The opening up of international travel this summer has delivered a ‘dramatic increase’ in group bookings according to The Scenic Group which is renewing its focus on groups.
According to the tour operator, which includes brands such as Emerald Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Mayflower Cruises & Tours and Evergreen Tours, pent-up demand caused by pandemic lockdowns is thought to be behind much of the rise, with larger groups opting to splash out on bucket list cruises.
Andrea Stafford, Scenic Group’s director of trade sales, said: “It’s been an unexpected bonus for us. In fact, the rise in groups business has made us look again at how we treat that whole area of our operation. We have renewed our focus on groups and streamlined the entire booking process to make things as simple as possible.”
Scenic’s focus on groups has also seen it offer a Reader Club familiarisation trip with Group Leisure & Travel this October to enable GTOs to experience the product first-hand.
Group benefits with The Scenic Group include discounts, on-board credit and extras such as private transfers and drinks packages depending on the sailing.
Among the trips announced for its Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours brand in 2023, is a Rhine River itinerary uncovering castles and vineyards, with an extension taking in Ljubljana and Zagreb and a visit to the family home of renowned French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
Emerald Cruises has also introduced an 11-day itinerary next year called The Grand Danube, which includes stops at Engelhartszell and Krems in Austria.
Andrea Stafford added: “Both Scenic and Emerald Cruises offer a range of exclusive excursions and experiences which go down well with groups looking for something special.”
Scenic Group has grown over its 36-year history to include river and ocean cruises and land journeys that take guests to many of the world’s most fascinating destinations covering all seven continents.
For more information, go to www.scenic.co.uk
