Tauck has announced it will officially restart operations in Europe and Africa with a staged approach. The tour operator will begin with select departures of its “Iceland” and “Treasures of the Aegean” small-ship ocean cruises in June and July.
The company will also restart its operations in the Galapagos and Costa Rica in July, operating cruises and its Tauck Bridges family adventure.
In August, guided safaris will begin again in eastern and southern Africa and land tours will take place in Spain, France and Portugal.
The tour operator will also begin river cruising again in August when sailings start on the Rhone and Seine rivers in France and the Douro River in Portugal. The bulk of Tauck’s remaining Europe land tours will start up in early fall as border openings permit.
Europe is of particular importance to the tour operator as its most popular destination. Tauck’s second-most popular destination is the U.S., where it has already resumed operations with great success.
“All the hard work and meticulous planning we’ve put into our relaunch in the U.S. has paid off,” said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar, “and we’ve proven conclusively that we can deliver the Tauck-level experience our guests expect while still following all of the necessary safety protocols.”
Tauck is marking 30 years of travel in Europe as well this year, making the relaunch of travel in the region particularly significant.
“Our chairman Arthur Tauck Jr. first brought Tauck guests to Europe in 1991,” said Mahar, “and after the events of the past year, restarting our operations there is an especially meaningful way to mark our 30th anniversary. We’re absolutely thrilled to be back, and we can’t wait to share the incredible wonders of Europe with our guests once more.”
Mahar is strongly urging travelers to lock in their vacation plans as soon as possible.
“One thing we’ve learned time and again over our 96 years is that travel denied is really travel deferred,” said Mahar. “When people are unable to travel, it only fuels their desire and determination to do so. And now—with 97 percent of our guests having been vaccinated, we’re seeing demand come roaring back.”
Mahar noted that 90 percent of the company’s 2021 U.S. departures are sold out and that 2022 has seen the strongest advance bookings in the company’s history.
“We still have space today,” said Mahar, “but we can’t say how long it’s going to last.”
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