If class and wisdom come with age then you can guarantee they’re two matured traits over at Insight Vacations, which turns 40 this month. Yes, 40!
Were you around four decades ago when the brand launched? Are ya feelin’ a little old?
While you think about where all that time went (don’t worry we’re doing it too), we’re thinking about all the changes that have happened in the industry in the 40 years since the brand first launched in 1978, like…
1. From dressing to impress to all-hail comfort
Back when Insight Vacations first launched, travellers would dress to impress when catching a flight. Today flying is much more like catching a bus, with some travellers taking up to 50 flights a year for business purposes. The move from heels and suits to activewear and sneakers means travellers are free to dress as they please and have a much more relaxed travel experience!
2. From smoking on planes to sustainable travel
Travellers can now enjoy a much healthier environment while up in the air. Although it seems ludicrous to travellers nowadays, it was only until the 1990s you could smoke on planes.
All aspects of the travel industry from transport to accommodation, including Insight Vacations under The TreadRight Foundation, brands are constantly pushing for more sustainable travel options. It is still quite common to receive all travel documents on paper through the post.
Now travellers can receive them immediately electronically and download them to their phone, tablet or laptop to use instead of a paper ticket. Insight Vacations are dedicated to reducing environmental impact, and guests that choose to receive their itinerary and paperwork through soft copy will have a tree planted in lieu of the printed documents through not-for-profit organisation One Tree Planted.
3. A more personalised experience
In the 70s and 80s, travellers would rely on family friends to advise them of the latest places to visit and would send postcards back home after they ticked off the big sites from their bucket list.
Nowadays, travellers can expect a much more personalised visit – such as learning how to farm oysters on the coast of the Adriatic with local Tomislav, taking a walk around an Umbrian olive growers farm before tasting his delicious artisan oil or having a fast-tracked VIP entry into the Sistine Chapel before a private viewing of the Bramante staircase – it doesn’t get more personalised than this.
4. Technology: Saving you from boredom
The days of travellers twiddling their thumbs in the air are over. Travellers could be stuck in the air for hours and hours with very little to do, other than smoke, drink and perhaps read a newspaper – or three.
Today’s advancements mean travellers can choose from hundreds of movies on their own screen, read a Kindle or keep children entertained on an iPad. Most airlines now even offer Wi-Fi.
5. Independent or Boutique? The choice is yours
In the 70s, 80s and 90s there wasn’t much variety when it came to where travellers should or could stay. Many hotels were built by airlines for their flight crew and customers in key cities.
With Insight Vacations, travellers can stay at the unforgettable Ashford Castle in Ireland, stay in the heart of Venice in the elegant Splendid Venice San Marco or experience the beautiful Chateau de Rochecotte in the Loire Valley. Hotels are handpicked for their locations, where you stay makes the difference between a good holiday and a great one.
READ: Agent wins a free trip for her parents from Insight Vacations
READ: Why 2017 was an epic year for the industry