Since 1981, Avanti Destinations has been selling custom tours exclusively through travel advisors. And beginning Sept. 12, 2023, the wholesale tour operator will add the South Pacific to its offerings, joining its already expansive list of tours in Europe, Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, Central America and South America.
Eight recommended itineraries in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji are part of the launch, as are 280 tours and experiences, as well as hundreds of hotels and resorts in more than 50 locations across the South Pacific. Suggested itineraries can be tailored to fit individual clients’ needs, from exact tour stops to the total number of days and nights.
The debut of South Pacific vacations comes in response to demand from advisor partners, who are fielding high interest in the region from clients. And, since Avanti is well-known for its FIT trips in Europe and beyond, advisors have been eager to see comparable offerings in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific islands.
Kayaking in the idyllic Mamanuca Islands, Fiji, is one of many experiences that might be added to a customized Avanti tour in the region.
Credit: 2023 Avanti Destinations
“These destinations offer spectacular scenery, abundant opportunities for active travel, wildlife spotting, fascinating Indigenous cultures, and renowned food and wine,” said Paul Barry, Avanti’s CEO. “It is also a region that will give advisors repeat bookings. Once clients take one independent vacation there, they will want to return, and Avanti’s wide array of outstanding experiences ensures that each vacation you create is different from the last.”
With this launch, we are giving advisors a staggering range of components they can use to build unforgettable vacations.
Tour Options in Australia, New Zealand and More
New customizable tours range in length from four to 16 days. The “Australia Discovery Tour,” for example, visits Sydney, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Melbourne, Ayers Rock/Uluru and Cairns or Port Douglas in the span of 16 days. Recommended experiences along the way include a tour of Sydney’s Opera House, multiple activities at the sacred site of Uluru, or Ayers Rock, a snorkel cruise at the Great Barrier Reef, a rainforest tour and more.
The eight-day “Best of New Zealand” tour includes time in Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch and Queenstown, and experiences such as a Waitomo glowworm caves tour, a Polynesian spa-bathing experience and a tour of Te Puia geothermal park. The “Fiji Paradise” itinerary spends eight days in the destination, including five nights at Yasawa Island Resort & Spa (and then additional days in a client’s choice of the Coral Coast, Nadi or Denarau). Activity options in this destination include exploring the remote Mamanuca Islands, visiting a vintage sugarcane railway, trekking to waterfalls , diving with sharks and more. And on all of the above FIT trips, inclusions such as daily breakfast and private transfers apply.
Australia tours might include a visit to Port Douglas, a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.
Credit: 2023 Avanti Destinations“You can see from the more than 40 South Pacific destinations we have added that we offer not only the most popular, iconic ones, but also smaller, off-the-beaten-path places that other tour operators don’t offer, but are extremely worthwhile seeing,” Barry said in a statement. “We always strive to give advisors the opportunity to help their FIT clients develop an in-depth appreciation for the countries that they visit and their cultures, and not just tick the best-known sights off their list. With this launch, we are giving advisors a staggering range of components they can use to build unforgettable vacations.”
On Sept. 12, a regional e-brochure will become available in Avanti’s advisor portal, and a webinar covering the destination is scheduled for Aug. 31 at 10 a.m. PST. Advisors can register here. Additional webinars are already set for fall and can also be found via the advisor portal.
