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The best tour operators in the world: 2023 Readers' Choice Awards

It’s been a challenging few years for tour operators but the names below are in it for the long haul (as well as the short and medium), honing itineraries and managing expectations. So who prepared your travel documents this year? Red Savannah and Black Tomato scored highest for first-hand knowledge, and Exodus Adventure Travels and Abercrombie & Kent for on-the-ground support. But when it came to all-round endeavour, Scott Dunn and The Turquoise Holiday Company were leaders of the pack. Both report a surge of interest in Asia, as well as multi-generational travel, solo adventures to Namibia, Bhutan and Mexico, and authentic experiences such as outback stations in Australia and bear lodges in Canada.

These are the best tour operators in the world, according to the 2023 Readers' Choice Awards . The scores below are percentages representing overall average levels of satisfaction.

The best general tour operators in the world 2023

15. Cox & Kings. Score 88.00

14. Hayes & Jarvis. Score 89.44

13. Carrier. Score 90.73

12. Simpson Travel. Score 91.48

11. Kuoni. Score 92.82

10. Mr & Mrs Smith. Score 93.29

9. Kensington Tours. Score 94.14

8. Audley Travel. Score 94.77

7. Original Travel. Score 95.44

6. Cazenove + Loyd. Score 95.92

5. The Ultimate Travel Company. Score 96.75

4. Abercrombie & Kent. Score 97.12

3. Elegant Resorts. Score 97.39

2. Red Savannah. Score 97.96

• The Turquoise Holiday Company. Score 98.42

The best travel specialists in the world 2023

15. Wild Frontiers. Score 94.81

14. Martin Randall Travel. Score 95.17

13. Intrepid Travel. Score 95.40

12. Wilderness. Score 96.54.

11. Inntravel. Score 96.88

10. Oxford Ski Company. Score 97.15

9. Kirker Holidays. Score 97.47

8. andBeyond. Score 97.61

7. Ampersand Travel. Score 97.65.

6. InsideJapan Tours. Score 97.79

5. Steppes Travel. Score 97.88

4. Black Tomato. Score 98.03

3. Exodus Adventure Travels. Score 98.15

2. Healing Holidays. Score 98.35

• Scott Dunn. Score 98.70

• Travel, Tourism & Hospitality ›

Leisure Travel

Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships). A paid subscription is required for full access.

Market cap of leading tour operators worldwide 2023

As of September 2023, German-based multinational group TUI AG was the tour operator company with the highest market cap worldwide. As of that month, TUI's market cap exceeded three billion U.S. dollars. UK-based tour operator Jet2 plc and Australian company Flight Centre Travel Group Limited followed in the ranking, with a market cap of 2.96 billion and 2.8 billion U.S. dollars, respectively. Meanwhile, Booking Holdings recorded the highest market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide as of September 2023.

Market cap of leading travel agency and tour operator companies worldwide as of September 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

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September 2023

as of September 18, 2023

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• Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
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Statistics on " Travel agencies in the United Kingdom (UK) "

• Annual output of travel agencies and tour operators in the UK 2010-2022
• Monthly output growth of travel agencies and tour operators in the UK 2019-2023
• Market size of the travel agency industry in the UK 2013-2023
• Turnover of travel agencies in the UK 2008-2022
• Gross value added (GVA): travel agencies in the UK 2008-2022
• Travel agency, tour operator, and reservation services employment in the UK 2015-2021
• Number of businesses in the travel agency industry in the UK 2023, by employment size
• Number of businesses in the travel agency industry in the UK 2013-2023
• Number of retail travel agents in the UK 2019-2023
• Number of retail travel agents in the UK 2023, by retailer
• Most popular amusement, cruise, and travel brands in the UK Q4 2023
• TUI UK Limited revenue 2015-2022
• TUI UK Limited net income 2015-2022
• Number of TUI AG employees worldwide 2011-2023, by region
• Turnover of Hays Travel Limited in the UK 2008-2023
• Key information on the online travel agency industry in the UK January 2023
• Revenue of On the Beach Group plc in the UK 2012-2022, by segment
• Net income of On the Beach in the UK 2014-2022
• Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2012-2023, by region
• Lastminute.com Group revenue worldwide 2019-2023, by country
• Preferred methods to book the next overseas holiday in the UK October 2022
• Preferred methods to book the next overseas holiday in the UK October 2022, by age
• Leading holiday travel provider websites in the UK Q1 2024, by share of voice
• Hotel / private accommodation online bookings by brand in the UK 2024
• Package holiday bookings by brand in the UK 2024

Other statistics that may interest you Travel agencies in the United Kingdom (UK)

• Premium Statistic Annual output of travel agencies and tour operators in the UK 2010-2022
• Premium Statistic Monthly output growth of travel agencies and tour operators in the UK 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Market size of the travel agency industry in the UK 2013-2023
• Premium Statistic Turnover of travel agencies in the UK 2008-2022
• Premium Statistic Gross value added (GVA): travel agencies in the UK 2008-2022
• Premium Statistic Travel agency, tour operator, and reservation services employment in the UK 2015-2021
• Basic Statistic Number of businesses in the travel agency industry in the UK 2023, by employment size
• Premium Statistic Number of businesses in the travel agency industry in the UK 2013-2023

Travel agents

• Premium Statistic Number of retail travel agents in the UK 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of retail travel agents in the UK 2023, by retailer
• Premium Statistic Leading travel agents ranked by number of outlets in the UK 2024
• Basic Statistic Most popular amusement, cruise, and travel brands in the UK Q4 2023
• Premium Statistic TUI UK Limited revenue 2015-2022
• Premium Statistic TUI UK Limited net income 2015-2022
• Basic Statistic Number of TUI AG employees worldwide 2011-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Turnover of Hays Travel Limited in the UK 2008-2023

Online travel agencies

• Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment
• Premium Statistic Key information on the online travel agency industry in the UK January 2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of On the Beach Group plc in the UK 2012-2022, by segment
• Premium Statistic Net income of On the Beach in the UK 2014-2022
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2012-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Lastminute.com Group revenue worldwide 2019-2023, by country
• Premium Statistic Skyscanner annual revenue 2011-2021

Booking behavior

• Premium Statistic Preferred methods to book the next overseas holiday in the UK October 2022
• Premium Statistic Preferred methods to book the next overseas holiday in the UK October 2022, by age
• Premium Statistic Leading holiday travel provider websites in the UK Q1 2024, by share of voice
• Premium Statistic Hotel / private accommodation online bookings by brand in the UK 2024
• Premium Statistic Package holiday bookings by brand in the UK 2024

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

15 Best Tour Companies of 2024

Tour companies like Intrepid Travel and G Adventures can help you create the experience of a lifetime. Choosing the right company depends on your destination and travel preferences.

Guided tours can be a great way to experience a new destination, but you want to make sure you get the best experience possible. How can you find the best tour companies to guide your adventure?

Whether you’re looking for group trips, self-guided tours, river cruises, tours for solo travelers, or overseas adventure travel, you want to find a tour operator that can deliver a seamless, enjoyable, and authentic experience, all without zeroing out your bank account.

Here are the top 15 tour companies out there today. I’ll walk you through what each excels at and how to pick the best one for you.

• Our Top Picks
• Best Tour Company Overall: Intrepid Travel
• Best Small Group Tour Company: G Adventures
• Best for Day Tours: Get Your Guide
• Best Tour Company for Solo Travelers: Go Ahead Tours
• Best Tour Company for Families: Adventures by Disney
• Best Tour Company for Seniors: Trafalgar
• Best Tour Company for Europe: Tauck
• Best Tour Company for Italy: Insight Vacations
• Best Tour Company for Ireland and Scotland: CIE Tours
• Best Iceland Tour Company: Nicetravel Iceland
• Best Tour Company for Spain and Portugal: Cosmos
• Best Egypt Tour Company: Exodus
• Best Asia Tour Company: Klook
• Best Tour Company for Israel: Click Tours
• Best Tour Company for Greece: Epos Travel Tours

Intrepid Travel : Best Tour Company Overall

When you imagine travel tours, you may picture massive group tours and a bus packed with 50 noisy, gawking tourists.

That’s not what you get with Intrepid Travel . This company specializes in adventurous and immersive small group tours with an average of 10 people.

Operating on all seven continents, Intrepid offers a huge range of trip types to fit any traveler. You can choose biking tours across New Zealand, river cruises in Europe, trekking in the Himalayas, or wildlife safaris in the Serengeti. There are options for all-female adventures, family expeditions, active trips for adventure travelers, or trips catering specifically to 18-29 year olds.

If you don’t want to spend the trip of a lifetime sitting on your butt looking out a bus window, Intrepid Travel is for you. Their group trips are designed to fully immerse you in the culture and beauty of a new place. Here are two examples of what you’ll get from Intrepid Travel:

With the Alaska: Hike, Bike, & Kayak tour, you are led by an expert guide on a range of active adventures through some of Alaska’s best scenery and national parks. You’ll go sea kayaking, cycle along the rugged Alaskan coast, and hike through Denali National Park.

If you’re looking for more of a cultural experience, the Premium Sri Lanka tour is an incredible journey through the culture, history, food, and wildlife of this island. You’ll explore ancient temples, eat incredible food with locals, and search for leopards in the country’s wildlife preserves.

One last perk: Intrepid Travel is a Certified B-Corp, meaning they are dedicated to doing good in the world. They donate to worldwide relief causes and offset the carbon footprint of every trip they operate.

G Adventures : Best Small Group Tour Company

If you’re looking for small group tours, G Adventures is one of the best in the category. Just like with Intrepid, their tour groups average 10 people, so, with G Adventures, you won’t have to deal with being part of a massive hoard of tourists.

So what sets G Adventures apart? Unlike many tour operators, they focus on helping you get exactly the experience you’re looking for instead of packing every day with a rigid schedule. Every trip offers a wide range of optional activities that you can pick and choose from to personalize your experience. Plus, you can opt for more free time to explore or hang out on your own.

I also love that G Adventures hires all local guides. They put a lot of emphasis on their guides, even calling them CEOs (chief experience officers). That means you get local, insider expertise on your trip. Your tour director will speak the local language, know the best spots to eat, and fully understand the culture.

If you’re looking for big luxurious hotels and resorts, G Adventures probably isn’t for you. Instead of going to the big chain hotels, G Adventures uses locally owned and operated lodgings.

This has two benefits. First, you get a much more authentic local experience. Big hotel chains don’t have the same charm and character as a true local hotel. Second, your money will go toward benefiting the local economy rather than some giant corporation. That’s a big win for G Adventures in my book.

Get Your Guide : Best for Day Tours

You may not need or want a fully guided multi-day group tour, But sometimes it’s nice to have the guidance of a local expert for a truly unique experience that you couldn’t get otherwise. Choosing day tours is a great way to get the benefits of guided group tours without being stuck with a tour group for your entire trip.

Get Your Guide is my favorite resource for finding amazing day tours, entry tickets, and other travel experiences. It’s perfect for more independent travelers who can manage the details of their own trip, but are looking for shorter guided tours.

How does it work? Get Your Guide is essentially an online marketplace where you can search for and reserve tours, museum passes, adventure activities, and more.

For example, let’s say you’re planning a trip to Sweden. On Get Your Guide, you could book a dog sled adventure to see the northern lights, a day cruise on an icebreaker ship, a “ghost-walk” historical tour of Old Stockholm, and a guided ice climbing excursion.

I’m already getting excited about that trip.

Go Ahead Tours : Best Tour Company for Solo Travelers

Solo travel can be a bit intimidating, especially if you don’t have a lot of travel experience. I’ve found that group tours can be a great way to ease some of the stress and make it easier to enjoy your trip as a solo traveler.

Go Ahead Tours is one of the best tour companies that specializes in trips for solo travelers. With their solo trips, you always get a private room at no extra cost, and the other travelers in your tour group will also be solo—so you don’t end up as the awkward 17th wheel in someone else’s family vacation. As a solo traveler with Go Ahead Tours, you get all the benefits and security of a group trip, and you’ll meet other amazing people traveling the world on their own.

Go Ahead Tours focuses on small group itineraries in tour destinations around the globe, from popular destinations to locations off the beaten path. Want a food-centric trip across Italy? Check. Want to visit South America and hike to Machu Picchu? Check. How about a wildlife safari in Kenya? Yep, they’ve got that. Go Ahead Tours offers the best group tours for solo travelers, and you may even make some new friends on the way.

