TORONTO — Big growth in small-group tours? That’s an understatement.

Collette had 19 small-group Explorations tours in 2018. Today it has 52 – and in 2027, that number will climb to 60. At CIE Tours, 15-20% of the company’s total departure dates are now small-group departures. Globus has expanded its 2026 Small Group Discovery offering by more than 50%, now with 60 unique small-group itineraries. TTC Tour Brands, with one of the biggest touring portfolios in the industry, reports that small-group travel is one of its fastest-growing styles out of Canada, with bookings up year over year.

Meanwhile companies like G Adventures, Explore Worldwide and Intrepid Travel have always been boosters for small-group travel. It’s their specialty, it’s what they do. It’s their travel DNA.

What’s fuelling the growth? What are the trending destinations for this travel style? And after all, aren’t small-group tours just sized-down versions of big motorcoach tours?

Nope, says Steve Born, Chief Marketing Officer for the Globus family of brands. “Small groups translate to bigger wows. Travellers want access, authenticity and ease – and small groups unlock special-access experiences, boutique stays and deeper cultural encounters you simply can’t do with a larger group.”

Here are the three Ws – who, where and why – of small-group touring.

Family adventure on a G Adventures small-group trip in Hanoi, Vietnam (photo courtesy G Adventures)

WHO?

First, the numbers. There’s a real size range for small-group tours, as you can imagine. For a company like CIE Tours, small-group touring means no more than 26 passengers on a full-size coach (CIE Tours’ standard trips are 35 passengers on coaches designed for 44). With Collette, the average small-group size is 19. Globus’ average is 15 in Europe. And companies like G Adventures, Explore Worldwide and Intrepid tend to average 10 – 12 passengers on small-group tours. Many of those averages at the small end of the scale ramp up somewhat for non-Europe itineraries.

We asked these companies who they’re seeing on their small-group trips. For TTC Tour Brands – parent company of major brands including Trafalgar, Insight and more – the typical small-group guest from Canada “tends to be an experienced traveller looking for ease and enrichment,” says Jenni Berg, Director, Strategic Accounts, TTC Tour Brands. Boomers and Gen X, check and check.

Then there are the ‘tour-curious’, as Globus’ Born puts it. “Premium-leaning ‘tour-curious’ travellers are jumping into our Small Group Discovery tours. Alongside our loyal tour fans, we’re seeing Gen X and younger Boomers who might’ve gone DIY now opting for higher-touch, small-group experiences – driven by access and ease. In fact, our research shows that guided tours appeal to 74% of Gen X and 71% of younger Boomers – and small groups are the style of choice for the majority,” says Born.

Many companies tell Travelweek that Boomer grandparents and their Gen Z and Gen X offspring (and their kids) are also making small-group tours hugely popular for multigenerational trips.

Those multigen trips may not even include grandkids. Says Explore Worldwide’s Katy Rockett, Regional Director of North America: “We have seen a growing trend of multigenerational travel with parents travelling with their adult children, aged 20+. Gen Z are consistently prioritizing authentic, sustainable experiences, which is inherent in small-group travel. This has resulted in a wonderful overlap in interests amongst this generation and their parents, where we frequently see them seeking out bucket-list experiences, such as a safari in Botswana, to have that one last iconic family trip before they officially leave the nest.”

There’s noticeable growth in small-group tours among solo guests as well, as noted by Berg, Rockett and others. G Adventures, with a portfolio that’s exclusively small-group tours, launched its Solo-ish line last year. Of course, Just You, acquired by G Adventures several years ago, also has small-group tours for solos.

On a side note, G Adventures’ National Sales Manager, Erin Rogers says she’s also seeing more Canadians booking Private Group departures with their friends and/or family. “It’s proof that small-group travel doesn’t always have to mean travelling with strangers. This way they can choose the company they keep based on who gets the invite (and who doesn’t),” says Rogers, who adds that Canada is one of G’s strongest markets globally.

CIE Tours’ Chief Commercial Officer, Rosanne Zusman, tells Travelweek she’s seeing more repeat travellers: “Guests who first experienced a larger group tour and return for a small-group departure to explore destinations in greater depth.”

At Intrepid, CEO James Thornton says the clientele falls into three main groups. “University-educated women in the workforce who don’t have a lot of time to put together their own trips. Baby Boomers who want to have a great immersive experience. And Gen Z travellers in their 20s and early 30s.”

