LAS VEGAS — Globus has launched a new category of tours, Small Group Discovery, which average 15 to 18 guests. The tours are bookable now.
"What we're finding is that our guests, our mutual guests, want a more elevated and intimate experience, a more immersive experience," Camille Olivere, chief sales officer for the Globus family of brands, told travel advisors here during a special event launching the product at Virtuoso Travel Week.
She said Globus research indicated travelers want smaller group experiences. The new tours were "designed from the ground up" and were not based on existing Globus tour products that accommodate larger groups, she said.
Right now, 14 of the tours are being offered in Africa, 16 in Asia, two in Australia, nine in Europe, five in South America and five in North America. Departures start in 2025.
"They will all have unique, upscale accommodations and exclusive experiences," Olivere said. "Of course, we chose Virtuoso Travel Week to make this announcement, because you all really own that luxury space."
European tours average 15 guests with a maximum of 18. Destinations outside of Europe average 18 with a maximum of 24.
Those numbers, Olivere said, balance guest experience with Globus' ability to get smaller groups into more unique venues.
On the tours, guests will experience everything from private wine tastings, to cooking classes, to art classes. The tours offer an average of 14 excursions or experiences per tour, or two per day.
For example, guests might enjoy an after-hours poetry reading in the home of English poet William Wordsworth, accompanied by canapes and wine. Or a painter in Provence might take them on a local tour followed by a painting lesson.
"Each tour includes small-group exclusives that could not be experienced by a larger group," Olivere said.
The new class of tours join Globus' classic tours, which average 36 passengers, and small groups, which average 24.
"These Small Group Discoveries are at a premium, which means more money in your pocket, too," Olivere said.