More Travel Options for Young Gap Year Travellers

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. October 14, 2008

UNITED KINGDOM, November 18, 2005. Youth travel organiser, Contiki, is experiencing a higher demand than ever before from young travellers choosing pre-planned itineraries for their gap year and career gap travel, rather than heading off with a map of the world and a trans-continental rail pass.

Contiki's Marketing Manager Sarah Brooks said "many 18 - 35's now choose tailor-made itineraries which can be slotted together to create a personalised travel itinerary, rather than leaving it to chance. Aside from the safety issue, this also allows travellers to meet like-minded people and enjoy a far more sociable trip."

Travel safety concerns are particularly prevalent among solo females and around 60% of Contiki's clients are female, a further 54% being under 25 years of age.

Contiki has just launched its two European touring programmes for 2006/7, `Contiki Time Out and `Contiki Concept' and for the first time features Croatia, Jordan and Turkey. The most popular of Contiki' mix and match itineraries visit countries including France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Spain plus Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and Russia.

The new tour offering has been designed to appeal to both first time travelers and experienced travelers. Contiki built its reputation for tours covering multiple destinations but the single country tours are increasingly popular.

Ibiza is featured on one of Contiki's new tours, the 12-day Spanish Spree which couples this island break with stays in Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Granada and Barcelona, for travellers who want see more than the beach and clubs. The tour costs from lb599 with accommodation, transport including ferry transfers, sightseeing and some meals.

The 8 day Magic of Israel & Jordon itinerary costs from lb649 per person includes visits to Petra, the Negev Desert, Jerusalem, Galilee and Tel Aviv, with a night's stay in a Kibbutz, one night in a desert camp and 5 nights in superior tourist class hotels.

Turkey can be explored with the eight-day itinerary, with remarkable Istanbul and the thermal pool and calcium terraces of Pamukkale highlights on Contiki's vibrant Turkish Delight package priced from lb415.

Sarah Brooks continued "It's not just the younger traveller who is driving this trend, but increasingly anxious parents who prefer their offspring to have a better organised and safer travelling arrangement will pay for part of the trip if it's pre-booked. By bringing in more exotic locations we're satisfying both the traveller's zest for gap year experiences and the parents' are happier knowing where they will be travelling to".

Contiki's new European brochures feature tours from 3 to 46 days' duration, with accommodation, touring itineraries and pre-planned excursions, overnight accommodation in Contiki hotels, resorts, tourist hotels or under canvas. The Concept programme reflects the original Contiki concept of high value and low cost, while the Time-Out brochure provides for the more discerning travellers' creature comforts.