2023 is shaping up to be another year of “revenge travel,” with advance reservations on the rise. The pandemic is now in the past. According to industry surveys, tourists are more confident about making reservations for their ideal getaways months or even years in advance to guarantee their places at the most sought experiences. Companies that specialize in luxury hotel barge cruises like European Waterways, which reports advance booking increases of up to 25% compared to pre-pandemic levels, are benefiting from the trend.
According to Derek Banks, managing director of European Waterways, “Our cabins and charters sold faster and more consistently through 2023, and they continue strong through 2024, 2025, and beyond. Call it’revenge travel’, ‘Fear of Missing Out,’ or simply a reflection of continuing, pent-up demand. The large fleet of his business travels through the canals and smaller rivers of Europe and the UK.
Banks remarked that European Waterways is in a good position to accommodate these visitors. The company’s small, cozy boats go through some of the most picturesque terrain in the world, some with breathtaking, untouched vistas that haven’t altered in decades. Their daily excursions take visitors to opulent estates, castles, wineries, and distinctive local characters like aristocrats, canal lockkeepers, and gardeners. These characters may share a meal or afternoon tea with the guests, give them a private tour, or regale them with tales of romance, intrigue, and old-world lore and traditions.
As people eventually come out of their epidemic “lockdowns,” travelers are looking for these kinds of in-country cultural immersions, according to Banks. In order to accommodate rising demand, the company recently launched the Kir Royale in the French Champagne region, he added.
Putting Up a Glass
Burgundy, a region of France, is well known around the world for its fine wines and magnificent landscapes that are rich in romance and history. The eight-passenger Renaissance, the flagship hotel barge of European Waterways, travels along the Canal de Briare, one of the nation’s oldest canals that links the Rhone and Saône rivers with the Seine valley. The voyage offers visitors a view of a picturesque landscape filled with opulent chateaux, peaceful towns, and Sancerre’s undulating limestone hills, which many believe create “the ultimate French Sauvignon Blanc.”
A wine tasting at the La Perriere winery, famous for its Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, is one of the highlights of a cruise. At the privately held Château de La Bussière, there is additionally a cooking demonstration. Its meticulously renovated interior is home to a sizable collection of fishing-related artifacts and is known as “the fisherman’s castle.” The seven-lock flight at Rogny-Les-Sept-Ecluses, which is recognized as a national historic monument, and a cruise across the Gustave Eiffel-designed aqueduct over the River Loire are other highlights.
Renaissance offers themed cruises for kids, sports fans, and wine lovers, among others, in addition to its traditional excursions on the Upper Loire and in Western Burgundy.
A Higher Terrain
The Scottish Highlands are among the most famous and dramatic places on earth. They have a rich history that has been the inspiration for innumerable pieces of literature and art, and they still draw millions of tourists every year. National Geographic has named it one of the “Best of the World” locations in 2023 for its stunning natural scenery and deep-water lakes, or lochs.
The purpose-built 12-passenger Spirit of Scotland, one of European Waterways’ newest boats, has an open-air upper deck that is perfect for taking in the area’s splendor while the boat travels the magnificent Caledonian Canal. The canal, an amazing engineering achievement that was completed in 1822, runs from Inverness to Fort William, through charming towns and tranquil lochs that include the well-known Loch Ness.
Highlights of the itinerary include a falconry display on the shores of Loch Ness, a tour and private tasting at the Ben Nevis whisky distillery, and excursions to castles like the recognizable Eilean Donan, the enigmatic Urquhart, and Cawdor, with its vibrant gardens. A visit of the Culloden battlefield, where British government forces defeated Prince Charles Edward Stuart’s soldiers in 1746 as they were seeking to restore the throne as the legitimate king, is one of the excursions that people remember.
The Spirit of Scotland offers themed cruises for children and golfers, as well as garden cruises and whisky trail cruises, in addition to the traditional trip.
Source- Travel daily