Adventures by Disney : Best Tour Company for Families

Family travel can seem complicated, especially if you have younger kids. Group tours can help simplify planning the dream trip, but tour operators often plan trips focused on adults, so younger travelers may get bored quickly.

Adventures by Disney is one of the few group travel companies that specialize in family-oriented trips and tours, from South America to Scandinavia. Disney Vacations designs their group trips to have something for everyone: wine tastings for the adults, adventure scavenger hunts for the kids, and sights and experiences that will engage your entire family.

Disney Adventures trips are a bit pricier than many other group travel companies, so not all families will be able to afford them. However, if you can make it work with your budget, your family will get an amazing experience that you just won’t find from more mainstream travel.

Trafalgar : Best Tour Company for Seniors

Trafalgar is one of the biggest (and best) group travel companies in the world. They offer hundreds of international trips to popular destinations around the globe.

Trafalgar’s guided tours are great for travelers of all age groups, but they cater particularly to senior travelers. The majority of Trafalgar guests are over 50. It’s also great for family tours to get grandparents and grandkids spending quality time together.

If you’re looking for highly active itineraries with adventure activities packed in, Trafalgar may not be the best for you. They focus more on cultural immersion, history, architecture, and local cuisine. Trafalgar is a great choice if you want to take a deep dive into the essence of your destination.

You can count on having a tour leader who is an expert in the local culture and history, and you will come home with tons of new knowledge.

Trafalgar focuses primarily on land-based tours, but they also offer a range of cruise vacations if you want to travel by sea.

Hotel stays, meals, transportation to/from the airport, and all the logistics are all arranged for you. You can even add on flights, extra hotel nights, and travel insurance so you don’t have to worry about any additional complications for your trip.

Tauck : Best Tour Company for Europe

Tauck is another big name in group tours that operates on all seven continents. While they have guided tours all around the globe, Tauck is an especially good choice if you’re looking for a group tour in Europe.

It’s easy to go to European cities, see the major tourist sites, and head home without really diving deep into the culture and spirit of the place. My favorite thing about Tauck is that their European tours are designed to give you more than just the standard tourist experience. Their Yellow Roads of Europe tours take you off the beaten path for a truly unique European experience.

Every Tauck tour pairs you with handpicked expert local guides who will help fully immerse you in the experience.

Tauck offers both river cruises and land-based group tours. If you want a unique European experience, imagine cruising through Western Europe along the Seine.

Insight Vacations : Best Tour Company for Italy

Almost every traveler dreams of a bucket list trip to Italy. What’s not to love? Amazing food, amazing sights, amazing culture, Italy has it all.

If you’re looking for the best guided tours in Italy, I highly recommend Insight Vacations . Insight offers tours all over the world, but their Italy tours are especially good. Whether you want to see the major sights, learn to live like a local, or sample the best food from around the country (or all of the above!) they’ve got tours for you.

As an example, you could choose their Best of Italy Tour for your next trip. This 11-day tour includes stays in Rome, Florence, Venice, and more. You’ll learn from local artisans, eat farm-to-table meals on the foothills of Mount Vesuvius, and get a VIP tour of the Vatican (including areas normally off-limits to visitors).

Insight’s tours are all led by local tour guides who speak the language and have in-depth knowledge of the culture and history of each site you visit.

If you’re traveling with a group of 10 or more people, Insight Vacations can also put together custom itineraries specifically for your group.

CIE Tours : Best Tour Company for Ireland and Scotland

If you’re into history, stunning scenery, charming towns, or good times at the pub, you would probably love touring Ireland and Scotland. CIE Tours is technically based in the US, but it’s partially owned and operated by the Irish government. It specializes in travel to Ireland, Scotland, and a few other European countries.

This dialed-in focus means that there are no better guided tours for Ireland and Scotland. I highly recommend their Taste of Scotland and Ireland Tour . In 11 days, you’ll experience sightseeing in Glasgow and Dublin, a day cruise on Loch Ness, carriage rides through the Irish countryside, and a feast in a historic castle.

Their tours have a great balance of exciting sightseeing and activities with enough downtime to relax or do plenty of exploring on your own. It’s a great way to get all the benefits of group travel without feeling like you have no control over your schedule.

If you want more freedom, CIE also offers independent adventures. They will build an itinerary for you and book your lodgings, admission tickets to attractions, and rental car (or you can opt for a private driver). You can choose from their pre-packaged itineraries, or build your own custom trip.

I also appreciate that CIE Tours has fairly affordable rates that include all admission tickets and most of your meals. Plus, they often offer discounts on airfare!

Nicetravel Iceland : Best Iceland Tour Company

Maybe you’ve always been intrigued by Iceland’s wild, untamed beauty (I know I have). If you want to experience this first hand, Nicetravel Iceland is one of the best group travel companies in this amazing country.

Nicetravel Iceland by three local Icelandic families, so they have a lot of local expertise. They offer trips ranging from 8 hours to over a week and have itineraries to suit any type of traveler, whether you want to relax in natural hot spring pools or hike along the glaciers and coastlines.

They focus on small group tours, and you’ll never have more than 19 people in your group. Most of their tours start from the capital, Reykjavik, and will drive you to various destinations in Mercedes Sprinter Vans. Way better than the huge tour buses many other companies use.

In addition to standard tours for sightseeing, they also have a range of tour options for more adventurous travelers. You’re in the right place if you want to explore caves, hike on glaciers, or raft down raging rivers.

Cosmos : Best Tour Company for Spain and Portugal

For a tour operator on the Iberian Peninsula, Cosmos is one of the best choices, especially if you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg. Cosmos has been guiding group travel for nearly a century, and they employ expert local guides to help you get the most from your trip.

The Cosmos Best of Spain and Portugal Tour is an incredible 13-day group travel itinerary. You will stay in 7 amazing cities across the two countries and visit a wide range of historical sites.

Cosmos is also a good choice for responsible travel, as they have several initiatives to support local communities and planet-focused nonprofits like the African Wildlife Foundation, The Ocean Cleanup, and Trees4Travel. I appreciate companies that are taking steps toward sustainable travel.

Exodus : Best Egypt Tour Company

It’s hard to visit any travel website without seeing a picture of the Great Pyramids. Egypt has captivated the minds of explorers and travelers for centuries, and it is worth having on your bucket list.

If you want a guided tour of Egypt, I highly recommend Exodus Travels . With destinations on all seven continents, Exodus Travels is one of the most popular group travel companies for adventurous travelers, and their Egyptian tours are particularly good.

With 9 different guided tours in Egypt, you can find the perfect itinerary for your trip. Exodus Travels is a true expert in the industry and hires incredible guides for their group travel excursions.

Plus, Exodus Travels also offers trips that are perfect for family travel.

Klook : Best Asia Tour Company

Whether you want to experience the hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo or an adventurous trek to Everest Base Camp, Klook is one of the best group travel companies for Asia.

Klook is more than just a tour operator. It is a marketplace for everything travel, from airline tickets to hotels to tickets to museums, theme parks, and more. Klook offers trips for small groups or individual travelers all around the globe, but they are based in Asia, and that’s where they focus.

Klooks South Korea Tour will take you to Nami Island, through beautiful gardens, and into a centuries-old palace in Seoul.

Click Tours : Best Tour Company for Israel

Click Tours specializes in group travel in Europe and the Middle East, and Israel is by far their most popular tour destination. In Israel, Click Tours will offer trips ranging from 3-day highlight tours to 18-day deep-dive cultural experiences.

They focus on small group travel, and your tour group will have 15-24 guests. That means you get more personal attention and a more authentic experience of the country.

A tour of Israel with Click Tours will focus on historical and archeological sites. You’ll visit temples and ruins that are thousands of years old as well as dive into the amazing food and rich culture of Israel.

Epos Travel Tours : Best Tour Company for Greece

If you’re looking for a group travel trip to Greece, Epos Travel Tours is a local company based in Tripolis that offers tours across the country.

Since Epos Travel Tours specializes only in Greece, you can expect catered trips and insider knowledge. They are truly the experts in travel to Greece, and their trip itineraries are designed to help you get the most from your trip, whether you want to visit historical sites or delve into amazing food and culture.

If you’re into history and architecture, their tour of Ancient Corinth is hard to beat!

Best Tour Companies FAQ

Which is the best tour company in the world.

In my experience, Intrepid Travel is the best tour operator. They have amazing small-group tours.

What are the top travel companies?

The top travel companies for tours include Intrepid Travel , G Adventures , and Trafalgar .

Is Globus or Trafalgar better?

Trafalgar is usually the better choice. They offer amazing all-inclusive tours around the world.

Are tour companies worth it?

Group travel can be worth it if you want the stress and planning taken out of your trip.

Who is the biggest tour company?

Disney is the biggest tour company by revenue.

How do you know if a tour company is legit?

It is a good idea to look for reviews of a tour company on TripAdvisor.

Jakob Thygerson

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Top 10 Tour Operators in the World in 2021 by Revenue

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China Tourism Group Duty Free Corp Ltd, Expedia Group Inc, The Walt Disney Co, TUI AG, and REWE Group are the top 5 tour operators in the world in 2021 by revenue. Cumulatively, the top 10 tour operators in the world employed a total of 598,239 people in 2021. In terms of the geographical split, 5 out of the top 10 tour operators in the world are based in Asia, while 3 are based in Europe, and 2 are based in North America. China Tourism Group Duty Free Corp Ltd (China Tourism Group), formerly China Tourism Group China International Travel Service Corp Ltd (CITS), is one of the leading tour operators in the world by revenue. China Tourism Group operates group and individual tours, business travel, sports activities, leisure tours, sightseeing tours, study tours, conventions, and special-interest tours. It also provides individual booking services and online tourism and travel agency services. It also invests in real estate properties for tourism business development. The company operates in China, Macao, Cambodia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. China Tourism Group is headquartered in Beijing, China. The United States of America-based The Walt Disney Co is another leading tour operator in the world by revenue. The company reported revenues of $6,410 million with average revenue growth of 3.10% in the fiscal year ending 2021 (FY2021). It produces and acquires television programs, live-action films, and animated motion pictures. The company owns and operates theme parks and resorts, and television networks and channels; develops and publishes books, comic books, and magazines; sells products related to Disney themes, and delivers an English language learning curriculum for Chinese children. It owns and operates stores in North America, Europe, and Asia, and employs 190,000 people.

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Subsidiary (of Apollo Global Management Inc)

Subsidiary (of Kintetsu Group Holdings Co Ltd)

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If you’ve always dreamed of exploring the Amazon or the pyramids of Egypt, a guided tour may be for you. Escorted trips can take the stress and anxiety out of planning a vacation by allowing a tour operator to create an itinerary for you. But how do you find the right tour operator?

We’ve picked one top agency for each of five major regions worldwide, based on the number and diversity of trips offered, as well as the value for your travel dollars. Because one tour company may not have everything you need, we’ve listed runners-up that we think are worth considering as well. Note that we are not endorsing any one provider over another; our intention is to provide a good starting point for your search.

Remember to think about the kind of tour you want before you even start searching. Are high-end accommodations on your agenda? How much free time will you want? Would you prefer to see the sights from the comfort of an air-conditioned bus?

Once you’ve answered these questions, it’s time to ask some questions of your tour operator. For example, find out whether the provider is a member of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA). The USTOA is an association of American travel providers that agrees to ethical business conduct and truth in advertising, and can demonstrate financial stability. Booking with a member is one way to put your mind at ease when you put your money down.

Another way to determine quality is by finding out how a particular tour operator is regarded by its former customers. You can start by asking the operator itself for past guest reviews (these may even appear on its website). Travel message boards may also contain such reviews, or you can post questions about operators on those same boards. Visit any of the following for this purpose: Frommer’s , IgoUgo , or Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree .

The U.S. and Canada

When we checked, Trafalgar Tours featured 69 tours across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Just about all of the major destinations are covered. There is also a range of prices, with 10 starting at under $1,000 per person. A good example of one of these tours is Trafalgar’s “Canada’s Rockies” tour, which includes visits to Lake Louise, the Columbia Icefields, and Banff National Park, nine meals, and six nights’ accommodations, priced from $999.

