Increase in demand for Italy has led Cosmos Tours & Cruises to expand its product offering. Keesia Samuels, product and commercial manager for Europe and North Africa, gives Abra Dunsby the lowdown.
Italy’s winning combination of natural beauty, history and standout cuisine makes it a perennial British favourite, and visitor numbers are expected to soar once again this year.
“Italy appeals to so many different types of customer: city breakers, skiers, beach-lovers… It’s also a safe destination and easy to get to, and offers a great choice of flights from all over the UK,” says Keesia Samuels, Cosmos Tours & Cruises’ product and commercial manager for Europe and North Africa.
It’s part of the reason why the operator has seen 5% growth over the whole Italian programme year-on-year in 2016.
Samuels says that the biggest sellers for Cosmos through the current peaks campaign, which ends February 28, have been its Reflections of the Swiss Alps & the Italian Lakes itinerary, as well as Lake Garda’s Gastronomy.
“The Swiss Alps and Italian Lakes trip is one of the few itineraries on the market that allows clients to visit lakes Como, Garda and Maggiore: other tour operators tend to offer Lake Garda on its own, or combine just Como and Maggiore,” explains Samuels.
Lake Garda’s Gastronomy is a celebration of the region’s food and drink. Highlights include a wine tour and tastings, and a cookery class in a villa near Bardolino, where clients can prepare homemade pasta and seasonal products.
“Lake Garda had always performed well, and when we started a culinary programme last year, it just flew,” says Samuels. “We weren’t anticipating the volumes we had. It became our most popular tour in Europe.”
The tour is delivering again this year for Cosmos thanks to its gastronomy-rich itinerary. “When I think of Italy, it always comes back to the food,” says Samuels.
The tour operator hopes to continue boosting Italy numbers with the introduction of three new specialist tours: Gourmet Tuscany; Venice, Florence and Rome by Rail; and Apulia, the Heel of Italy.
“While Italy is and always will remain popular for us, we wanted to introduce something different with the new tours,” explains Samuels, who describes the trips as “perfect for those who have already fallen in love with Italy and want to go back and explore further.”
The rail tour to Venice, Florence and Rome is the best performing of the new tours so far, something Samuels puts down to its mix of iconic cities, guided tours and including plenty of free time each day.
The new Gourmet Tuscany trip includes such culinary delights as olive oil and chocolate tastings, visits to a local baker and butcher’s shop, and lunch in a Tuscan farmhouse.
“It’s a real hands-on experience, and clients enjoy a foodie activity every day. Our culinary Italy tours also include lunches and dinners at local restaurants, so clients get a real Italian experience.”
The new Apulia, the Heel of Italy trip discovers the southern region’s beaches and culture-rich cities, visiting caves, castles and sun-washed piazzas along the way.
Samuels says Cosmos has experienced growth in the Apulia region in the last few years, which looks set to continue: it’s an area that’s very much untouched, and is great for those looking to discover a new part of Italy,” she adds.