European river cruises and UK short breaks head bookings at Titan Travel

Holidaymakers have opted for UK short breaks and European river cruises over long-haul journeys to hotter climates thousands of miles away.

Leading travel operator Titan Travel has reported a sea change in customer preferences during lockdown.

Between April 1 and July 1 the company received a spike in new bookings for its UK short breaks and river cruises. Prior to lockdown, long-haul places including  Asia and Africa were among its most booked tours.

Lockdown demand

Andy Squirrell, managing director of Titan Travel, said: “For the first time in Titan history, our UK tours were outselling our worldwide tours as the demand for domestic and no-fly holidays surged between April and July.

“As international travel slowly begins to resume we’re seeing more interest flood in for our long-haul holidays.

Holiday transfer

"Many travellers have already transferred their 2020 holiday to next year with Canada, the USA and Asia booking particularly well for 2021.”

From Cornwall to Cambridge, Norfolk to Durham, Titan’s collection of UK Short Breaks tours showcase the best of the British Isles.

Filled with breath-taking landscapes, Titan's North Wales Short Break generated the most new bookings during lockdown.

Titan Travel offers a five-day North Wales Short Break tour, from £769 per person. The holiday includes four nights hotel accommodation, eight meals and three excursions. Based on departures July 29, 2021.

High demand

With smaller on-board capacity and no-fly options available, it’s little surprise that Titan’s European River Cruises were also high in demand during lockdown.

Titan’s Tulips and Windmills tour brought in the most new bookings for 2021 departures, followed by Melodies of the Danube and The Enchanting River Douro.

An eight-day Melodies of the Danube river cruise costs from £1,599 per person. The tour includes seven nights’ aboard MS Serenade 1 or MS River Discovery II, 20 meals and return flights from London Heathrow. Based on departures August 11, 2021.

Lockdown bookings weren’t exclusively reserved to UK and European breaks with many of Titan’s worldwide tours also being booked early for 2021 getaways. Titan’s South African Tracks of Africa was most in demand.

African adventure

A 17-day Tracks of Africa escorted tour costs from £4,999 per person. The tour includes 12 nights’ hotel accommodation, two nights aboard Rovos Rail, 24 meals, and 11 excursions. Based on departures March 14, 2021.

To see the full collection of holidays, go to www.titantravel.co.uk.

(main picture: Budapest by, Getty Images).