Dear Adventurer,

The big theme of 2022 is “back to business”. I’m sure that is true for you, as everyday life becomes full once again, and it is definitely true for us here at Macs Adventure.

We are overjoyed that travel is back. Seeing our travellers once again enjoy such enriching experiences around the world is the reason that we do what we do, and we have been kept incredibly busy doing it! We’ve seen an explosion of pent-up demand as Covid-19 restrictions roll back.

We saw our busiest May for departures ever, and as we move into the summer months, it’s great to see the Macs Adventure Community alive with customers on trips, with some incredible weather (even in the UK!).

Spring sunshine on the West Highland Way

A challenging season

Whilst the return to travel is welcomed, hospitality and transport industries are undeniably facing challenges, which you will see just by watching the news of airline cancellations and airport queues.

We’ve also had reports from customers of slower or reduced service, as hotels and restaurants try and get back to full staff.

Our suggestion for travel in 2022 is still to plan a little more carefully and a little further ahead than perhaps you would have a few years ago. Leave extra time for journeys, book restaurants ahead if you can, read the detail ahead of time for things like hotel arrival information. With a little extra planning, often you’ll find the odd delay in service won’t cause too many problems.

Our trips & our service

With such a reduction in the volume of travel for the past two years, we find ourselves in the same situation as many tour operators, where despite the biggest recruitment drive in our history, we simply cannot recruit new team-members quickly enough!

In many ways this is wonderful, as we are so pleased to be building a thriving team back again and welcoming talented people back to the travel industry. But, I wholeheartedly apologise if you have had to wait longer than normal for a response from our team, or a booking confirmation has taken a little longer than the standards we aim for.

Rest assured - we are on it! Our full team are going the extra mile. We know where the issues have been, and we have addressed it by bringing more great people on board, launching some innovative technology developments, and we’re investing for the future.

The availability crunch

Some travellers have waited years to take on their trails! So inevitably, demand is high. We have nevertheless taken the decision to take some popular holidays such as the Tour du Mont Blanc off sale for the rest of the year, as availability was getting too restrictive; and we can no longer accommodate last-minute bookings to the UK. The beauty of some of the rural places we visit is the small accommodations with unique charm, and often rural settings. We won’t offer alternatives if we think it would compromise on the quality of the experience.

As much as we want to make hay whilst the sun shines after two challenging years as a business, it is more important to us to preserve the integrity of our holidays, and protect our local partners too.

Experiences like the Tour du Mont Blanc have been incredibly popular.

That said, you can still get away later in the summer but don’t hang about! And for iconic trips like the Tour du Mont Blanc, book now for next year, as capacity is so limited.

In summary, our 2022 top tip is that we really cannot emphasise enough how important it is to book ahead!

Travel advice

Most destinations have now relaxed travel restrictions around Covid-19, but it is still important to check for official advice from your home country, like the foreign office, to make sure you know what you need (for example proof of vaccination).

Some destinations are now very relaxed about on-the-ground requirements like wearing masks, and some are still cautious. Do a little research in advance, and you’ll know what to expect, and enjoy a safe and happy trip.

Travel in 2022

In summary, travel in 2022 is proving to be wonderful, but it isn’t quite “back to normal”. There are bumps in the road for sure and extra patience is undoubtedly required.

Taking all of this in your stride, and experiencing the joy of travel again (with the inspiration that comes from discovering new places) will make it worthwhile, and we know you’ll love the journey. That is guaranteed!

Yours in Adventure,

Neil Lapping

Founder & CEO

For information, support, or advice, contact our team on hello@macsadventure.com