Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/462634
10 | www.travelweekly-asia.com COVER STORY perhaps they might want to consider something else. Do travellers really know what they want and often is there a difference between what they say they want and what they really want? Say no more, you already know the answer. That said, there are some who are really focused and know exactly what they want. What's the one itinerary that's always a winner? A visit to our longhouse lodge at the edge of the rainforest. Do you see a time when personalised itineraries, curated by a human, will be replaced by technology and algorithms? Only when computers can make coffee, give a back rub and have charisma. Are you getting more requests for customised itineraries these days? Absolutely. As it was in the beginning and so it is now. If so, generally what kind of customer demographic female/ male, young/elderly? Very diverse. Sometimes singletons, normally couples and often times, corporates. Which special interests pop up most often? Orang utan (the Asian great ape) sightings. What do you keep in mind when you design itineraries for your customers? Their level of fitness – most of us have a tendency to deny the obvious – we have to ensure they can do it. How hard is it to customise itineraries? Depends on the clients. Over the years, we have our FAQs ever ready. What's the biggest challenge? Having to tell the client that NOTHING BEATS A GOOD BACK RUB Philip Yong, CEO, Borneo Adventure, Sarawak have expected facilities and there are often unexpected events. So travellers really know what they want? Often not, and sometimes they are not ready for adventurous conditions on the journey but some guests are very focused, particularly the botanists. What is the one itinerary that is always a winner? Travel along the Yangtze and Mekong, seeing the different ethnic people, culture and dramatic terrain and biodiversity. Are you getting more requests for customised itineraries these days? Yes, more now than in the last five years. If so what kind of customer demographic male/female, young /elderly? A wide variety. Single women, families and couples – we see growing interest in areas such as botany and community assistance projects. Which special interests pop up most? Tibetan and other regional ethnic culture, art and architecture, terrain of the Great Rivers – Upper Yangtze, Mekong and Salween, walking and easy trekking, community assistance projects. What do you keep in mind when you design itineraries for your customers? Level of fitness, level of luxury needed and special interest. How hard is it to customise itineraries? They take time. A lot of conversation back and forth is needed to finalise the perfect programme. What's the biggest challenge? To have guests understand that a true spirit of flexibility is needed to enjoy adventure travel in general, and that remoter regions do not EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED Uttara Sarkar Crees, Gyalthang Eco-Travel if they are visiting a place they've been to before, they are looking for a different experience once they get there." GeoTraveller, a fully owned subsidiary of Lotus Travel Group with more than 400 employees in Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, has been providing outbound travel solutions since 2012. The company's concept is to instill the spirit of adventure into their clients and their most popular product at the moment is the Northern Lights Tour in Norway. "People are becoming more As travellers become more seasoned they start looking for trips that offer special interests, and despite the overwhelming amount of information available online, they still prefer to find that perfect experience through a human rather than a virtual travel agent, says Clara Wong, senior product executive of GeoTraveller. "Customised itineraries started becoming popular a few years ago," says Wong. "People are travelling more frequently these days and even THE PERSONAL TOUCH LIGHTS UP TRAVEL ITINERARIES By Catharine Nicol interested in discovering nature," says Wong. GeoTraveller teams this must-do destination with a cruise, embarking in Bergen, disembarking in Oslo. "Northern Lights chasing by cruise ship is an efficient way to travel as guests don't need to spend time on daytime transportation," says Wong. Wong says that the Internet plays a large part in shaping their clients' wish lists. "It is easy to discover the hottest trends via the Internet," she HONG KONG says. "But the biggest challenge is always the start of planning an itinerary. Often people have too many ideas and want to visit as many places as they can. Sometimes what they say they want just isn't feasible." However, she says it is often through online networks that an itinerary's popularity can take off. "Conversations that go viral are an important channel for spreading the news of an itinerary." Despite the role of the Internet, according to Wong the job of the real, live travel agent is safe for now. "Personalised itineraries require frequent communication between the travel consultant and the traveller, and this can't be replaced by technology." YUNNAN/TIBET SARAWAK Uttara Sarkar Crees in Bhutan with Topgye- la of Gangtey Palace Hotel, Paro Do you see a time when personalised itineraries, curated by humans, will be replaced by technology and algorithms? I doubt it. Perhaps not even when robots have travelled and experienced different paths and can convey what it is like to stand on a 4000m pass on a moonlit night. Human experience and trust, I think, has the final say.