Once upon a time an agent might have struggled to sell a walking holiday to their clients. A more limited product range made ‘roughing it’ a tough sell to all bar the hardiest of hikers.
Post-pandemic, however, a renewed appreciation of walking for one’s wellbeing has boosted demand for holidays that harness this power. At the same time, walking fits well with the strong growth in women-led travel, as well as meeting the desire to explore a destination beyond traditional sightseeing. For these reasons, Wayne Perks, managing director, Ramble Worldwide believes that “walking holidays sit at the crossroads of several major travel trends expected to surge in 2026”.
He continues: “More solo and small-group female travellers are seeking experiences that feel safe, social and empowering – walking trips tick all those boxes. At the same time, demand for active travel continues to rise, while interest is rapidly expanding for wellness-focused holidays, where travellers prioritise nature, movement and mental reset, for which walking holidays are a natural fit.”
“Together, these trends make walking trips one of the most commercially promising products for agents looking to grow sales in 2026.”
That’s not just sales patter… Ramble Worldwide has seen sales grow by 15% in the last year, while Intrepid Travel reports that trade bookings for its Walk and Trek trips rose by 16% in 2025 vs 2024. Headwater Active Holidays’ self-guided walking holidays are up 11% year-on-year, with Italy and France both increasing more than 30% year-on-year.
"There's definitely more demand," says Designer Travel's Caroline Bailey. "I never used to book walking holidays and now I've sold them to Greece, Spain, Scotland, Madeira and Portugal. People are looking to get more from a holiday these days."
A restorative holiday
An agent who’s keen to capitalise on this booming market is Travel Counsellor Jane Sedgwick, a keen walker herself: “I’ve done more extreme walks like Everest Base Camp and Mount Toubkal, but I also did a walking holiday with Explore to the Amalfi Coast last summer, which was just spectacular.”
Growing up near the Lake District, Jane Sedgwick says 'walking is in my blood'
Aside from walking being physical exercise, Sedgwick says the appeal lies in it being a slower pace of holiday. “It’s about taking that time out, and while you’re putting one foot in front of the other, nothing really comes into your mind because you’re soaking up the views, listening to the birds, watching the animals and engaging with locals as well. It’s one of the best ways of actually seeing a destination.”
“It’s mindfulness with great scenery,” she adds. "And there's a very obvious link between walking holidays and low-impact travel. What better way to care for our beautiful planet than to discover it on foot and engage with the local community."
Sedgwick is a Travel Counsellors ambassador for touring and adventure holidays, and this year, she plans to actively promote walking holidays by building closer relationships with three suppliers in particular, which are Explore, Inntravel and WeRoad. “This gives me the opportunity to educate the wider Travel Counsellor community,” she explains, “and to put that out there to my client base that these holidays are available and they can be booked through myself.”
“People that follow me and book with me, know that I love walking holidays, so they know I will put the right holiday in front of them.”
Adapt the holiday to your client's ability
The versatility of the product is something that Paul Britchford, head of operations, Headwater Active Holidays, is keen to showcase. “Walking holidays blend wellness, sustainability and authentic experiences, while also giving travellers the opportunity to embark on a packaged holiday at their own pace. They are a versatile product that agents can sell to customers to all ages and differing fitness levels, thanks to the range of comfort and activity levels on offer.”
Britchford’s top tip for agents is that they highlight the flexibility that comes from going self-guided, so that clients can set their own pace, while the finer details are taken care of, from routes and navigation to hotel bookings and luggage transfers. “This message will resonate with travellers who are seeking more than just a holiday, and are after an experience that feels personal, rewarding and memorable,” he says.
The empowering effect is something that walking enthusiast Tracey Laing, senior travel consultant at Border Global Travel, regularly sees in her clients who book walking holidays: “They return home absolutely buzzing from it,” she says. “It’s that sense of achievement, they’ve done something different, they’ve seen parts of countries that they wouldn’t normally see on a package holiday, and they’ve absolutely loved it.”
New for 2026, Ramble Worldwide is offering a three-night hiking break in Austria
A critical first step is matching clients to the right itineraries, says Perks. “Our tours, from gentle ambles to challenging hikes, are meticulously researched. Every route is personally walked, with grading checked by our team to ensure accuracy, enjoyment and safety. We have introduced one-to-one training sessions with key agents and our tour leaders to understand more about Ramble products and experiences and plan to develop this further in the coming year.”
Bailey suggests joining a local walking group to find a potential network of clients. "If there isn't one, set one up," she says. "It definitely helps me that I belong to a local ladies walking group."
Investing in agents
The growing popularity of walking holidays is attracting new players to enter the market. Independent walking specialist Involved Holidays was founded in 2021, and last year was its first dedicated year of trade activity, led by sales director Richard Forde, formerly of Newmarket Holidays.
He says: “As a key source market, the UK travel trade is a priority for Involved Holidays and we aim to continue to reinforce our commitment to travel agents throughout 2026, further growing our presence and boosting agent knowledge of our expansive product.”
In October 2025 Involved Holidays hosted its first ever fam, to Cyprus, for 12 agents to discover its style of relaxed walking holidays, and more fams are planned for 2026, including a UK location in the spring and the Algarve in the autumn. Forde adds: “We’ve recently launched a new online training portal, and there’s more to come in 2026 with long-haul product expansion, a new trade-facing website and an agent Facebook page.”
Involved Holidays hosted its first fam trip – to Cyprus – in October 2025
Meanwhile, established operators are growing their product ranges, with Ramble Worldwide expanding in India, Headwater beefing up its European and Japan portfolios, and Exodus Adventure Travels adding spice to the mix with a group tour in Sri Lanka, on the newly launched Pekoe Trail, and for the first time, a dedicated trekking trip in Vietnam. Intrepid has added trekking trips to Romania's Via Transilvanica and Krygyzstan's Tien Shan mountain range, to meet client demand for discovering new places away from the crowds.
Myth-busting
One of the misconceptions that Sedgwick is keen to dispel is the idea that walking holidays can’t be a premium product. “My husband and I like to do long-distance trails, where we are going from point to point every day. We do it in a more luxurious way. We’re not carrying all our kit, there’s a luggage transfer system in place. All you carry is a day sack, and there’s no time pressure. Last September we holidayed with Inntravel in the Channel Islands, and I noticed the difference in accommodation, it was more luxurious.”
Forde pitches walking holidays as a bridge between a full-on escorted tour or adventure holiday and a fly-and-flop, because they offer the “best of both worlds”.
He also suggests a subtle change in terminology can help capture a customer who might be showing hesitation: “We always advise that agents refer to our itineraries as holidays with walks, rather than using the tag walking holidays. We find this description to be a real game changer in terms of keeping clients in the conversation.
“Walking holidays can be off-putting to those who assume it is a rigid escorted tour with limited downtime. In fact, they offer the perfect balance for those wanting some activity but also rest and relaxation.”
Tracey Laing in Madeira: 'Walking holidays do not have to be challenging'
Laing also wants to debunk the notion that walking equals challenging: “It doesn’t have to be climbing mountains,” she says. “It can just be a gentle walk, taking in the scenery of the lakes or the coast.”
She encourages taking a wide view of the potential client base, with couples, solos and families all attracted by walking, and often as a social activity. “You meet like-minded people,” she adds. “It can be a way to make friends for life.”
And the best bit? Walking clients always come back for more, she says. “Oh, they’re always repeaters,” she assures. “I’ve done lots of walking and I’ve still got a big bucket list, from Cappadocia to Kilimanjaro.”
