G Adventures has created a range of tailor-made tours in 11 destinations, as the operator caters for increased demand for customised travel.
Called TailorMade, the new range was developed after a G Adventures survey of more than 450 travel agents around the world.
The research found 84% reported an increase in requests for tailor-made travel and private tours.
Bruce Poon Tip (pictured), founder of G Adventures, said there is a gap in the market for tailor-made travel in the affordable and mid-market price ranges.
“The flexibility of TailorMade means travellers can combine experiential travel with customisation,” he said.
“While we’ve recognised an opportunity in the mid-range travel market, we’ll also be able to cater to higher-end tastes in transport, meals and accommodation.”
The 11 launch destinations for TailorMade are Botswana, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador (including Galápagos), India, Laos, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.
Two or three sample itineraries are available for each one, as inspiration for travellers making a TailorMade request.
Jeff Russill, senior marketing and product vice-president for G Adventures, said: “G Adventures’ new TailorMade trips tap into the current zeitgeist and the public’s growing interest in being able to ‘choose your own adventure’.
“Until now, we have only been able to provide our private group adventure travellers with a duplicate of an existing G Adventures itinerary.”
G Adventures is expanding its sales team and assigning specialists who will work with travel agents and customers to design the ideal itinerary.
Options will include tailored transportation, accommodation, meals, activities, pace of travel and budget.
Sample itinerary costs from £719 per person, based on two people on a seven-day ‘TailorMade: Bangkok to Chiang Mai Express’ tour. Prices will vary as sample itineraries are customised.
• G Adventures has selected four new G For Good community projects in Africa to mark International Women’s Day (March 8).
The operator and non-profit partner Planeterra already support 70 G For Good projects in destinations around the world.
The new projects are Tribal Textiles, a community-run fabric workshop in Zambia; Lusumpuko Women’s Club and Princess Sewing Cooperative in Zimbabwe; and AidChild’s Equation Café & Gallery in Uganda.
The schemes help women and young people in the areas visited by G Adventure clients.