Diethelm Travel Asia targets Adventure Holidays

In response to the growing global demand for interactive soft adventure travel, Bangkok-based inbound tour operator Diethelm Travel Asia (DTA) has launched a series of new soft adventure itineraries that take travellers even further off the beaten path into some of the most beautiful and unspoilt enclaves of Southeast Asia.

“In recent years soft adventure travel itineraries have become more and more popular as an experience of nature that goes far beyond the usual tour package. We are very glad to be able to provide our customers with a new selection of itineraries that offer travellers a truly unique experience of Asia,” said John Watson, Chief Executive Officer, Diethelm Travel Asia.

All new adventure programmes are available in DTA’s 2005 country tariffs available for destinations throughout the region, including Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

In its Thailand tariff, Diethelm Travel features a new selection of ‘Soft Adventure & Nature Tours’ such as the 3 days/2 nights ‘Kanchanaburi Western Explorer’ package that provides tourists with a stimulating insight into the nature, history, culture and agricultural practices of western Thailand.

Unlike the more traditional package holiday, tourists joining soft adventure tours gain real first hand experience of a destination, exploring the natural diversity of Southeast Asia’s rainforests, waterfalls, caves and historical sights, as well as taking part in community home-stay programmes and witnessing such activities as sapphire production, silk weaving and other local industry.

“Soft adventure tours are rewarding, not only spiritually but intellectually, and with the added necessity that they are safe and not too physically demanding. One misconception is that you have to be young and in peak condition to take part, but that is not the case at all,” said Watson.

In Vietnam, considered one of the top 10 destinations for soft adventure travel, Diethelm Travel has launched a series of ‘Eco & Adventure’ tours exploring the highland trails and hidden valleys of the country’s rolling northern terrain. While some of the programmes include trekking, the trails are leisurely and can be easily negotiated by people of all ages, said Suzy Walker Managing Director of Diethelm Travel Vietnam.

“When people see the word ‘eco’ or ‘adventure’ they tend to assume that our tours are tough going and involve a lot of sweat, but actually our Eco & Adventure tours are relaxed with only a few hours of walking at one stretch. There’s no one cracking a whip telling you to get to a certain point by a certain time,” she said. 

Interest in soft adventure tours, said Walker, had grown considerably in the last few years with many programmes like their ‘Haiphong Bicycle Tour (3 days/2 nights)’ launched in the tariff for 2004, proving a popular itinerary over the cool winter season.

New Eco & Adventure tours appearing in the Vietnam 2005 tariff include an 8 days/7 nights itinerary exploring the trails of northern Vietnam. Making up the programme is a trek that follows in the footsteps of local tribes, as well as home-stays with Thai and Dzao minority peoples, and a boat trip on Thac Ba Lake.

“What we are finding is that more and more people are wanting a holiday that has an interactive flavour to it. An important part of the soft adventure experience is also that local communities are able to take an active part, thus creating a sustainable product which benefits the whole community,” said Watson.

In Loas, another Asian destination with a world renowned reputation for innovative soft adventure holidays, Diethelm Travel has launched five new ‘Eco-Tourism & Soft Adventure Tours’ featuring everything from trekking in Savannakhet and Vang Vieng to visiting the north’s “hidden tribes” and exploring the former royal capital of Champassak and Khong Island in the South of the country.

Likewise, Diethelm Travel Cambodia’s 2005 tariff has introduced a new 5 days/4 nights ‘Soft Adventure and Nature’ tour – Phnom Penh-Mondolkiri-Kratie-Kompong Cham-Phnom Penh – that takes tourists deep into Mondolkiri, described in the Diethelm tariff as one of “Cambodia’s most scenic provinces”. Populated by more than 12 different ethnic groups tourists visit numerous villages, including a village inhabited by Phong chunchiet hilltribes where life has remained unchanged for centuries.

“Soft adventures are an important part of our product lineup as it promotes sustainable tourism within the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS). Its been one of the areas attracting increasing interest this high season in most of our featured destinations,” said Watson, adding that despite recent travel crises culminating in SARS during 2003 and the emergence of avian bird flu this year, the company’s regional travel business had bounced quickly back from the slump with winter bookings well above expected targets.

“All indications suggest that Asia is back, with occupancy rates at hotels set to break new records and our own business at Diethelm Travel Asia seeing a surge in bookings that will take us well into the first quarter of next year,” said Watson.

The World Travel Mart Global Report for 2004-2005 at this year’s WTM appears to confirm that Asia is back in business, stating that the “Asia/Pacific will continue to outperform other regions of the world – not just in inbound but in outbound tourism growth.”

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