WHERE?

Now that you know you have small-group tour clients, what are some top destination? The tour operators shared their picks with us.

Collette’s small-group travel clients from Canada “are loving Africa and South Africa. African safaris, Victoria Falls and Botswana, and Cape Town to Cairo are all in our top tours for travellers departing in 2026,” says Collette’s VP, Canada, Ron Lonsdale.

Beginning in 2026, CIE Tours will feature three itineraries exclusively designed for small groups. Irish Supreme, a five-star luxury experience, is always limited to 26 guests or fewer, while the new small-group Walking & Hiking tours operate with as few as 8 guests and are capped at 16. Across CIE Tours’ remaining portfolio of more than 45 guided tours, travellers can choose between standard and small-group departures.

Canadians are craving an experiential style of travel, notes Rockett. YOY growth for Explore Worldwide’s European tours is 23%, with a particular interest in both cycling adventures and culinary-centred tours. Top picks including cycling the vineyards in France’s Loire Valley and Croatia’s Dalmatian coastline to culinary deep dives in Tuscany and Sicily in Italy.

In October 2025 TTC Tour Brands added small-group tours for UK and Ireland specialist Brendan Vacations. Top destinations for small-group travel with TTC Tour Brands include Italy, Spain and Morocco.

Meanwhile, “Asia is having a real moment right now, with Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea leading the way,” says G Adventures’ Rogers. “Travellers are craving that mix of culture, food, and variety, and our small-group style makes it easy to dive deeper and experience these destinations beyond the usual tourist trail.” Strong bookings are also coming in for two of G’s all-time top sellers – Costa Rica and Peru – while emerging destinations like Colombia, the Balkans, Indonesia and the Stans are getting off-the-beaten-track buzz.

Collette offers 52 small-group Explorations tours in 2026 – and in 2027, that number will climb to 60. Cultural immersion is a big selling point for small-group tours (photo credit Collette from an Explorations trip to a Masai village)

WHY

Finally, we asked these tour ops why the small-group travel style is so appealing, and selling so well.

“The big distinctive element” in favour of small-group travel vs. FIT is safety and security, says Intrepid’s Thornton. Safety has always been key, but as travel is increasingly impacted by geopolitical events, it’s become a real issue.

CIE Tours’ Zusman notes that according to 2025 MMGY research, 85% of Canadian travellers appreciate the sense of safety group tours provide, and many favour smaller, more intimate formats.

The ‘pro’ list for small-group trips, according to Explore Worldwide’s Rockett, also includes more cultural immersion, more genuine connections with locals, more trip flexibility and efficiency, less impact on local infrastructure, and more opportunities to check out smaller gems like family-run restaurants, local markets and boutique hotels.

Tour designers are able to find opportunities for travellers to get a real feel for the destination, “to meet the locals, and have experiences that you can’t find by doing simple research,” says Collette’s Lonsdale. “The smaller numbers allow travellers to stay in unique accommodations – such as an igloo in Finland — that wouldn’t otherwise be possible with a large group.”

Exploring Iceland’s Solheimajokull glacier with Intrepid Travel (photo credit Siena Nisavic for Intrepid Travel)

OVERCOMING MYTHS & FEARS

Have you heard this one from your clients? “But I’m not a group tour person.” G Adventures has. “Most of the hesitation to book tours comes down to people worrying they’ll lose their independence, get stuck with a group that’s not their vibe, or feel like they’re being herded around. The truth is, G Adventures trips aren’t like that,” says Rogers.

Asked for tips for travel advisors looking to showcase small-group travel’s benefits, Rogers says: “Advisors can remind clients that our travellers are like-minded: curious, open, and passionate about connecting with the world. It’s travel that gives people freedom and connection. That’s what makes it so special.”

Focus on the fact that small-group tours offer structure with a balance of included activities, guest choices and a healthy dose of free time, suggests Globus’ Born.

On small-group tours, vacationers can still enjoy the structure, storytelling, and camaraderie that make guided travel so rewarding, while at the same time appreciating extra space and a slightly slower pace, says CIE Tours’ Zusman.

Sounds perfect.

This article appears in the Jan. 15, 2026 edition of Travelweek; click here to read the issue.

Lead image caption: Madrone Winery in Sonoma (photo courtesy TTC Tour Brands)