Globus features what it calls “Open Doors Vacations,” which include stays at distinctive hotels and special local cuisine.

Maupintour caters to all types of travelers, but has a special brand of trips for “gutsy women.” Such tours range from spa getaways to national park hikes.

Collette Vacations offers a choice between independent and guided vacations to destinations around the world.

Just as Trafalgar Tours tops our list of North America providers, it is the most impressive for Europe tours, too. Trafalgar offers a stunning number of Europe trips: 335 when we searched. At the lower end of the price scale are city stays that include guided sightseeing by bus. The more expensive trips may be longer and include tours of multiple countries. The Grand European is a good example of this variety, with 10 nations visited and a starting rate of $3,650.

Insight Vacations boasts more comfort than the competition with its promise of fewer seats and extra legroom on “all European, British and USA and Canada premium itineraries.”

In addition to its many Europe tours, Tauck World Discovery operates its own cruise line, with sailings to ports across the continent (and around the world).

Go Ahead Vacations has its own frequent traveler club, which awards discounts and other special services to repeat customers.

Latin America

Go South Adventures specializes in small group tours to beautiful (though environmentally sensitive) areas of Central and South America. Destinations include the Amazon, the Galápagos Islands, and Peru’s Inca Trail. We found five-day/four-night Amazon River trips starting at $885.

Latour offers packages to 16 different countries across Latin America, with single-country, multi-country, and a-la-carte options.

Travcoa is a luxury tour operator that will suit travelers who don’t mind spending more to get more. For instance, the company’s Amazon River & The Pantanal package spans 17 days, with prices starting at $8,595.

Like Travcoa, Abercrombie & Kent specializes in high-end travel, though we did find Costa Rica trips for about $2,500.

Pacific Delight World Tours is a clear leader in travel to the Far East. With tours from Turkey to the South Pacific and many countries in between, this agency has an equally wide range of prices. At the budget end, we found air-and-land packages to Beijing from $561, though these include just three nights’ lodging. For a more luxurious vacation, Pacific Delight sells “premium tours” that are longer and include components such as Yangtze River cruises. However, prices on those types of trips are still reasonable; we found air-and-land packages from $2,689.

Gate 1 Travel offers both independent and guided tour itineraries for travel throughout Asia, including a 10-night Thailand package from $899.

General Tours is a good resource for trips to many Asian countries, such as India, to which it offers eight escorted packages.

African Travel, Inc.’s tours span the continent, from Egypt to South Africa, and are divided into two main types: safaris and dreamscapes. The former are packaged itineraries with frequent departures throughout the year. Dreamscapes are sometimes shorter, and can be “linked together” to create a full vacation. Overall, the company’s prices range from slightly more than $1,000 for a Kilimanjaro trek to $11,895 for a 17-day safari.

Bargain hunters may want to check Lion World Tours’ “Affordable Africa” deals, none of which exceeds $1,999 in starting price.

Pacific Delight World Tours specializes in travel to Asia (see above), but it also offers a wide variety of Africa itineraries.

Like Pacific Delight, Travcoa’s tours are not limited to one geographic area. And, just as its Latin America packages are geared toward luxury tastes, the agency’s Africa tours don’t come cheap: Great Empires of West Africa lasts 19 days and carries a price tag of $8,995.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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15 Best Group Travel Companies for Guided Tours in 2024

The best tour companies for guided tours in 2024 deliver special insider experiences you simply can't book independently..

The Scoop: What to Know About Trafalgar Tours

Guided tours are an easy and stress-free way to discover new places. When you travel with the best tour operators, you can often dig much deeper into the history, culture, and daily life of your destination than if you’d gone it alone. In fact, the world’s top tour companies employ local guides, handle all of the details, and often deliver special insider travel experiences you simply can’t book independently. And travel tour groups are a good value, too.

To learn more about this year’s best tour companies and their guided tours, click on any company name in the list below to go straight to their website and start your search. Or, scroll down to read more about my picks for the best tour operators in 2024.

2024’s Best Tour Operators for Guided Tours 

• G Adventures  
• Adventures by Disney
• Grand Circle Travel
• Road Scholar
• Collette  
• Tauck  
• National Geographic Expeditions  
• Overseas Adventure Travel
• Intrepid Travel  
• AdventureWomen  
• Abercrombie & Kent
• Exodus Travels

1. Trafalgar Tours

One of the largest and most established tour operators in the world, Trafalgar offers everything from standard coach tours and small group active tours to private tours, hiking and biking tours, and special interest tours built around nature, history, food, and other interests. All told, Trafalgar hosts more than 350 guided tours in 72 countries and all seven continents. England, Italy, the Iberian Peninsula, Egypt, Ireland, Argentina, and Thailand are some of its most popular destinations. ( Read our full Trafalgar review here .)

Seniors and travelers 50 and older are Trafalagar’s core audience, though children as young as five years old are welcome on its family tours. Trafalgar’s solo travel options include free or reduced single supplement prices for many of its most popular trips. Each of its tour directors has at least three to five years of road experience, and many have been with the company for decades. 

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Trafalgar’s guided tours cover all accommodations (typically four-star hotels where available) and most transportation during your trip, including airport transfers on the majority of its overseas tours. Most meals and activities are included. Trafalgar also offers special one-of-a-kind experiences such as dining with locals, sleeping in a castle or historic hotel, and early entry to popular tourist attractions. Anyone who books a tour with Trafalgar’ is automatically enrolled in its Very Important Traveler (VIT) program that offers discounts and priority access on future trips. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Trafalgar

• Average guided tour group size: 40 guests (standard coach tours); no more than 17 guests on small group active tours.
• Price range: Upscale.
• What’s included: Accommodations, transportation within the trip, admission prices, and most meals.
• What’s not included: Pre- and post-trip transportation, some meals, and tips.
• Primary audience: Seniors and travelers over the age of 50.
• Destinations: Europe, Africa, North America, Central America, South America, Middle East, Oceania, and the Polar regions.
• How to book:  Directly through  Trafalgar or through a travel agent
• More tours: 10 Best Trafalgar Tours to Take in 2024

2. G Adventures

Small group tour operator G Adventures has guided trips suitable for a wide range of travel preferences. The company’s driving philosophy is all about improving the world through travel, and it supports this mission by utilizing local businesses and community resources on its tours. Many of G Adventures’s guests share this philosophy as a core value. 

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The company’s guided tours cater to a variety of fitness levels and cultural interests. Its classic tours hit a sweet spot between backpacking and traditional group tours; active tours focus heavily on hiking, trekking, biking, and other physically intense activities; family tours lean into age-appropriate activities and kid-friendly accommodations; local living tours let you participate in the rituals of daily life in unique destinations around the world; and 18-to-thirtysomething tours let young adults explore the world with similarly aged companions. 

G Adventures also partners with National Geographic for both general tours and family journeys designed to provide guests with an even deeper understanding of the cultures and traditions of each destination. And the company’s one-of-a-kind Jane Goodall Collection of guided tours offers a responsible way to experience wildlife up close. G Adventures offers a unique perk on all of its trips. The company’s Lifetime Deposits program allows you to retain your initial deposit for use at a later date at no extra charge if you need to postpone a trip due to a change in plans or circumstances.

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Company G Adventures

• Average guided tour group size: 12 people.
• Price category: Moderate.
• What’s included: Accommodations, activities, and some meals.
• What’s not included: Airfare.
• Primary audience: Adults ages 30 to 55, but also families and younger travelers.
• How to book: Directly through G Adventures or through a travel agent.
• More tours: 10 Best G Adventures Tours to Take in 2024

3. Adventures by Disney

Founded in 2005, Adventures by Disney offers upscale small group tours to about 40 destinations on all seven continents. While you may associate Disney with princesses and talking animals, a vacation with Adventures by Disney is more about the Disney way of doing things than it is about The Walt Disney Company’s entertainment brand. 

When you travel with Adventures by Disney, what you’re getting is top-notch service, people-pleasing trip leaders (called Adventure Guides), and special experiences created just for Disney’s guided tours (think skip-the-line access to tourist attractions like the Louvre in Paris, special backstage tours on Broadway, or traditional bread-baking demonstrations in Iceland). Each trip also includes at least one Adventure Guide from the host destination, who brings local knowledge and a deep connection to the destination. 

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On guided tours with Adventures by Disney, things run smoothly and right on time . That makes it a great choice for stress-free family travel adventures . Most of Adventures by Disney’s guided tours feature built-in family time as well as built-in alone time for the adults. On some evenings, the Adventure Guides may host a “Junior Adventure” movie night. Other times there may be a kids-only dining table for the evening meal. 

Guided tours with Adventures by Disney include upscale accommodations, transportation within the trip (such as airport transfers, internal flights or trains, and motor coaches), admission prices and VIP experiences, luggage and concierge services, taxes, most gratuities, and many meals. There are typically some “on your own” meals, and pre-trip transportation is not included in the price. Adventures by Disney vacations tend toward the luxury side of the price range: an eight-day Peru vacation starts at $6,199 in 2024; an Adriatic expedition cruise starts at $8,999. In addition to its family-oriented trips, Adventures by Disney also offers private tours and adults-exclusive tours.

Adventures by Disney travelers can enroll in the company’s Adventure Insiders program to receive special offers, including advance notice of new tour destinations.

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Adventures by Disney

• Average guided tour group size: 35 to 44 guests.
• Price range: Upscale/premium.
• What’s included: Accommodations, transportation within the trip, admission prices, VIP experiences, luggage and concierge services, taxes, most gratuities, and most meals.
• What’s not included: Pre- and post-trip transportation, some meals, and tips for your Adventure Guides.
• Primary audience: Families and adult Disney fans.
• How to Book: Directly through Adventures by Disney or through a travel agent.

The flagship brand of the Globus family of companies (which also includes Cosmos and Avalon Waterways ), tour operator Globus offers coach tours on six continents spanning more than 70 countries. Tour styles include small group tours , offered on Europe and North America itineraries; choice tours, which allow you to choose from three or four possible excursions rather than a one-size-fits-all schedule; undiscovered tours that take a deep dive away from the tourist areas; self-guided independent tours; Escapes by Globus , which operate during the slower tourism season between November and March; and faith-based trips to destinations such as the Holy Land.

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Globus caters to older adults, generally from about 50 to 70 years old, with most guests traveling as part of a couple or family. For solo travelers, which comprise about 20% of the tour company’s guests, Globus offers single supplement waiver promotions on select tours. Globus also has a Welcome Back Credit loyalty program. Each trip earns up to a $250 credit toward a future trip with Globus, Cosmos, or Avalon Waterways.

Quick Facts about Guided Tours with Globus

• Average guided tour group size: 38 guests (classic coach tours); 20 to 24 guests (small group discovery tours).
• Price category: Budget to moderate.
• What’s included: Hotels, all breakfasts, some additional meals, all transportation, VIP “skip the line” access, and local guides.
• What’s not included:  Gratuities and airfare; however, Globus offers the option to purchase airfare when you book, which comes with free airport transfers.
• Primary audience: Adults between 50 and 70 years old.
• Destinations: Europe, Africa, North America, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Oceania.
• How to book: Directly through Globus or through a travel agent.

5. Grand Circle Travel

Operating since 1958, Grand Circle Travel is another highly regarded tour operator for adults over 50. The flagship brand within the Grand Circle family of companies (which also includes Overseas Adventure Travel ) offers a wide selection of land-based tours and river cruises for groups ranging in size from 24 to 47 people. 

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Grand Circle Travel’s trips are specifically designed for older travelers. Leisurely pacing and a focus on value are hallmarks of the Grand Circle experience. Like its sister company Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.), which is a top choice for active solo travelers over age 50, Grand Circle stands out as a great fit for solo travelers interested in finding camaraderie and community on vacation. The company offers free or low-cost single supplement fees on all of its itineraries. Grand Circle has guided tour experiences on all seven continents. Land-based group tours average about 30 travelers, while river cruises can range from about 38 to 45 guests. Grand Circle’s loyalty program, called the Inner Circle Club , offers discounts for frequent guests and multiple trips booked within the same calendar year. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Grand Circle Travel

• Average guided tour group size: 24 to 30 guests (land tours); 38 to 45 guests (river cruises).
• Price category: Moderate to upscale.
• What’s included: Airfare, meals, activities, accommodations, transportation, special events, gratuities for local guides and motor coach drivers (land tours); airfare, accommodations, most meals, onboard drinks and house beer and wine, port charges, and gratuities for local guides and motor coach drivers (cruises).
• What’s not included: Airfare can also be purchased separately.
• Primary audience: Adults, including solo travelers, over the age of 50.
• How to book: Directly through Grand Circle Travel or through a travel agent.

