Read the Fine Print Before Signing for a Tour

For today’s mature traveler, selecting an international vacation should be easy.

After all, most of us have had decades of big-ticket shopping for houses, new cars, dozens of major appliances, putting kids through school, etc. All of which adds up to street-wise shopping and deciphering more fine print than is contained in the Los Angeles phone directory.

The pleasant problem is that the travel industry has found that the mature traveler isn’t an endangered species. Far from it.

Mature travelers represent more than half of America’s discretionary spending bucks. And because most seniors’ homes and cars are paid off, the money available for travel will open an array of vacation travel more exceptional than ever in 1988.

Of course, nowhere is it chiseled in stone that mature travelers must take a tour or package designed for the 55-plus age group.

But in the last few years, surveys have shown that mature travelers prefer a more leisurely paced tour, central hotels, later-starting sightseeing tours, earlier-stopping tours, less night life, more local culture and personal interaction with people. Above all, a less hassled and hectic trip.

Although many tours and packages profess to be designed for mature travelers, some are so in name only. Study the fine print. You’ll discover that they’re often trips of 10 countries in 10 days for the youth market. As a result, it is still necessary to read the pesky fine print.

Stay-Put Vacation

One of the most popular trends for mature travelers is the long-term, stay-put vacation in which you sign in at one hotel or resort in Europe for anywhere from two weeks to longer, exploring out from there.

The biggest selection of these trips is being offered from three pros in the mature market: AARP, Saga Holidays and Grand Circle Travel.

Grand Circle claims to have been the first to offer the concept to Americans. This year it offers the program in London, the Swiss Alps, Swiss-Italian lakes region, Austria, Spain’s Costa del Sol, Sorrento/Rome, Yugoslavia and Hong Kong.

These “Live-Abroad” vacations usually include a first-class hotel room or apartment for two weeks, buffet breakfast daily, lunch or dinner each day, plus a program of activities in addition to the resort’s sports and social programs. Tours are optional.

Some examples of prices, including air fare from Los Angeles, are two weeks in Davos, Switzerland, from $1,708 to $1,898, with extra weeks priced at $375; two weeks in London from $1,445 to $1,845. Other destinations are similarly priced. (These are per person, double occupancy, spring and summer rates.)

“Mature travelers love this program,” Alan E. Lewis, chairman of Grand Circle, said. “They really get to know a country, relax and set their own pace. Of course, we have a staff on duty at each area to help them plan sightseeing or other activities.”

Larger Trip Selection

The AARP program is similar but offers a larger selection with a choice of 17 destinations. The program is called “Hosted Holidays” and offers stays in first-class hotels or apartments for a week and longer.

“Many mature travelers enjoy a conducted or packaged tour,” Hal Norvell, manager of AARP’s travel service program, said. “But our research shows that older Americans would rather spend holidays abroad by setting up housekeeping in just one or two places for a more leisurely time.

“Last year several thousand members proved us right, and with an expanded program in 1988, this year will be even greater.”

Saga Holidays, which is aimed at the 60-plus age group, has a long-stay package for Switzerland.

Vacationers have the choice of 14 days at a three-star hotel in Interlaken or seven nights in Interlaken and seven nights at villas in the Lake Geneva region. Breakfasts and dinners, some excursions, transfers, taxes and Saga’s good insurance program are included in the prices, which start at $1,619 per person, double, from Los Angeles. Summer rates run $1,889.

A. J. S. Travel Consultants of New York has a long-stay program for its 50 Plus Club in a 15-day tour of Britain. This includes four nights in London and nine nights in the south coast seaside resort of Bournemouth.

Several sightseeing excursions, a London show, most meals and air fare from New York is included in the package. Prices start at $2,067 per person, double. A. J. S. also has similar programs in Switzerland, Italy and Israel.

In addition, all companies mentioned have regular escorted and/or package tours to Europe, all designed for the mature traveler.

Budget Vacations

For the active mature traveler looking for a more budget-oriented tour of Europe, check out the American Youth Hostels’ tours for its 50-plus years members.

There are two, both motor trips in 12-passenger vans. Members tote their own luggage and should be in good physical condition for the exploring excursions and brief hikes that are offered, in addition to the regular sightseeing.

“European Roundabout,” 16 days (July 30-Aug. 14), features Luxembourg, Holland, West Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France and is priced at $1,785 from New York, including group-prepared meals and accommodations at AYH hostels.

