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Book fans get more travel options with four new EF Ultimate Break tours: Travel Weekly

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EF Ultimate Break has launched itineraries crafted especially for bookworms. 

The tour operator, which specializes in travel for 18- to 35-year-olds, has debuted a collection of itineraries for 2026 that are inspired by BookTok, a popular community on TikTok where users post videos about their favorite reads and tag them #booktok.

The launch of the literary itineraries comes after research EF Ultimate Break conducted among its travelers found that 62% want to visit destinations with ties to their favorite books. And across the board, travel inspired by books is becoming more popular, galvanized by the resurgence of book clubs, literary festivals and bookish celebrations,
EF Ultimate Break created four itineraries, which it will operate both as scheduled group departures and private tours. 

EF Ultimate Break president Heather Leisman said it was seeing a shift toward young people seeking out more meaningful travel experiences and connecting face-to-face. “Our new BookTok-inspired trips give travelers the chance to turn those online conversations into real-world friendships while exploring the places that bring their favorite stories to life,” she said. 

The “Highlights of Switzerland: Inspired by ACOTAR” itinerary will take romantasy lovers across the country in nine days, inspired by the popular “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series by Sarah J. Maas. Highlights include a book club discussion of the series, a visit to the Swiss Riviera and a dinner where guests can don their finest Night Court attire (IYKYK).

Emily Henry fans, this one’s for you: a 12-day “Cruise Croatia: Inspired by People We Meet on Vacation” itinerary that will explore the country by boat. The book features multiple vacation destinations, including Croatia, and on the real-world trip, travelers will have opportunities to bond over explorations of Makarska, Split and Mljet.

The “Cairo, Athens & Rome: Inspired by Percy Jackson” itinerary will spend 11 days in three countries, starting in Egypt and ending in Italy. Ancient history is the focus of this itinerary, with time spent visiting the pyramids in Cairo, walking the same streets as gods and monsters in Athens and exploring ancient ruins in Rome.

Though not yet available for booking, EF plans a fourth itinerary for witches and wizards. The “London & Scotland Escape: Inspired by Harry Potter” will spend eight magical days in the U.K. between London and Edinburgh. Travelers will visit Harry Potter filming locations, explore London as a Muggle and visit the Scottish Highlands, which inspired Hagrid’s hut, the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade. 



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Ponant announces new French Polynesia itineraries for 2026-27

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Ponant is deepening its presence in French Polynesia with the introduction of brand-new winter itineraries aboard Le Jacques Cartier beginning with the 2026-27 season.  

These new itineraries complement the Group’s long-established leadership in the region with Paul Gauguin Cruises, which has been sailing the islands year-round for more than 26 years as French Polynesia’s destination expert.  

The new itineraries aboard Le Jacques Cartier will take guests deeper into French Polynesia than ever before, with rare calls to the remote Gambier and Austral Islands. In addition to exploring the Society Islands, Tuamotus, and Marquesas, these exclusive voyages offer an exceptional opportunity to experience the full richness of the region to archipelagos that The Gauguin doesn’t visit. Each archipelago is shaped by its own vibrant culture and breathtaking natural beauty, revealing the diverse character of French Polynesia in extraordinary depth.  

 “With the debut of Le Jacques Cartier in French Polynesia, Ponant Explorations Group now offers two unique ways to experience the extraordinary with our distinctively positioned brands appealing to every inclination for both expedition and leisure travel,” said Samuel Chamberlain, Ponant Exploration Group’s CEO of the Americas. “While the m/s Paul Gauguin continues to define immersive, year-round discovery in the region, the winter deployment of Le Jacques Cartier brings a new perspective—more remote and more expeditionary. Both brands share the hallmarks of our Group: a commitment to meaningful travel through cultural immersion, French flair, environmental stewardship, and expert-led enrichment.  

“With Le Jacques Cartier joining The Gauguin in Polynesia, we’re expanding the choices available to discerning travelers seeking authenticity, elegance, and adventure,and cementing our leadership position in the region as the destination expert,” Chamberlain added. 

From October 2026 through February 2027, the two new itineraries aboard Le Jacques Cartier will be offered in addition to voyages to the Marquesas. All three 14-night itineraries travel roundtrip from Papeete, Tahiti, and are available for booking now. 

New itineraries ready to book 

Secret Polynesia: From the Society to the Austral Islands 

  • October 18 & December 13, 2026 
  • These voyages showcase the untouched beauty of the Tuamotus, the wild Gambier Islands, and the remote Austral archipelago. 
  • Fares from $11,550 per guest, double occupancy 

From French Polynesia to Pitcairn Island 

  • November 15, 2026  
  • This is a rare adventure through Tuamotu and the Gambier Islands to legendary Pitcairn, rich in ancestral traditions and pristine natural wonders. 
  • Fares from $11,080 per guest, double occupancy 

Polynesian Bliss: Marquesas, Tuamotu and Society Islands 

  • October 4, November 1 & 29, December 27, 2026; January 24, 2027 
  • Immerse yourself in the mystical spirit of the Marquesas, coral-ringed atolls of the Tuamotus, and beloved Society Islands. 
  • Fares from $10,900 per guest, double occupancy. 

