Fancy a lovely European holiday?

Trafalgar launches 114 new Europe and Britain itineraries, Wi-Fi couches, and shopping add-ons for 2014

Europe is a continent of contrasts. Classic favorites live side-by-side with less discovered nations, each bringing its own distinct personality. Understanding the nuances of each country, Trafalgar — the world's leading guided vacation company — takes guests deep into these destinations that open doors for unforgettable travel experiences.

A guided or escorted tour is a form of tourism where travel directors take care of all services from beginning to end of the tour (flights, hotels, transportation, transfers, meals, and sightseeing. But it's never enough for travelers to take a trip abroad and see pretty sights.

For this, Trafalgar — together with local partner Pan Pacific Travel Corporation — continues to revolutionize the travel industry by offering breakthrough travel products and experiences to over a million guests yearly.

Travel deep inside Europe

Trafalgar's 2014 Europe and Britain program allows travelers to discover 44 diverse regions through 104 enhanced itineraries. Take for instance the 13-day Balkans and Venice guided vacation that takes travelers through the best of the Balkan region, from the stunning beauty of the Plitvice National Park, to the ornate Byzantine architecture of Venice. The 11-day Northern Spain guided tour explores both its modern landscapes and mountainous terrains.

In a word, Filipinos who travel with Trafalgar are promised to get more than the usual tour itineraries. The company's travel directors bring guests to exclusive experiences that only they can provide because they are usually born and raised in the places of visit. According to Tollman, with their local knowledge and expertise, guests' travel dreams are fulfilled as they take them through the heart and soul of the city that they know so well.

Completing the vacation is the "Be My Guest" dining experience which allows guests to dine with the locals and savor their authentic dishes at unique venues, such as private residences, farms, wineries, and other family-run establishments.

Wi-Fi couches and more shopping

In this day and age, especially in the Philippines, social media has changed the way people travel. So for 2014, Trafalgar regional director for Asia Nicholas Lim, excitedly announced that Wi-Fi will be available in all their couches.

"We've been trying it. It's not an easy thing to do. But we know it's something our guests will surely love," Lim beamed. "So now every travel director gets a little Wi-Fi box. We trialed it through our spring series and it worked unbelievably well. Now our guest can share their travel experiences with their loved ones in real time."

And if there's something Filipino travelers love as much, if not more, than Facebook, it's got to be shopping. Lim even joked that Filipinos along with the whole Asian market could easily have ended the European economic crisis if they shopped continuously in the region for an entire year.

"Asians' penchant for shopping is astounding. So just for the Asian market, we have shopping add-ons. In the Asian market brochure, guests can opt for shopping add-ons in Paris and in London. You pay a little price and you get transferred to a shopping outlet in Paris or in London and you could go berserk," Lim enthused.

Growing Philippine market

Although it's a bit taxing for Filipinos to book European tours because of visa constraints, Tollman said there are immense opportunities that are coming from the Philippines for Trafalgar.

"This year the Philippines has, I believe, a 17 percent increase in gross domestic product (GDP) growth. You have a very strong middle class that wants to travel.  Philippines Airlines is now flying to London. And you have a currency that continues to get stronger. If you align all these, there is no doubt that there are immense opportunities for growth in the Philippines," Tollman enumerated.

He added: "Without a doubt, Trafalgar has the right product for the Filipinos. We can give them the safety and security of wanting to travel and at the same time provide ethnic experiences that they would love to tell all their families and friends."