“European Spotlight,” 36 days (Sept. 7-Oct. 12), has extensive travel in seven countries by van and a Rhine River cruise. Price is $3,200 from New York and includes hotel and hostel accommodations plus all meals.

Not to be overlooked in all the offerings of national and international tour wholesalers are the international tours specifically designed for mature travelers by well-established local travel agencies.

Giovanni Tours of Agoura Hills, whose president, John DiPonzio, runs super all-inclusive tours, offers all meals, sightseeing, taxes, transfers, even pre-tour classes, plus guidebooks on packing, money exchange rates and other details.

See the Orient

In addition to his 23-day, seven-country “Grand Europe,” set for June 25 ($3,488 per person, double, from Los Angeles), and two British Isle tours, both in July and priced at $2,788 from Los Angeles, DiPonzio has tours to the Orient and Australia.

Australia, New Zealand and Fiji are featured in tours set for Nov. 10 and 17, priced at $4,388 from Los Angeles.

“Though the regular air fare just went up,” DiPonzio said, “we have a contract price set. So, in effect, we’re saving tour members several hundred dollars.”

Giovanni Tours’ “Heart of the Orient” tour, which includes Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Malaysia, will run in September and October and costs $3,088 per person. “In-Depth China” features several off-the-usual-path areas and is also priced at $3,088. (All prices are per person, double occupancy.)

Richard Adams Tours of Glendora, previously cited in this column for integrity in appealing and designing tours for mature travelers, has six tours of Europe this year. Briefly, they are:

Best of Britain, May, 17 days; Eastern Cities and the Danube, June, 16 days; English Countryside (for second-time tourists), July, 15 days; Scandinavia, 15 days; London to Paris and good points of interest in between, 12 days, both in August, and the eighth annual Festive Alpine Tour, September, 15 days.

Prices start at $2,085 per person, double, from Los Angeles. Each tour is limited to about 30 people. Among other features, they offer a no-tipping policy and a guaranteed-share program for single travelers.

Self-Drive Tours

Also on the local scene are Taylor Tours and Cruises, and Tours of Britain, both with programs for mature travelers to the British Isles.

Taylor’s offerings feature Self-Drive British Tours for mature travelers who wish to travel on their own by rental car. For $35 a day per person, double, they get a rental car, plus overnight at a bed and breakfast inn or small guest hotel.

Mature travelers, furnished with maps, plan their own itineraries, or they can take advantage of a seven-day pre-planned route (and accommodations) of southern England’s most popular cities and attractions. Taylor Tours also arranges for round-trip air fare from Los Angeles at the guaranteed lowest available rate.

Tours of Britain, run by Stephanie Austin-Goodman, has been running tours of the British Isles for mature travelers for six years.

Her program this year includes a well-paced “Villages of Great Britain,” with two- and three-day stays in charming country towns. The 22-day tour, limited in size, costs $2,498 per person, double, from Los Angeles and includes first-class hotels, breakfast and dinners daily (except in London), luxury motor coach, guides, tips and taxes.

There are six departure dates from June 9 to Sept. 1. Tours of Britain also has programs of British walking tours and castles in Scotland, plus four 15-day tours of London, Leningrad and Moscow.

For more information:

Grand Circle Travel, 347 Congress St., Boston, Mass. 02210, phone (800) 221-2610.

A.A.R.P., AARP Travel Service, P.O. Box 92964, Los Angeles 90009.

Saga Holidays, 120 Boyleston St., Boston, Mass. 02116, phone (800) 366-7242.

A. J. A. Travel Consultants, 177 Beach 116th St., Rockaway Park, N.Y., phone (800) 221-5002.

American Youth Hostels, Los Angeles Council, 357 West 7th St., San Pedro 90731, phone (213) 831-8846.

Giovanni Tours, 5308 Derry Ave., Suite F, Agoura Hills, Calif. 91301, phone (818) 889-3156.

Richard Adams Tours, P.O. Box 1457, Glendora, Calif. 91740, phone (818) 963-4288.

Taylor Tours & Cruises, 3171 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Angeles 90039, phone (213) 417-7988.

Tours of Britain Inc., 5757 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 124, Los Angeles 90036, phone (213) 937-0494 or (800) 634-8687.