6. Road Scholar

What started as the tour company Elderhostel in 1975 has since evolved into Road Scholar , a non-profit tour company with an educational focus that offers guided tours around the world. Its primary audience is senior travelers, but it also has the special and unique Grandparent Adventures , which support grandparents and grandchildren traveling together. Road Scholar is also very solo-traveler friendly—about 25 percent of Road Scholar tour guests are solo travelers. And the tour company has a number of itineraries for women-only tours as well.  

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Road Scholar’s educational tours include all accommodations plus most meals, expert-led lectures, field trips, and hands-on experiences, as well as transportation and gratuities. Road Scholar is able to book airfare for international tours, which allows you to have your travel monitored and supported by the company from start to finish. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Company Road Scholar

• Average Tour Size: 22 people.
• Price Range: Budget to luxury (from about $699 to $21,999 per person).
• What’s Included: Accommodations, most meals, expert-led experiences, transportation, gratuities, and the Road Scholar Assurance Plan coverage.
• What’s Not Included: Pre- and post-trip transportation.
• Primary Audience: Older travelers, grandparents traveling with grandkids, women, and solo travelers.
• Destinations: Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, Australia and South Pacific, and Antarctica.
• How to book: Directly through Road Scholar or through a travel agent.

7. Collette

A family-run business with hundreds of guided tour options across all seven continents, Collette offers a mix of small group trips (14 to 24 people per tour) and classic guided tours (up to 44 people). Its group tours start around $1,500, and most guests are over the age of 55. Collette is worldwide travel brand and tour operator with offices in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K.

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From land tours and river cruises to rail journeys, small group tours, and city stays, Collette offers a variety of ways to travel, including optional excursions and pre- and post-tour nights at your destination. And while the company tends to attract an older and budget-focused audience with an eye toward value, many of its hotels are four-star quality, and meals favor well-reviewed local restaurants with generous menus. 

Collette employs local guides for all of its trips and puts an emphasis on utilizing local businesses and restaurants. It also offers community sustainability programs for its guests in destinations across the world and invests a percentage of its proceeds back into local community or sustainability projects. Tour guests are automatically enrolled in The Collette Passport Club and receive credit toward future trips. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tours with Collette

• Average guided tour group size: 44 guests (classic tours); 14 to 24 guests (small group tours).
• What’s included: Hotels, activities, museum and attraction admissions, local guides, transportation, and airport transfers.
• What’s not included: Airfare, meals, and gratuities.
• Primary audience: Adults, primarily couples, between the ages of 50 and 70.
• How to book: Directly through Collette or through a travel agent.

8. T auck Tours

Family-owned Tauck has a simple philosophy: Deliver more than what’s expected. The award-winning guided tour operator has been doing just that for nearly 100 years by offering authentic experiences and behind-the-scenes access to destinations all over the world. Tauck’s century of experience is evident in nearly every detail of its guided trips, which cover more than 100 destinations in 70+ countries across all seven continents.

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The company’s tours are well-regarded for their expertise in local customs, traditions, flora, and fauna. Meals and accommodations are upscale. Its tour guides, called Tauck Directors, come from 40 countries and average a decade of experience each. You can choose from five unique trip styles: land tours, small group journeys, river cruises, small ship cruises, and multigenerational family journeys called Tauck Bridges. The tour operator also boasts an exclusive partnership with the award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, offering deep-dive trips that explore the themes of his films, including the American Civil War, U.S. national parks, baseball, and jazz. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Tauck

• Average guided tour group size: 35 people (standard tours); 24 people (small group tours).
• Price category: Upscale.
• What’s included: Gratuities, sightseeing and admissions, most meals, airport and luggage transfer, and taxes.
• What’s not included: Airfare and alcohol.
• Primary audience: Adults over age 50 and multigenerational family groups.
• How to book: Directly through Tauck or through a travel agent.

9. National Geographic Expeditions

Launched in 1999, National Geographic Expeditions leans into its parent company’s core values of exploration, science, education, and storytelling to offer exceptional guided tours on all seven continents. From exploring the Swiss and Italian Alps by train to photographing Machu Picchu at sunrise, National Geographic Expeditions takes you to some of the most celebrated natural wonders, archaeological sites, and wildlife-rich destinations in the world. 

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A guided trip with National Geographic Expeditions is all about meaningful exploration of the world and its many cultures. Whether by land, small ship, train, river cruise, or even private jet, you can expect a guided tour that goes way beyond the ordinary. And with itineraries geared specifically for photographers, families ( in partnership with G Adventures ), or independent travelers, you’ll be exploring alongside both like-minded travelers and subject matter experts. 

The company offers two unique ways to travel: National Geographic Signature Land tours, led by NatGeo experts, are its flagship trips and feature high-end accommodations, special access to field researchers and sites of interest, and even photography workshops; National Geographic Journeys, led by local guides, utilize mid-range hotels and blend hands-on exploration with more free time to explore on your own. Many National Geographic Expeditions trips also offer pre- and post-trip extensions.

The National Geographic Lifelong Explorers program offers loyalty discounts for return guests. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from each trip helps fund the National Geographic Society’s research and conservation programs around the world.

Quick Facts about Guided Travel Tours with National Geographic Expeditions

• Average guided tour group size: 16 to 25 people per departure; cruises are all in small ships under 200 passengers.
• Price category: Premium (National Geographic Signature Expeditions); budget to moderate (National Geographic Journeys).
• What’s included: Meals, accommodations, excursions, services of a National Geographic Expert, ground transportation, most transfers, baggage handling, most gratuities (for National Geographic Signature Land); some meals, accommodations, excursions, local guides, ground transportation, and some transfers (for National Geographic Journeys).
• What’s not included: Airfare, some meals, and some gratuities.
• Primary audience: Photographers and families with a passion for learning.
• How to book: Directly through National Geographic Expeditions or through a travel agent.

The budget-friendly member of the Globus family of travel brands (alongside Globus and Avalon Waterways ), Cosmos offers a range of tours around the world but has a particularly strong focus on European tours. Cosmos offers similar itineraries to its sister brand Globus but brings costs down by opting for good-but-more-budget-minded accommodations. While Cosmos is best known for its coach tours, the company also offers small group trips, off-the-beaten-path itineraries in popular destinations, event-focused tours, and Christian faith-based trips that highlight religious history in the Holy Land, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.

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Cosmos runs tours on five continents spanning more than 60 countries. Among its most popular destinations are Great Britain and Ireland, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the United States. Many of the company’s tour directors hail from the country in which they lead tours, and a number of them have spent decades with Cosmos. The company also employs local guides to help with additional on-the-ground aspects of its tours. Cosmos offers a Welcome Back Credit loyalty program. Each trip earns up to a $250 credit toward a future trip with Globus, Cosmos, or Avalon Waterways.

Quick Facts about Group Tours with Cosmos 

• Average guided tour group size: 36 guests (standard coach tours); 20 to 24 guests (small group tours).
• Price category: Budget.
• What’s included: Hotels, guided city sightseeing excursions, ground transportation, and some meals.
• What’s not included: Airfare, optional excursions, gratuities; flights and airport transfers can be purchased at additional cost from Cosmos.
• Primary audience: Adults in their early to mid 50s.
• Destinations: Europe, South America, Central America, North America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
• How to Book: Directly through Cosmos or through a travel agent.

11. Overseas Adventure Tours (O.A.T.)

Part of the Grand Circle family of companies that also includes Grand Circle Travel and Grand Circle Cruise Line, Overseas Adventure Travel (also called O.A.T.) is a small group adventure travel tour specialist offering guided tours on all seven continents. O.A.T.’s tour group guests are over the age of 50 and many are solo travelers looking to join like-minded travelers on active itineraries around the world.

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Why is O.A.T. is so popular with older solo travelers? One reason is that the company rarely charges a single supplement on its trips. A fair number of the company’s guided tour itineraries also have women-exclusive departures. Overseas Adventure Travel rates all of its tours by activity level ranging from one (easy) to five (strenuous). The company operates more than 60 unique trips on all seven continents. Both multi-country and single-country tours are offered; some itineraries focus on culture while others have an ecological focus.

Unlike many other guided tour companies, O.A.T.’s prices typically include airfare, though guests also have the option to book their own flights. Overseas Adventure Travel’s loyalty program is the Sir Edmund Hillary Club , which offers benefits beginning with your third trip.

Quick Facts about Guided Tours with Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.)

• Average guided tour group size: 13 people.
• What’s included: Airfare, most meals, all transportation, accommodations, activities, and gratuities for local guides.
• What’s not included: Gratuities for trip leaders, some meals; airfare can also be booked separately.
• Primary audience: Active adults over 50, particularly solo travelers.
• Destinations: Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Middle East, Oceania, and the Polar regions.
• How to Book: Directly through OAT or through a travel agent.

12. Intrepid Travel

Sustainable and experience-rich travel is the heart and soul of everything Intrepid Travel does. The not-for-profit group travel tour operator runs trips geared toward young adults, women, solo travelers, active travelers, and families, and it generally attracts like-minded guests who value responsible travel, conservation, and respect for indigenous cultures. In fact, many of Intrepid’s most compelling guided tours make personal connections with local communities a centerpiece of the experience.

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Intrepid offers a wide range of trip styles and themes to suit a variety of audiences: Basix caters to independent travelers who prefer free time to explore on their own; Original tours include a mix of activities and free time; Comfort goes at a relaxed pace; and Premium tours offer the best accommodations, most comfortable transportation, and exclusive experiences. Different themes include Active, Food, Expeditions, Family, Solo, 18 to 29s, and Trekking, among others. Travelers are automatically enrolled in the Intrepid Insiders program with their first trip. The loyalty program offers advance notice of sales and new trips.

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Intrepid Travel

• Average guided tour group size : 12 people.
• What’s included: Accommodations, local transport, and some meals.
• What’s not included: Airfare, travel insurance, and tips.
• Primary audience : Adults ages 25 to 40.
• Destinations : Europe, Africa, North America, Central America, South America, Middle East, Oceania, and the Polar regions.
• How to Book: Directly through Intrepid or through a travel agent.

13. AdventureWomen

The women’s-only travel group AdventureWomen makes it easy for female travelers to explore the world in a safe and meaningful way alongside other women. Founded in 1982, AdventureWomen now offers nearly 50 tours across more than 65 counties. AdventureWomen’s guided travel tours for women welcome solo female travelers, women traveling together, mother-daughter pairs, sisters, and more. Each tour description clearly outlines the required fitness level for the journey. 

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The company’s most popular guided tours include a wintertime tour of Iceland to view the Northern Lights, a Galapagos Islands wildlife cruise by private yacht, and a journey along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. These guided women’s only adventure tours include lodging, ground transportation, most meals and activities, guides, and some gratuities. AdventureWomen’s average tour group size is on the small side, with tours generally welcoming 12 to 15 women per departure. Guests often credit the small group size for fostering camaraderie with other travelers on these guided tours. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Company AdventureWomen

• Average guided tour group size: 12 to 15 people.
• What’s included: Accommodations, most meals and activities, ground transportation, tour guides (called Managers), and some gratuities.
• What’s not included: Pre- and post-trip transportation, alcohol, some gratuities, and certain meals.
• Primary audience: Women seeking to travel with other women.
• Destinations : Europe, Africa, North America, Central America, South America, and the Middle East.
• How to Book: Directly through AdventureWomen or through a travel agent.

14. Abercrombie & Kent

A pioneer in the world of luxury small group trips, Abercrombie & Kent has been operating guided tours for more than 60 years. These days, the tour company runs trips on all seven continents spanning more than 100 countries. Each of Abercrombie & Kent’s small group tours is run by a Resident Tour Director who remains with the group throughout the trip, while additional specialized local guides help travelers enjoy one-of-a-kind insider experiences.

