninsula.
The three new tours for next year are: The Majestic Cities of Andalucia, a tour of Spain’s Moorish capitals while staying at hotels with good access to renowned landmarks; On Safari in South Africa – Luxury Safari Plain with Mauritius, a twin centre of a five-star, tented camp with a beach stay; and On Safari in South Africa.
“It is a slight change from what we have offered before. It is still led by the itinerary but the experience is more premium, it’s not purely around the quality of where you stay,” said Alobaidi, adding: “And you will have more time to do your own thing.”
The tours are already on the operator’s website but will also feature in the main brochure due out in June.
Verity Rice, director of product, purchasing and operations, said the collection would offer a product for agents to offer clients who want smaller group travel at a slower pace.
She added: “For agents, these tours will attract a wider range of customers, particularly in terms of the smaller groups, the handpicked, boutique accommodations situated to explore local highlights and the more leisurely pace of the itineraries.”