 





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TTC Tour Brands Adds 16 New Tours Across Three Brands for 2026 Travel

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TTC Tour Brands announced the addition of 16 new itineraries for 2026 travel across its Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold brands. The expansion represents the company’s largest introduction of new trips in seven years.

The new tours span five continents and include nature escapes, culinary explorations, heritage adventures and women-only departures. All tours come with the company’s “Price Drop Promise,” which guarantees travelers the best available price even if tour costs decrease after booking.

“With destinations like Portugal, South Korea and the Balkans trending for 2025, a growing demand for women-only experiences and a desire for multi-country adventures, these new itineraries tap directly into travelers’ emerging desires through more meaningful experiences,” said Melissa DaSilva, deputy CEO of TTC Tour Brands. “Enhanced with our signature experiences and guidance from local experts, these new trips allow travelers to make valuable connections with the places they visit. We’re not just adding more destinations, we’re meeting our travelers’ desire to connect more deeply with the world and with themselves.

RELATED: Why TTC Tour Brands Hosted 500 Advisors on Simultaneous Fam Trips

Trafalgar will offer nearly 10 new itineraries covering scenic U.S. destinations and European cities. The additions include a 12-day Spain, Morocco and Portugal Whirl connecting the three diverse cultures, a 9-day Best of Romania, Transylvania and Hungary tour featuring gothic castles and medieval villages and a 9-day Balkans Coast Explorer covering Albania, Croatia and Montenegro. Other new Trafalgar itineraries include an 11-day family-oriented English Adventure, a 9-day Villages of France slow-travel experience and an 11-day Best of Sri Lanka itinerary.

Insight Vacations will launch more than five new itineraries including its first Women’s Only trip series. New offerings include a 10-day Adriatic Escape from Dubrovnik to Montenegro, a 13-day Wonders of Sri Lanka journey, a 9-day Soul of the Deep South tour focusing on Civil Rights history and music trails, a 12-day Heart of Patagonia trek through Argentina and Chile and a 9-day Contrasts of Brazil and Argentina experience.

RELATED: Tour Review: A Women-Only Tour of Egypt With Trafalgar

Luxury Gold will add two new experiences: a 10-day Spectacular Scotland tour covering the Highlands, ancestral estates and including a champagne cruise on Loch Lomond, and an 11-day Ultimate Portugal journey from Porto to the Algarve featuring wine, architecture and coastal experiences with a Douro River cruise and cathedral visits in Evora and Coimbra.

The new tours are available for booking now for 2026 departures through the TTC Tour Brands Travel Advisor Portal. TTC Tour Brands operates Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold and other travel brands.

Editor’s Note: This article was generated by AI, based on a press release distributed by TTC Tour Brands. It has been fact-checked and reviewed by a TravelAge West editor.



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Trafalgar, Luxury Gold and Insight reveal new itineraries for next year: Travel Weekly


TTC Tour Brands will launch 16 new itineraries next year, marking the company’s largest itinerary expansion in seven years.

Trafalgar will introduce eight
itineraries next year; Insight Vacations will launch six; and Luxury
Gold will debut two.

Melissa DaSilva, deputy CEO of TTC Tour Brands, said the itineraries reflect the growing demand for women-only travel and multicountry tours. 

Some of the new TTC tours

The Trafalgar itineraries will bring travelers to Europe, Asia and the U.S. The Spain, Morocco & Portugal Whirl itinerary will span 12 days, taking travelers to cities like Madrid, Costa del Sol, Tangier and Lisbon. The 10-day South Korea Tour to Seoul, Gyeongju and Busan itinerary visits the Korean Demilitarized Zone and Hahoe Village, a Unesco World Heritage site, and includes a rice-wine tasting in Busan.

In the U.S., travelers can take advantage of the Scenic Great Lakes with Mackinac Island itinerary. The nine-day trip starts in Chicago and ends in Detroit, with two nights on Michigan’s car-free Mackinac Island.

One of the tineraries being introduced by Insight Vacations is a women-only tour of the Southern U.S., the nine-day Soul of the Deep South, a Women-Only Tour through Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Luxury Gold, which specializes in luxury small groups, will operate Spectacular Scotland and Ultimate Portugal. The Scotland itinerary explores the country across 10 days and includes the highlands, Edinburgh and the Isle of Mull. The Portugal trip features a foodie tour in Porto, a wine tasting in the Douro Valley and a visit to the Algarve. 



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