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Because Abercrombie & Kent is a luxury tour operator, accommodations tend toward high-end hotels wherever possible. Participants are often Gen X and Boomers. Guests are automatically enrolled in the company’s Marco Polo Club loyalty program on their third journey with Abercrombie & Kent. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tours with Abercrombie & Kent

• Average guided tour group size: 14 people.
• Price category: Upscale/premium.
• What’s included: Inter-trip flights, upscale accommodations, luggage transfers, meals, mid-journey laundry services, all activities, and expert guides.
• What’s not included: Airfare to and from your trip destination.
• Primary audience: Adults aged 40 and older.
• How to Book: Directly through Abercrombie & Kent or through a travel agent.

15. Exodus Travels

A worldwide adventure travel tour operator, Exodus Travels offers small group and independent cycling, walking, hiking, wildlife, and cultural tours in nearly 90 countries across all seven continents. Exodus has operated small group guided tours, self-guided tours, and private tours around the world since 1974, and today offers more than 500 unique tours ranging from popular locales like the Amalfi Coast in Italy to remote destinations like Tajikistan. 

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The company’s small group tours average between eight to 16 guests and utilize local trip leaders and experienced local guides. Solo travelers comprise nearly half of Exodus’s guests, who are given the option to pay a single room supplement or share a room with another guest at no additional charge. For those who want the convenience of a curated trip (pre-planned accommodations, activities, and transportation) without the constraints of traveling with a group, Exodus’s self-guided options give you freedom and flexibility to explore on your own. 

While Exodus is popular with budget-minded travelers, the company also offers premium guided tours to some popular destinations. A partnership with the African Wildlife Foundation allows Exodus to offer luxury safaris, for example. Guests are automatically enrolled in the tour operator’s loyalty program, called Exodus Collective , after two trips. Exodus Collective offers special discounts and members-only sales. After your seventh trip, you’ll be upgraded to the company’s Pioneer level, which comes with even greater discounts and perks. 

Quick Facts about Guided Tour Operator Exodus Travels

• Average guided tour group size: 8 to 16 people.
• Price category: Budget to upscale.
• What’s included: Accommodations, some meals, activities, and local guides.
• What’s not included: Airfare, airport transfers, and gratuities.
• Primary audience: Adventure travelers, solo travelers, and active independent travelers.
• How to Book: Directly through Exodus or through a travel agent.

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The 10 Top Tour Operators and Travel Agencies Post-COVID-19

The travel industry was one of the hardest hit during the pandemic and continues to recover as the world opens up. But while many international tour operators closed their doors post-Corona, some of the best tour companies in the world are not only thriving, but expanding due to their advanced technological platforms and multi-dimensional services.

We put together a list of the top travel tour companies who are turning travel lemons into lemonade.

1. Connections 

As opposed to being a multinational travel company, Connections prides itself on being a 100% Belgian travel organization. A major force in the Belgian tourism market, Connections runs 30 retail shops across Belgium and focuses on creating unique travel experiences all around the world for its customers. In fact, as travelers themselves, Connections’ leaders visit new destinations every year to discover even more travel experiences and adventures to meet the needs of their clientele.

The company always strives to improve by utilizing modern technologies to provide the best service possible. With almost 40 years of experience providing top-of-the-line travel experiences and a dynamic team of more than 100 driven employees, you can’t go wrong by booking a journey with Connections.

2. Diesenhaus Unitours

In 1926, Solomon Diesenhaus established the Diesenhaus travel company in Israel. It became a leader in the Israeli travel industry, and in 2005, the company merged with another industry travel giant known as Unitours. Today, the company is known as  Diesenhaus Unitours and is the largest tourism company in Israel with an annual turnover of more than $250 million. With a state-of-the-art online reservation system, Diesenhaus Unitours provides easy access to many services and time-saving features including:

• Immediate reservation confirmation
• Advanced online tracking system to access all prior reservations and quotations
• Online sales tracking
• Interface opportunities
• Comprehensive service inventory

As one of the highest rated tour companies in the world, Diesenhaus Unitours is the official convention organizer for the Weizmann Institute of Science and a longstanding member of the ICCA. Anyone looking to explore what Israel has to offer should absolutely consider checking out Diesenhaus Unitours’ options.

3. Expedia Group 

Expedia Group is well-known for leveraging technology to help its partners and travelers obtain the travel experience they’re seeking. With its two sided marketplace, Expedia Group’s platform provides clients with unprecedented access to  millions of travel possibilities. Expedia Group’s executive suite refers to themselves as travelers and technologists who work across time zones, hemispheres, cultures and languages.   Their partners include Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, Orbitz and Hotwire among many others.

CWT is a travel management company for businesses. With its focus on using advanced travel technology, it enables companies to develop more effective corporate travel policies.  CWT conducts regular performance reviews to measure travel program performance and other relevant aspects of a client’s travel program. Based on its collected data, CWT helps its clients determine new goals while offering strategic recommendations. Ultimately, CWT empowers companies with smart management tools as well as business intelligence and data so they take their business to the next level. 

5. Travel Leaders Group 

Travel Leaders Group has more than 7,000 company-owned, franchised and affiliated travel agencies in the USA, Canada, the UK and other countries. With its extensive network of over 52,000 travel advisors across the world assisting travelers, Travel Leaders Group has a strong global presence. It’s affiliated with a number of leading travel agency brands including Travel Leaders Network, Travel Leaders Corprate,  Altour, Andrew Harper Travel, Barrhead Travel, Corporate Travel Services, Nexion, All Star Travel Group, Roadtrips and Singlescruise.com, among many others.  

Each partner has its own unique niche. For example, Singlescruise.com, founded in 1991, is the largest singles cruise-focused travel agency in the United States. Roadtrips, based in Canada, provides customized luxury sports travel packages to exclusive sporting events including Super Bowls, the Final Four, Monaco Grand Prix , Summer and Winter Olympic Games, and the World Cup. 

6. Ovation Travel Group 

Based in New York , Ovation Travel Group   is an American Express Global Business Travel Company that operates in more than 140 countries globally. With over 500 experienced travel professionals and over 200 independent travel advisors, Ovation Travel Group provides business travel services, luxury travel experiences, meetings and special events for many industries including finance, law, technology, biotech, media, non-profit, consulting, and other professional services firms. 

Ovation Travel Group is known for going above and beyond with its customer service. Its unique Going the Extra Mile (GEM) Program provides value-added extras, extensive customer service training, and its signature 20-seconds response time with its Ovation 20/20 Guarantee. Ovation Travel also focuses on organizing events that maximize cost savings by leveraging its partnerships and streamlining planning and production.  

7. JTB Americas Group 

JTB Americas , Ltd. first opened in New York in 1952 as a Japan Travel Information office and quickly expanded. It specializes in inbound and outbound travel services including corporate business travel, MICE, leisure travel, and FIT arrangements. Its network of companies is recognized as a full service Destination Management Company (DMC) and Travel Management Company (TMC) in the domestic United States, Hawaii, Canada, and Brazil. JTB Americas Group consists of 32 subsidiary companies with a network of over 2,500 employees. It offers multiple products and services, empowering travelers from all over the world to fulfill their travel needs.

JTB Americas Group is proud of its work in the social arena and has been implementing global tourist destination cleanup and planting campaigns. With its staff and their families, suppliers and business partners involved in the cleanup every year, JTB Americas strives to protect the environment and bring vitality to different tourists’ spots. 

8. Omega World Travel 

A travel management company, Omega World Travel has been providing travel services to businesses and consumers from around the world since 1972. 

Omega is one of the  largest business travel management companies in the US,  serving corporations, nonprofits, government agencies, government contractors, educational institutions and more. With its modern technology, Omega provides everything a traveler might need in one simple application including risk management tools (a real-time GPS traveler locator, risk alerts and neighborhood safety scores), flight check-in, Lyft and Uber integration, trip itinerary, and more. Perhaps most importantly, travelers can conduct real-time chat with their designated travel agent. Omega World Travel also provides strategic consulting to businesses, helping them optimize their business travel plans using real-time data and analysis.

9. Cruise Planners 

Cruise Planners has travel advisors located in all 50 states of the US who help their clients plan cruises as well as choose and reserve hotels and resorts around the world. Cruise Planners has access to low travel fares and special amenities on thousands of cruise sailings and tour departures, providing its customers with great deals. And with expertise in group travel, the company’s travel agents can skillfully plan reunions and destination weddings.

10. Arrivia 

Arrivia is a travel rewards and loyalty technology platform that gives companies the tools they need to incentivize sales, deliver valuable rewards, market personalized offers, and encourage member participation. It targets member-based groups like trade associations, professional clubs and unions so they can provide benefits and value-adds to their members to maintain engagement and encourage new sign-ups. Because most member-based groups don’t have in-house solutions to offer these incentives, Arrivia enables them to drive growth and boost retention with its comprehensive range of travel options and significant discounts.

Tour operators: beyond just travel

World travel tour companies do more than just plan vacations and coordinate logistics. They deliver data, strategy, reward programs and business intelligence. With AI driven technology platforms , these tour operators are driving businesses into the next era of corporate and leisure travel.

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Travels in the baltics.

A bit of a whirlwind tour although the three Baltic States relatively small, green and flat. I knew virtually nothing about them before I went but learned a lot ...

Brilliant Trip

This is a well designed trip giving an excellent overview of all three Baltic states. This not only included the capital cities but other towns and much countrysid...

Great holiday

Really interesting trip made extra special by our guide Melia, whose knowledge was incredible. We were really lucky with the weather and had a really good group o...

Three small countries with a lot of character

The Baltic countries are interesting and the old towns are charming. They have suffered a lot under various foreign rulers and are proud of their independence. The...

Explore and discover the Baltics

I enjoyed discovering an area of Europe I knew little about. Visiting many areas of all 3 countries. Guide well organized and itinerary good. Only problems were T...

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10 Largest Travel Companies In The World

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Travel, while rewarding, can also be stressful. With so many options for flights, hotels, and rental cars, and so many variables that can quickly go wrong, it’s all too easy for a relaxing vacation or a productive business trip to quickly become harrowing and unnecessarily expensive.

Because of this, individual travelers and companies who require their employees to travel have been hiring experts to plan trips and handle unexpected hurdles for them for decades.

Now, thanks to the internet, travel companies have shifted to also providing tools for travelers to book their own trips with the same access, discounts, and assurance they’d receive if they hired an agent to do it all for them.

If you prefer to have someone do it all for you, though, many of these organizations still provide live service via their travel agents as well.

There are a number of these travel companies around the world, and in this article, you’ll find a list of the top ten ranked by sales revenue in 2019.

Expedia Group Jobs ( Overview )

Booking Holdings Jobs ( Overview )

American Express Jobs ( Overview )

BCD Travel Jobs ( Overview )

Carlson Wagonlit Travel Jobs ( Overview )

Flight Centre Jobs ( Overview )

Fareportal Jobs ( Overview )

10 Largest Travel Companies in the World

Expedia Group . Seattle, Washington , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $107.9 billion

Founded in 1996, Expedia Group is an online travel company that uses its online platforms to help travelers find flights, hotels, and other travel services without having to hire a travel agent . It has three business segments through which it serves individual customers, creates partnerships with businesses, and generates advertising revenue.

Expedia started out as a division of Microsoft. In 1996, Microsoft launched the website that is now Expedia.com as Microsoft Expedia Travel Services, one of the first online travel agencies. In 1999, Expedia was spun off into a public company.

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Booking Holdings . Norwalk, Connecticut , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $96.4 billion

Formerly The Priceline Group, Booking Holdings was founded in 1997 with the launch of Priceline.com, an online travel website that used a bidding model for pricing. It then began to expand its portfolio by acquiring travel companies and changed its name to Booking Holdings in 2018.

Today, Booking Holdings operates through six brands: Dutch startup Booking.com, the company’s original Priceline platform, Singapore-based accommodation booking program Agoda, car hiring platform Rentalcars.com, travel search engine Kayak, and restaurant reservation provider OpenTable.

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American Express . Jersey City, New Jersey , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $34.1 billion

American Express Global Business Travel (referred to as GBT) is an organization that works with businesses to help them organize and manage their travel programs.

GBT helps clients easily find the best deals, book flights, hotels, and meeting venues, manage the risk that comes with their travel programs, and support travelers as they go in case their flights get canceled, or they run into other snags.

Even though GBT started as a part of American Express and has kept its name, the company is now a joint venture between American Express and several other investors.

