Wendy Wu Tours has chosen Scotland for its first domestic tour after nearly three-quarters of customers and agents polled by the Asia specialist said they, or their clients, were ready to book a UK break departing this year.
While the poll revealed international travel was the focus for Wendy Wu customers next year, 72% of customers said they would be keen to travel with the adventure expert to the Scottish Highlands.
The next most popular UK touring options arising from the poll were Ireland, Cornwall and north Wales.
To meet demand, the firm has announced a new 11-day "ultimate Scottish tourism experience", departing in October – and confirmed to TTG it was looking to develop additional UK touring programmes and product.
The Spirit of Scotland tour will be capped at 24 guests, and has been designed to offer an intimate, in-depth journey through Scotland’s cities, its islands and the Highlands.
Guests will head from Edinburgh to Inverness and onwards to the Isles of Skye and Mull before heading back to Glasgow via Loch Lomond.
Experiences include a guided tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia; an 84-mile round-trip on the Jacobite steam railway, best-known for its starring role in the Harry Potter film series as the Hogwarts Express; a boat trip to Mull; and a day on the Isle of Skye exploring the wilderness with a conservation expert.
There will also be opportunities to explore Edinburgh, visit Stirling Castle, tour Oban and take a Loch Lomond cruise, and admire the architecture of Glasgow.
Wendy Wu’s 11-day fully-inclusive Spirit of Scotland tour departs on 11 October and leads in from £2,490pp.
John Warr, Wendy Wu global sales director, said: “There’s a huge demand for staycations in 2021. Our Scotland tour has just gone on sale, and already we’re close to selling out on the first departure.
“Our poll, which spoke to agents and customers, was a clear indicator that demand to get away this year is high, and Scotland is top of the list as the most desirable UK staycation.”