TORONTO — All signs are pointing to a hopeful 2021 for Globus family of brands, which is seeing good results for its Europe and North America lineups.

During a media briefing this morning, Managing Director Stéphanie Bishop shared many reasons for hope next year, for both the company and travel advisors. Following the success of Globus’ first tour since March, Bishop said this momentum is carrying into 2021, supported by new product, enhanced safety protocols and its close relationship with the agent community.

“We’re obviously not out of the woods yet but there are lots of reasons for hope,” she said. “The trends that we’re seeing suggest that the second half of 2021 will be quite good. We feel that by working certain concepts like innovation and touch-free experiences, we can still create really good memories and journeys that travellers will enjoy.”

In addition to positive feedback about Globus’s Europe and United States & Canada 2021 programs, which were launched last week, Bishop added that there’ll be plenty of opportunities for travel advisors next year, thanks to future travel credits. As of now, about two-thirds of all future travel credits, across all brands, have yet to be redeemed.

“Guests have been changing and moving their trips from early 2021 to the second half of 2021, and doing so without incurring any penalties thanks to our Peace of Mind policy,” said Bishop. “Although new bookings remain soft, our phone lines are still busy. So there’s a real opportunity to look to the future and, from an advisor’s perspective, to engage with the clients and continue to engage with them until we get to the other side.”

Looking even more promising is the year 2022, added Bishop.

“Given the wide range of clients that we have, we’re also seeing some people booking into 2022. People who’ve booked in March, April and May may have made the decision to wait until 2022, which is why our bookings for 2022 are very strong,” she said. “I think there’ll even be a point where we’ll have a bit of a challenge because once all these future travel credits get booked, we’ll have to juggle inventory.”

To prepare travel advisors for this inevitable influx of revenue, Globus has focused on enhancing communication lines with the agent community and is reminding them of its many support tools, including destination training and a booking engine that Bishop says is easier to use than ever. Globus also pays commission at time of final payment as well as on future travel credits.

“Our position is that the advisor needs more than just encouraging sentiments and general messages. What’s needed are practical business solutions, effective tools and some keen insight into solving problems and generating some revenue, because revenue is all that everyone is focused on,” said Bishop. “This partnership, what we call the Power of the Globus Family, is guided by our sincere interest in travel advisors. They’re our superheroes and are very much part of tomorrow’s success.”

This morning’s media session also included an overview of the various ways travellers can escape with Globus family of brands in 2021. They are as follows:

OFF-SEASON ESCAPES

According to Chris Jones, Director of Marketing, though Globus’ Off-Season Escapes is seldom talked about, it has been a growing product for the brand for several years.

“If you think summer is the best time to travel and explore, think again,” he said. “The off-season presents milder temperatures, fewer crowds and better deals. Travelling from November through March provides savings of up to 40%.”

Escapes by Globus, vacations featuring low-season departures and high value, are priced between 30-40% below high-season itineraries. Escapes scheduled for the fall of 2021 include ‘Scottish Highlands Escape’ (6 days, priced from $1,109), ‘North of Ireland Escape’ (7 days, from $1,169), and ‘Southern Italy Escape’ (9 days, from $1,589).

SMALL-GROUP DISCOVERIES

In 2021, Globus and Cosmos are making Small-Group Discovery tours available on all itineraries in North America, Europe, Central & South America, Asia, Africa and select departures in the South Pacific. These tours average just 24 guests; the average cost difference is the price of a typical room upgrade.

The top five Small-Group Discoveries are Newfoundland & Labrador (Globus); Irish Discover (Cosmos); Portugal in Depth (Globus); Seven Countries, Venice & Paris (Cosmos); and Celtic Highlights (Globus).

EUROPEAN PRIVATE TOURS

“Private tours are no longer just for the 1% of the travelling population,” said Bishop. “When the world opens, we’re ensuring that travellers can go with a group of trusted friends and family. It’s a really good option that takes an itinerary in our brochure collection, and makes it into a private tour with your own little bubble.”

Designed for parties from two to two dozen, the Private Touring program was first launched in 2018 for Globus. It will be available with Cosmos for the first time in 2021.

OFF-THE-BEATEN-PATH ADVENTURES

‘Undiscovered’ tours in Italy, Great Britain and the Mediterranean will now be available in North America for the first time in 2021. The new Undiscovered North America program will include nine itineraries ranging from eight to 14 days and are as follows:

1. Globus Bourbon, Bridles & Bluegrass (8 days, priced from $3,369)
2. Globus Lost Canyons of the Southwest (9 days, priced from $3,709)
3. Globus New England & The Hudson Valley (10 days, priced from $4,269)
4. Globus Southern California Charms (10 days, priced from $4,889)
5. Cosmos Exploring the Pacific Northwest (9 days, priced from $2,549)
6. Globus Québec In Depth with the Gaspé Peninsula (11 days, priced from $4,189)
7. Cosmos Alaska & the Yukon (12 days, priced from $3,579)
8. Cosmos Historic Trails & Blue Ridge Mountains (14 days, priced from $3,149)
9. Cosmos Western Canada with Inside Passage (13 days, priced from $3,689)

ON YOUR OWN EXPLORATION

For added flexibility and freedom, Bishop suggests booking with Monograms, which allows travellers to choose the way they want to travel. New for 2021 are Off-Season Monograms Europe and, for the first time, North America itineraries. They are:

• EUROPE: London; London and Paris; Rome and Florence as well as Rome, Florence & Venice.
• Unite States: New Orleans, Nashville, San Diego and San Francisco

BOAT-IQUE SAILING

River cruising with Avalon Waterways, also part of the Globus family of brands, allows travellers to cruise without a crowd and explore new cultures in intimate settings. Avalon’s Suite Ships in Europe carry an average of 150 guests, although some are much smaller (ships on the Mekong River have just 18 staterooms and accommodate 36 cruises). Plus, while fellow passenger numbers are low, Avalon’s onboard crew ratio is high; on every ship, the average guest-to-crew ratio is 3:1.

Globus family of brands’ Peace of Mind Travel Plan is attached to all 2021 bookings, giving travellers the flexibility to move vacations to any other 2021 or 2022 date, destination, itinerary or even another brand, as long as the booking is moved before the final payment date. For more information go to https://www.globusjourneys.ca/peace-of-mind/.