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BCD Travel . Utrecht, Netherlands

2019 Sales Revenue: $27.5 billion

Similar to GBT, BCD Travel offers travel consulting and management services to companies. BCD Travel operates in 109 countries and boasts a global client retention rate of 98%.

Founded in 2006, BCD Travel was born when BCD Group, a privately owned travel company that owns BCD Travel, purchased and combined TQ3 Travel Solutions Management Holding GmbH, The Travel Company, and WorldTravel BTI.

BCD Travel is based in Utrecht, Netherlands, but it also has its headquarter locations in Atlanta, London, and Singapore. It has one subsidiary, global meetings, and events agency called BCD Meetings and Events.

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Carlson Wagonlit Travel . Minneapolis, Minnesota , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $24.8 billion

Originally called Carlson Wagonlit Travel, CWT is a travel management company that was founded in 1994. It serves businesses by providing business travel, meeting, conference, exhibition, incentives, and event management services.

These services are called CWT Energy, Resources and Marine, CWT Meetings and Events, CWTSatoTravel, CWT Solutions Group, and RoomIt by CWT.

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Flight Centre . Montvale, New Jersey , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $16 billion

Flight Centre Travel Group is a travel agency that serves both leisure and corporate travelers. It was founded in 1982 in Sydney, Australia, and just 13 years later, the company opened locations in the U.K. and Canada.

FCTG arrived in the Americas in 1995 when it opened up a Flight Centre store in Canada, and it expanded into the U.S. in 2008 when it acquired Liberty Travel and into Mexico in 2015 when it acquired Koch Overseas de Mexico.

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Internova Travel Group. New York City, New York, U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $7.46 billion

Internova Travel Group was founded in 2008 and owns a variety of travel companies and agencies in over 80 countries. Its main markets are the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Mexico.

Internova owns over 6,000 travel agencies and represents over 65,000 travel advisors. Internova’s services include luxury leisure and premium corporate travel products, hosting, franchising, and meetings and incentives advisory.

American Express . New York City, New York, U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $6.93 billion

American Express Travel is an online travel booking platform that allows customers to plan and book their vacations. Unlike the similarly named American Express Global Business Travel, it is a subsidiary of American Express Company.

While you don’t have to have an American Express credit card to use these services, customers who have cards earn points on their purchases, and American Express Platinum cardholders avoid a variety of service fees and access bonuses such as vacation package discounts, dining credits, and room upgrades.

American Express Travel also offers live travel agents available 24/7 to help customers with any travel snafus or questions they may have.

Direct Travel. Centennial, Colorado , U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $5.8 billion

Direct Travel is a travel management company that focuses its efforts on middle-market customers. It offers corporate travel, meeting and event, and leisure travel services.

Founded in 1980, Direct Travel has over 60 locations in the U.S. and Canada. Since its founding, the company has acquired several leisure travel companies, one of which, Satrom Travel and Tour, Inc., became Direct Travel Personalized Experiences in 2016.

Fareportal . New York City, New York, U.S.A.

2019 Sales Revenue: $5.34 billion

While its services are travel-related, Fareportal is first and foremost a technology company. It has five travel brands that it powers through its software and flight booking technology.

Fareportal operates in North America, Europe, and Asia, offering online booking platforms for both leisure and corporate travelers, 24/7 trip booking services, and live travel agents available to help customers in a variety of locales and languages.

Fareportal partners with more than 600 airlines, one million hotels, and hundreds of car agencies to provide customers with the best options available.

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Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.

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15 biggest travel companies in the world: when will they recover their 2020 losses.

In this article we will list the 15 biggest travel companies in the world . Click to skip ahead and see the 5 Biggest Travel Companies in the World .

Traveling is not only a form of enjoyment, it is also good for your health. Whether a person decides to spend the summer, winter or simply a short weekend break in a foreign country, travel always has a positive effect on the mind and body of a person. Everyone who hears the word travel first thinks of a break from everyday obligations, getting up early and city noise. But a vacation is much more than just a walk down the main street of an unknown city or a visit to a museum. Every time we travel somewhere, we enrich our experiences and learn things that cannot be read in a tourist guide, because a visit to a new city and a new country brings with it getting to know people, their way of life and customs, culinary specialties and all other things that make a nation special and different. Social interaction in an unknown city contributes to relaxation, and acquaintances with new people or locals often turn into friendships, especially nowadays when maintaining contact through social networks is easier than ever.

Travel also has a good effect on the human body and gives excellent results in treating stress and depression, helping to restore energy. The key to happiness has always been hidden in experiences, not in material things. Travel is food for the soul. People love to see and enjoy beautiful things and places. For many, it is enough to go to places they have already visited or to take a short break somewhere in the vicinity. This provides a respite from current preoccupations and gives strength to move on.

You are able to see places that you thought did not exist, learn something about their history, maybe learn a word of a foreign language. Every new place and experience enriches your lives. Today, many things are available online, but learning from the locals the history, how they live, what are the customs, culture and other specifics of a place can allow you to gain new views of the world. Traveling can also be seen as a challenge for several reasons, starting with not knowing the language, eating unfamiliar food and losing the everyday comfort that everyone is used to. Each trip is a new experience by which we break established habits. By overcoming them, we become stronger, more resourceful and more satisfied with ourselves. If you enjoy traveling you might want to consider checking out the 10 Best Places to Visit in USA in February .

Those first experiences in life are always remembered. That first time is always somehow special. Full of uncertainty, thinking about how it will be, where it will be, will everything go according to plan, do we have a plan at all? Because of the excitement caused by adrenaline, we feel alive, and that is why a little extra adrenaline is not a bad idea. Traveling always awakens in us that feeling of the first time. Going to the still unknown, an undiscovered place that we may already know a lot about from various literature or we have heard from others or we know almost nothing about, but we want to see how it is there. There is nothing more beautiful than packing and going in an unknown direction, where a new adventure awaits us! As Mark Twain said - travel is fatal to prejudice, inhumanity and limited perceptions. You may regularly watch the news and what is happening in the world on TV, but only when you go there, on the spot, can you really understand what the problem of that country is, or what is really beautiful there. First-hand experiences are irreplaceable.

It may sound counterintuitive but travel industry managed to grow almost continuously until the coronavirus pandemic. The number of international tourist arrivals worldwide stood at 600 million in 1999, increased to 800 million by 2009, and has been steadily climbing to 1.2 billion through 2019. We don't have the precise figures for 2020, but it is expected to fall below the 400 million level in 2020 because of the pandemic. US residents cut down their domestic travel by 70% this summer and international travel by 90% for the same reason. Some analysts are so pessimistic that they don't expect air travel demand to recoup its losses until 2024. We actually disagree. We believe air travel will come back with a vengeance in 2022 because of pent-up demand. That's probably why travel stocks like Booking Holdings (BKNG) trade near their 52-week highs.

Precisely because everyone loves adventure and travel, travel companies always have a lot of work, so here is a list of 15 biggest travel companies in the world!

15. Omega World Travel

Through more than 45 years Omega World Travel has established a superb record of providing comprehensive domestic and international travel management services to organizations of all types. Omega is one of the largest business travel management companies in the U.S., with $1,47 billion in sales. It has 530 employees. President and CEO of the company is Gloria Bohan. She launched Omega World Travel in 1972 as a small-town storefront travel agency. Today, Omega is the top woman-owned business in the U.S. This company offers comprehensive service configurations to corporations and governments, including technology tools and other travel services and it owns Cruise.com, an online cruise seller, and TravTech, a wholly owned technology company.

Pixabay/Public Domain

Frosch ranks 14th in our list of the biggest travel companies in the world. Frosch was founded in 1972. In 1977, Richard Leibman acquired sole ownership of the agency from the Frosch family. In 1998, Richard was joined by his son, Bryan who today serves as the company’s President & CEO. In 2004, Lara Leibman joined the company as Executive Vice President. The company has $2,25 billion in sales and 1180 employees. Frosch owns Frosch Rewards & Incentives, Frosch Global Conferences & Events and Frosch Student Travel.

Pixabay/ Public Domain

13. Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport, Inc. was founded in 1946. It is headquartered in Nebraska, US. Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the company is Kevin M. O’Malley, President and Chief Operating Officer is Timothy J. Fleming and Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer is Michael P. Kubasik. The company has sales of $3,53 billion and 1737 employees.

12. AAA Travel

AAA Travel ranks 12th in our list of the biggest travel companies in the world. Whether it's a family vacation or cruise, a romantic getaway, or a business trip, AAA can get you there in style, with great member savings. You'll get hotel discounts, discount car rentals, and vacation packages that meet your needs and budget. President and CEO is Marshall L. Doney. They have sales of $4,13 billion and 4655 employees.

11. Fareportal

Fareportal ranks 11th in our list of the biggest travel companies in the world. Fareportal is company founded in 2002. With their strong knowledge and experience in the air travel booking vertical, including corporate travel management and automation of wholesale distribution of complex international airfares, today they operate in North America, Europe, and Asia. CEO and Founder of the company is Sam S. Jain. Fareportal has sales of $4,95 billion and 3899 employees. CO-CEO of the company is Werner Kunz-Cho and CFO of the company is Kenneth West.

10. Corporate Travel Management North America

Corporate Travel Management North America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Corporate Travel Management Ltd. It offers direct sales to corporate customers and consumers, including business travel, leisure travel, loyalty point redemption and meeting and event services. Brand portfolio includes Corporate Travel Management (CTM), Event Travel Management, Air Fulfillment Services, Allure Travel by CTM, CTM Loyalty Solutions and MTravel, which is CTM's hosted, commissioned agent program. It has sales of $5 billion and 725 employees. CEO is Chris Thelen and CFO is Anne Rudd.

06photo/Shutterstock.com

9. Direct Travel

Direct Travel ranks 9th in our list of the biggest travel companies in the world. Direct Travel is one of the most respected companies in North America and around the world, providing corporate travel, meetings and events, and leisure services. The company was founded in 1980. It is led by industry visionary Ed Adams and CFO of the company is John Coffman. It has sales of $5,4 billion and 2000 employees.

8. American Express Travel ( NYSE: AXP )

The company was founded by Henry Wells, William G. Fargo and John Warren Butterfield on March 28, 1850 and is headquartered in New York. It engages in the provision of charge and credit card products, and travel-related services. President of the American Express Travel is Audrey Hendley. It has sales of $6,27 billion and 5000 employees. Chief Executive Officer is Stephen J. Squeri.

7. Travel Leaders Group

Travel Leaders Group ranks 7th in our list of the biggest travel companies in the world. Travel Leaders Group is a multi-unit travel industry company headquartered in New York City that has more than 7,000 company-owned, franchised and affiliated travel agency locations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico and other countries. It was founded in 1996. Chairman of the company is Michael Batt, Chief Executive Officer is Ninan Chacko. The company has sales of $7,12 billion and 4000 employees.

6. Flight Centre Travel Group

Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) is a large retail travel agency in Australia. It was founded in 1982 by Graham Turner and Geoff Harris, and is headquartered in Brisbane. FCTG operates under multiple names in Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South Africa, Hong Kong, India, China, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and Mexico, and licenses its name in a further 80 countries. Executives of the company in US are: President - Dean Smith, CFO - Peter Stone. The company has sales of $16 billion and 20600 employees.

Please continue reading and see the 5 biggest travel companies in the world .

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Disclosure: No position. 15 biggest travel companies in the world is originally published at Insider Monkey.

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USA Tour Companies

List of usa travel companies & tour operators with 199553 reviews.

Bindlestiff Tours

• Excellent - 1,537 reviews for USA tours

Extraordinary! This tour was very well organized. The views and the scenery were spectacular. I can't praise enough for Haley, our tour leader for a job well done. Thank you for making this trip extra special.

Wild life and scenery was amazing. Our guide was organized fun and professional. Camping was what expected from description.

Southwest Adventure Tours

• Excellent - 109 reviews for USA tours

This was my 1st solo group trip & felt safe & comfortable. The tour guide was so friendly, warm & knowledgeable! I really enjoyed my little Mighty 5 adventure!

