8 reasons to choose a guided holiday in 2024

It’s always exciting dreaming of where you’ll travel to next. If you have a bucket list of destinations you have always wanted to experience, why not make your travel dreams a reality and start planning your 2024 holiday with us? A guided tour is one of the best and most flexible ways to get to grips with a new country. With the helping hand of an expert guide who can show us the way, we get to uncover hidden gems and break down all sorts of cultural and language barriers. That’s why Travel Department was created over 25 years ago. We organise tours from Ireland and the UK to 100s of destinations worldwide, with flights, accommodation, transfers and guided excursions all included. We have an incredible choice of holiday destinations, making it so much easier to explore the world. We’ll guide you every step of the way as we know so many of us still want to set off on adventures to chart new territories in places that once seemed out of reach. If you’re still on the fence why not check out our reasons why you should consider a fully guided holiday?

1. See incredible destinations

It definitely helps to leave the planning to the experts so you can be sure you have the best holiday itinerary possible and see the main highlights of your chosen destination. Italy continues to be a firm favourite in Europe. Alternatively, you could uncover some of the more unusual places like Slovenia with the wonderful Lake Bled or the ancient sites in Turkey or Greece. You might see yourself sailing down some of the most iconic rivers in Europe and beyond on a river cruise where you’ll stop at some exciting places along the way. so whether you're looking for a city escape or a short break, you will also benefit from our expert local guides. Our holidays are not just limited to short-haul travel; we go to many long-haul destinations including India, China and South Africa. Our fully guided holidays are ideal for anyone looking for stress-free experience especially in places where you’re dealing with an unfamiliar culture and foreign language.

2. Travel with the experts

Escorted tours can also give you a more authentic travel experience. We have spent years perfecting our itineraries with tried and tested research so you can trust us to put together a worthy schedule. We only hire locals or experts with a wealth of local knowledge to give you the best and most authentic insider information. We’ve inspected every hotel, bar and restaurant, understand everything about the area and have thought carefully about the diverse needs of travellers to bring together the very best of each destination, ensuring you don’t waste a moment. 

3. Professional local guides

All our guides are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. They will accompany you throughout your holiday and be on hand to offer useful tips and insights into your chosen destination. They’ll share hidden gems, wonderful facts that only locals know, recommend the best restaurants, quirky side street cafes and introduce you to the most interesting local characters. That sense of authenticity, which you won’t find in any guide book, allows you to get under the skin of the place and it means that you won’t just come away from your trip with just a few touristy snaps on your phone. Instead, you’ll have a deeper appreciation for the destination.

4. Enjoy the benefits without the stress

With an escorted tour, you can get out of your comfort zone and embark on an adventure without the hassle of planning the trip. On our holidays, we take care of everything. All you have to do is board your flight and one of our guides will be there to meet you on arrival at your destination. We’ll also make sure every transfer and hotel check-in goes through without a glitch. And if something goes wrong during your holiday, we’ll know exactly what to do. 

5. It can be cost effective

As flights, accommodation, transfers, some meals and excursion prices are all included in the main price of our tours, you can budget more effectively during your holiday.  

6. Find some time for yourself

Our tours aren’t all about sticking to a schedule either. For our itineraries, we factor in plenty of free time to yourself, with the flexibility to spend the afternoon sipping coffee at a pavement cafe, meandering through a city to see what you come across or adding extra time before or after the tour to see some other sights. 

7. Meet fellow travellers

It’s often the people you meet on holiday that are the highlight of the entire trip and you’ll have amazing memories of the shared experiences you had together. If you’re a solo traveller, it’s an opportunity to make new friends. Sometimes fellow travellers get along so well that they even arrange to meet up after the trip or go on another Travel Department holiday!

8. We’re here for you

Your safety is our top priority. For over 25 years we’ve been taking people all over the world, you’re in very safe hands. We’ll ensure your safety on our tours and our group sizes may vary to allow for all appropriate measures. We are fully licenced and bonded, so your money is secure in the unlikely event of our insolvency. Also if there are any issues like cancelled flights or medical emergencies, we will be there to help. 

So if you’ve been planning an adventure for 2024 there’s no reason why you shouldn’t join an escorted tour. You’ll enjoy the trip of a lifetime without any hassle. We are the experts in guided travel, with over 25 years’ experience perfecting tours to 100s of worldwide destinations. 

This blog post has been edited from an original article which appeared in the Irish Independent on January 15th 2019.