Our group had a great time exploring the Mighty 5. Our Guide Greg, made sure to keep our group informed and entertained. The vehicle was comfortable for all of the riding that our trip entailed. We really feel like we did and saw the Mighty 5, except, we really thought that we were going to hike the "Narrows." Once we got over that, everyone was good. It was nice that there were separate hiking options based on experience. Even though we were made aware, several times, that we picked the cheapest tour that you all offer, we had no regrets. The motels were basic, but all of the staff were hard working and excellent, and the rooms were clean. I would strongly reccomend this tour if the Might 5 is on your list.

• Excellent - 1,012 reviews for USA tours

The trip was very well organized by the travel agency and the tour guide provided great information about the history and all the sights.

Friendly guides with a lot of exciting places to see (sometimes briefly). Hotels were also decent except one

G Adventures

• Excellent - 22,546 reviews for USA tours

Great time and experience

We are happy and satisfied

• Excellent - 1,963 reviews for USA tours

Would like to have walked down the main street of Chinatown. We're very disappointed in the side street we walked on. If you are going to offer snacks, please make sure all can participate. Found it a little offensive that even after the second day of not being able to receive a snack, all the same snacks were continually offered.

Extraordinary experience!!!! I’ll never forget!! Thank you so much for this great opportunity.

• Excellent - 5,707 reviews for USA tours

The tour was amazing, the manager did a top notch job, it’s great for making lots of friends, such a blast. A little rushed and fast paced, but it’s better than the stress of organising your own trip. Definitely doing it again

I thought it was great and would do it again any time!

BrushBuck Wildlife Tours

• Excellent - 25 reviews for USA tours

Neil our guide was amazing, my husband and I had a great time.

Ronnie and I loved the tour. Our guide Rachel, was extremely professional in her work. Full of knowledge about different animals as well as some history lessons. It took me a while, but they are called bison , not buffalo. ? But what really blew my mind, was her keen eye on the landscape as she was driving. She could spot animals very well, and gave us many opportunities to take photos and look through the high powered scope. Rachel is surely a people person, jumping right in there to become friends with strangers, laughing and carrying on with us. Even when we were all getting excited about stopping to see the two grizzly bears mating, questions being tossed at her. She was calm and gave answers and instructions like a mother with her children. ?? Not that we’d tell our young kids what was going on. They were the hugging bears. ?? It pays to ask someone on the road what they are looking at, and that video Rachel captured is priceless. Guys, pay attention! ? She was a very safe driver as we encountered many elements of weather. She also sent us pictures and videos from her scope of the many, many, animals we saw. I would highly recommend this tour, it’s worth every penny. The hotels were awesome and cute, especially in Cooke City Montana. It was as if we were going back to the early days. The restaurants were good and Rachel even recommended good eats. Met some wonderful people and will always cherish this trip, as we witnessed God’s creation. Thanks again. Ronnie and Mary Jane from Wharton Texas. See y’all. ?

• Excellent - 933 reviews for USA tours

If went just as planned. We were back at DIA in plenty of time to catch our flight out.

Hotels, not convenient for meals or cocktails. Not enough included options.

Intrepid Travel

• Excellent - 11,794 reviews for USA tours

THis was our first touring experience and it was great. With the exception of a cancelled flight going to the tour and some miss communication in the beginning of when we would get there, it was fantastic. Our guide was great and well organized.

The trip on it self is awesome. The parks we visit were stunning. However as I booked with Tour radar, it was not mention anywhere the level of the trip. I knew during the trip that this same trip is advertised as a compfy trip with intensity 2/5 on intrepid website. I found my self with 65 Y+ while Im 35 Y and for the hikes it was inconvenient. Hope it will change on the marketplace.

Insight Vacations

• Excellent - 651 reviews for USA tours

The 40 seat luxury coach broke down at the end of day 1 of our 9 day Insight Vacations Wonders of the American West coach tour in May. It was replaced for the rest of our tour by a 56 seater coach with significantly less legroom, and seatbelts that didn’t have the side adjuster that enables you to stop the belt rubbing into your neck if you’re a certain body shape. For us, the reason for choosing Insight was their luxury coach, so every day on the 56 seater was a reminder that (to use a flying analogy) we had paid for business class and were getting economy class. We had booked through a travel agent because we’d read the online reviews warning of Insight’s poor communication. The travel agent Freedom Destinations, who supported us, put forward our complaint to Insight. Insight sympathised but cited their terms and conditions that don’t require them to replace the luxury coach with one of the same quality. To an extent I understand that they need to cover themselves for an instance where a luxury replacement isn’t available on the day of the breakdown, but not to provide one at any stage of the remainder of our tour feels like either poor contingency planning or cost-saving. Insight refused our request for a cash payment as compensation. Instead they offered a discount voucher for use on a future trip. We declined the voucher as we do not believe it to be fair to only offer compensation that is dependent upon customers re-using a service, and our faith in their organisation and their coach suppliers Holiday Motor Coach has been broken. Such a shame, because the sights on the trip were wonderful, as were the people we travelled with. 1 star to highlight the risks associated with a breakdown to other potential customers for whom the luxury coach is important.

Overall it was a good experience. Excellent tour director and driver. The food was inconsistent as to quality and service. The lodgings were fine for the type of trip. Too much time was spent at Monument Valley/Mystery valley and not enough time at Grand Canyon.

Bamba Travel

• Good - 1,697 reviews for USA tours

The itinerary provided by tour radar was not exactly how the tour was set up. One of our stops said we would be doing a cruise on lake Powell. That was not provided with the tour. Also the hotels that they said we would be staying at did not line up.

Overall, the tour was very fun and we'll put together. The tour guides were all friendly, and seemed to work well as a team. Accomodations were not bad, but there were better options directly adjacent. Food options were pretty much all fast food, which makes sense for the tour concept. However, dinner options could have been a bit better. We really would have appreciated a little more hiking and exploring time, and a couple of the guides did the best to accommodate that. However, 20 minute stops are just not enough time to get "out and experience" the areas.

• Excellent - 74,918 reviews for USA tours

The tour guide and bus driver exceeded all expectations; they were a very organized, customer oriented team. Highly recommend them and the itinerary. The only stop that wasn't "great" was Sacramento, which could possibly be skipped in the future. The food and lodging were great too.

My mother had a medical emergency in the week before and the trip needed to be canceled. Globus refused to reschedule and refund the trip and my parents are now out $5000. In a post covid world, it is inexcusable to not allow people to reschedule or refund canceled tours for unexpected medical emergencies. I will gladly spread the word about how poorly Globus treats their customers.

Europamundo

• Good - 4,362 reviews for USA tours

Wonderful tour! Highly recommend

My family and I enjoyed the whole tour. Arrangements for transport, accommodation, local tours and guide, all have been well planned and suitable. Our special thanks to Luis who professionally arranged everything and we had no problem at all during our 10 days. I also like to mention about the driver who been very proficient throughout the trip. Will again plan trip with Europomundo in future. Salim Muhammad Melbourne, Australia

• Excellent - 19,697 reviews for USA tours

This is a long overdue review and I don’t know why I didn’t take the time to write this before. This Ontario and French Canada tour with Susan was amazing. Everything was well organized and enough time were spent at each attraction. Totally have no complaints!

Great tour, driver and leader.

National Geographic Journey…

• Excellent - 269 reviews for USA tours

Trip on balance was a positive experience and I would do it again. The key negative was the Golden Nugget hotel which added nothing positive to the trip. The hotel was past its prime, and was too busy and loud. The rest of the accommodations were good.

Good time with lots of riding in the van going to interesting places

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Out of Your Comfort Zone

The art of backpacking & adventures to get out of your comfort zone – tips and advice, 5 best international tour companies for luxury travel around the world.

Last Updated on July 17, 2024 by Lohanna Reis

Do you enjoy traveling in luxury , comfort, and style? How about staying in the best hotels? And skipping out on the stress of organizing your tickets, visits, and activities yourself ? If this sounds like you, take a look below for the most famous luxury tour companies in the world!  

Knowing what type of traveler you are is essential for a good trip. What aren’t you willing to sacrifice on your trip? Nice hotels ? Top-rated restaurants? The comfort of having everything taken care of for you? 

If these 3 sound like things that you don’t want to sacrifice, then luxury travel may be for you. In which case, the 5 best international small group tour companies for luxury travel that I’ve listed below should help out! 

With a luxury tour company, you’ll be paying not only for the trip itself, but for the unique experiences, personalized service, and the variety of comforts at your disposal.  

Interested? Then read on!!

Table of Contents

• 1 Benefits of traveling with on a guided trip with a luxury tour company 
• 2 Comparison table of the 5 best luxury travel companies for guided tours in the world + 1 bonus
• 3 The 5 best international companies for luxury tours 
• 4 In conclusion…
• 5 Planning your next trip?

Benefits of traveling with on a guided trip with a luxury tour company 

Anyone who opts for luxury travel rarely regrets it because you can: 

Travel in total comfort and safety 

Count on specialized travel consultants to plan your trip 

Get access to unique, one-in-a-lifetime travel experiences  

As I mentioned at the beginning of the article, comfort and luxury travel go hand-in-hand. Companies that offer this type of travel know exactly what their clients are looking for…and thus offer the best services, infrastructure, and security. 

You won’t need to deal with messy transfers, “nothing special” accommodations, or crowded attractions. Especially because many companies, including the ones on this list, will have access to exclusive visiting hours for many popular tourist attractions.  

And when it comes to safety, these companies definitely prioritize the well-being of their travelers both before and during their trips. This is, after all, one of the core features of luxury travel. 

Another major advantage of luxury excursions is the way that your trip will be planned. In other words, you won’t have to worry over any of the details because there will be a team of specialized travel consultants at your disposal to help. 

Your only job will be to tell them about the trip you want to take, where you want to go, and what you’d like to do. 

Many of these types of companies have 100+ excursions across the 7 continents for groups of all kinds for you to choose from. Whether you want to travel as a family, solo, or with friends . In some cases, you can even have your tour 100% customized. 

And when it comes to experiences…luxury travel gives you access to plenty of unique options. After all, even more than visiting the places themselves, a major benefit of luxury excursions are the types of activities you get to participate in. 

Such as wine tasting in France, a guided helicopter tour of the Canadian Rockies, a tea harvest and tasting in Sri Lanka , a gondola ride through the canals of Venice… 

There may be several excursions to a single destination, allowing you to find one with the exact experiences you’re looking for. 

Here’s an example of this below. As you can see, there are 8 separate tours to choose from just for Italy alone! 

Comparison table of the 5 best luxury travel companies for guided tours in the world + 1 bonus

The 5 best international companies for luxury tours .

Below, you can find some more info about these luxury travel companies…as well as what a think a few of their most interesting tours on offer are! 

And keep in mind that you can easily explore each website yourself to see the different destinations and book your trips directly with them…no third party sites needed! From there, they can even help you with flights , transfers, visas, and other details. 🙂 

    1. Insight Vacations  

The first company on our list today is Insight Vacations, one of the 40 brands in the decade-old The Travel Corporation (TTC). 

With Insight Vacations, you’ll find excursions in diverse corners of the world and with diverse lengths. You’ll also find more than 100 different activities included in the various packages. 

One of the nicest benefits of Insight Vacations is that you can choose from different ways to travel. In other words, beyond traditional groups, you can also find tours for small groups (up to 24 people) that you bring together, private tours, or women-only tours. 

And when it comes to COVID-19 safety, Insight Vacations has adopted several measures against the virus including vaccine card requirements and the addition of a Well-Being Director on all their tours. You can also make changes to your travel plans up to 30 days before your departure for no extra fees. 

Luxury tours from Insight Vacations that deserve mention

BEST OF ITALY : an 11-day guided tour that covers the best of the country’s history and cuisine

AMERICAN PARKS TRAIL : over the course of 8 days, you’ll visit the “Wild West” of the United States including Yellowstone National park, Mount Rushmore, and more 

    2. Trafalgar  

More than 5 million tourists have already traveled with Trafalgar, which is also a part of The Travel Corporation.

What makes Trafalgar stand out is their customer service. You can even schedule a video call to speak directly with an agent and ask any questions you might have! 

Beyond this, all of their tours have been designed based on the idea of “Make Travel Matter.” In other words, with the goal of creating experiences that are as good for the traveler as they are for the community and the environment. 

As with Insight Vacations, with Trafalgar you can choose from a large number of small-group tours. However, you can also “design” your own tour to take on your own or with a group you put together. 

Current COVID-19 measures include required vaccinations and the flexibility to reschedule your trip if needed.  

Luxury tours from Trafalgar that deserve mention

CHRISTMAS MARKETS OF AUSTRIA, GERMANY AND SWITZERLAND : with a 4.7 out of 5-star rating, this luxury excursion will take you through the dreamiest Christmas markets in Europe 

HIGHLIGHTS OF VIETNAM : spend 12 days exploring all that Vietnam has to offer from north to south 

    3. Abercrombie & Kent  

Another large name in the luxury travel world is Abercrombie & Kent, which has been offering tours since 1962. 

Recognized worldwide as a leader in luxury travel, Abercrombie & Kent stands out for their high-end experiences. Beyond offering group tours (including those for families and small groups), they also offer luxury cruises, personalized itineraries, and even trips with private jets.

Through A&K, you’ll have the opportunity to explore more than 100 countries spread throughout the continents.  

Luxury tours from Abercrombie & Kent that deserve mention

The Great Migration Safari : an opportunity to spot wildlife while spending 14 days in luxurious chalets in Kenya and Tanzania 

Australia & New Zealand : a 17-day excursion to explore the best of these two island countries, including a private cruise from the port in Sydney 

    4. Globus  

When it comes to luxury travel, Globus is another option worth looking into. With a 90-year history ( you read that right! ), Globus has tour options that range from classic to exotic destinations, to cruises, and to religious trips. 

Globus also stands out for offering “Adventure a la Carte” on their tours, or free time to explore your destination however you like. 

When it comes to COVID-19, Globus has highlighted their concerns on their website and emphasized that they are following all safety measures. As well as giving you the flexibility  to change your plans if needed. 

Luxury tours from Globus  that deserve mention

Journey Through the Holy Land : a 9-day excursion made for history-lovers that  passes through famed cities like Jerusalem and Nazareth (you’ll even have the chance to float in the Dead Sea) 

Portugal in Depth : explore the best of Portugal over the course of 11 days with visits to cities like Porto, Lisbon, and Coimbra  

    5. Tauck  

Tauck has been offering luxury tours for 96 years (and three generations!). Today, they have tours in more than 70 countries. 

One thing that makes Tauck stand out from the other options on this list is the exclusive access their travelers get. In other words, you won’t ever have to face long lines or crowded places since your group will have special visiting hours just for them. 

With Tauck, you can choose from traveling solo or putting together your own group with friends and family.  

Luxury tours from Tauck that deserve mention

Alaska : Call of the Wild: this family tour will give you 8 days to explore Alaska, featuring a kayak tour along the Kenai Peninsula 

A Portrait of India : in 18 days, you’ll adventure through the 2nd most populous country in the world with visits to New Delhi, Bombay, Jaipur, and much more 

BONUS: Luxury Gold

Yet another member of the TTC, Luxury Gold is another name in luxury travel that we couldn’t leave off the list. 

If you’re seeking elegance, then Luxury Gold is the choice for you with their special “VIP Experiences” that put you in the best and grandest hotels out there. Some examples include Ashford Castle in Ireland, and Lion Sands Game Reserve in the heart of the South African jungle. 

Luxury tours from Luxury Gold that deserve mention

British Royale : 10 days dedicated to the British royals, beginning in London and passing through 9 other cities to end in Edinburgh, Scotland 

In sum…

Throughout today’s article, we’ve talked about the 5 best international luxury travel companies. Here they are again: 

• Insight Vacations
• Abercrombie & Kent 
• BONUS: Luxury Gold 

In conclusion…

Let us know below what you thought of the list, if you’re a luxury travel person, if you have any questions…and I’ll happily get back to you! 

Planning your next trip?

 Already reserved your hotel or hostel? If not, our article with The 6 Best and Cheapest Websites to Find & Reserve Accommodation can help you out. You’ll also find some promotions and discount codes .

 Still haven’t booked your plane ticket and want to save big? Take a look at our page with 16 Tips to Save on Flights where you’ll also find the 4 best websites to buy your plane tickets. 

And finally, will you need to rent a car during your trip? Then surely our page with The 5 Best and Cheapest Websites to Compare and Rent Cars Around the World will help you choose the best rental car and find a good deal.

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Next stop….The DMZ, South Korea

The Inbound Report

Covering the Inbound Tourism Industry Since 1996

The Top 20 companies that Dominate the World of Travel Agencies?

July 24, 2018 by Tom Berrigan

Some of the revelations that come with a review of review of the numbers in the list include the following:

—Online travel agencies Expedia and Booking Holdings (formerly the Priceline Group ) saw their domination of the travel agency business grow. Expedia’s sales were up 21.5 percent over 2017 to $88 billion, while Booking’s brands increased sales by 20.7 percent to $81.6 billion. Together, the two OTAs generated as much turnover as did the rest of the companies in the Power List ’s Top 20. (The Travel Weekly annual listing includes travel companies with at least $100 million in annual sales,)

—Overall, nearly every company on the list increased sales, although there were 10 fewer on the list than there were in 2017 (49 vs. 59), a reflection, in part, of continued consolidation in the industry—the most significant being last July’s merger of Travel Leaders Group and Altours .

—The unique positioning of some companies—doing both international outbound and inbound—keeps some receptive tour operators busy. Three U.S.-based operations of Japanese companies illustrate the point: JTB Americas (No. 17 on the list); H.I.S. USA Holdings (No. 28) and Kintetsu USA (No. 45). H.I.S. underscored the importance of the receptive sector during the past year with its acquisition of the largest receptive tour operator in Canada, Jonview Canada .

TW ’s Notes on Methodology: To qualify for the Power List, a company had to have a minimum of $100 million in sales in 2017. For purposes of this survey, sales are defined as gross sales of travel products worldwide, whether to consumers or to corporate travelers; the company must be the merchant of record on the transaction from a supplier’s perspective.

At least 15 percent of the sales volume must have been generated in the U.S.

Early this year, the questionnaire was sent to companies that had appeared on the list in previous years; had been in the news because of acquisitions or had grown for other reasons; or had contacted Travel Weekly believing they qualified.

As has been the case for years, Travel Weekly requested that gross sales volume be certified by a company’s owner, CEO or CFO. In a small number of cases, certification was made by an executive at the vice president level but with financial oversight.

While all cooperating listees did certify sales (or made them public), it must be kept in mind that even those numbers are difficult to verify because the great majority of travel sellers are privately held and under no obligation to disclose financial data.

Also, there is no commonly accepted standard for calculating sales volume, and there is no clearinghouse in the U.S. that tracks nonairline sales, as the Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) does for airline sales.

Where possible, Travel Weekly sought to confirm accuracy in the figures by referring to other data and to articles published in the past year. We also reviewed responses for consistency and used whatever resources we had at our disposal to ensure accuracy.

The survey on which these rankings were based also included questions involving sales figures, ARC sales, travel-related subsidiaries, percentage of sales from business and leisure, corporate structure and others.

Interested in More? To review the entire Travel Weekly Power List feature material, visit:

www.travelweekly.com/PowerList2018

To compare this year’s Power List with that of last year, visit:

https://www.travelweekly.com/PowerList2017

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Money Report

North Korea to reopen for international visitors, tour operators say

By dylan butts,cnbc • published august 15, 2024 • updated on august 15, 2024 at 8:46 pm.

• According to Koryo Tours, travel to the city of Samjiyon and possibly other areas of the country will be allowed by this December.
• North Korea has not been fully open to foreign tourists since 2020 when it closed its boarders due to the global pandemic.

North Korea will resume international tourism this winter, ending a COVID-era ban on travelers, according to operators that organize tours to the country.

The North Korea-focused travel companies KTG and Koryo Tours said on Wednesday that their local partners in the country had informed them about government plans to allow trips to some locations. 

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The companies added that foreign tourists will be permitted to the North Korean city of Samjiyon by December, while other areas of the country could potentially become accessible.

"Having waited for over 4 years to make this announcement, Koryo Tours is very excited for the opening of North Korean tourism once again," Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based tour operator, said in a statement on its website.

North Korea has largely been closed to foreign tourists since 2020, though some international flights in and out of the country resumed last year. A small Russian group reportedly visited North Korea in February. 

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The country has been preparing for a wider reopening for some time now. 

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According to Koryo Tours, North Korea has been working for years to develop and build tourism facilities in Samjiyon, a mountain city near the Chinese border. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who visited the city last month, has praised it as " a model of highly-civilised mountain city ," with new hotels, attractions, and a ski resort, according to North Korean state media. 

Another major tourism site is being constructed on the country's eastern coast. 

The efforts could help North Korea with its economic recovery from the devastating impacts of the global pandemic. 

According to Koryo Tours' website, introductory tours to North Korea typically range between 600 euros and 1,500 euros per person, depending on factors such as the point of departure, duration, group size, and lodging. 

The only nationalities restricted from travel to North Korea as tourists are citizens of the Republic of Korea.

The U.S. government, meanwhile, has a strong advisory against travel to the country . "U.S. passports are not valid for travel to, in, or through North Korea, unless they are specially validated by the Department of State."

It is likely that an opening of Samjiyon is aimed at attracting Chinese travelers, who constituted the majority of international tourists visiting North Korea before the pandemic.

In 2019, a record 350,000 Chinese tourists visited North Korea, providing a huge revenue stream for Pyongyang, according to NK News, an U.S. website that provides analyses of the country.

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• World's Best

Our Readers' Favorite 10 Tour Operators in 2019

A great tour operator can turn a good vacation into an extraordinary one. Our readers’ favorites this year are experts in their fields, whether they’re arranging the perfect family safari in Zambia, a cycling tour in France, or cultural immersion in Japan. These companies were valued for their tailored itineraries and access to normally off-limits experiences, but their greatest value might be their ability to save travelers time — they’ll iron out the logistics that could take non-pros countless hours. To some, that’s a priceless benefit.

Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey , T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated tour operators on their staff and guides, itineraries and destinations, activities, accommodations, food, and overall value.

Japan has long been a popular destination with readers, and last year, our editors selected it as Destination of the Year. InsideJapan Tours (No. 8) taps into parts of the country that are not as well known, and it provides super organized, step-by-step itineraries for both first-time visitors and those who return every year. “They provided a booklet for us to self-guide for ten days after a tour of Honshu Island. We haven’t stopped raving about the service of their office, and have spread the word to many,” wrote one reader. Another remarked that “InsideJapan made sure every step of my journey was amazing.”

Related : The World's Best Awards 2019

“Wild Frontiers designed a trip that matched exactly what we were looking for,” wrote one reader, describing this year’s No. 3 tour operator. Specializing in adventure travel, Wild Frontiers creates custom-made trips to far-flung destinations from Uzbekistan and Tibet to Greenland and Antarctica. And they are just as skilled planning a multigenerational family trip as they are an intimate honeymoon.

Below, find the full list and the reveal of this year’s No. 1.

10. Thomson Family Adventures

Score: 96.65

More information: familyadventures.com

9. TCS World Travel

Score: 96.77

More information: tcsworldtravel.com

8. InsideJapan Tours

Score: 96.98

More information: insidejapantours.com

7. MT Sobek

Score: 97.01

More information: mtsobek.com

For $143,000, You Can Visit 8 Countries on 4 Continents on an Insanely Luxurious World Tour

6. jacada travel.

Score: 97.02

More information: jacadatravel.com

5. Terra Incognita Ecotours

Score: 97.18

More information: ecotours.com

4. Scott Dunn

Score: 97.38

More information: scottdunn.com

3. Wild Frontiers Adventure Travel

Score: 97.65

More information: wildfrontierstravel.com

2. Gray & Co. – Private Active Journeys

Score: 97.89

More information: grayandco.ca

1. Classic Journeys

Score: 98.23

More information: classicjourneys.com

“Excellent variety of trips and top-notch tour guides” is how one reader characterized this year’s winning tour operator. Among some of its globe-spanning expeditions is a cultural tour through Cuba that hits Cienfuegos, Trinidad, and Havana – while meeting artists, horticulturalists, farmers, a Santeria priest, and cooks along the way. And there is a sporty journey through Puget Sound’s San Juan Islands for Kayaking (while getting up close to passing Orcas), hikes through rain forests, and soaks in natural hot springs. One reader summed it up by declaring Classic Journeys “could not have been better.”

See all of our readers' favorite hotels, cities, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2019 .

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