Rebecca Mottram Travel Agent

Visiting different locations or even countries on a single trip offers a holiday packed with contrasts and deeper insights and offers more memories into your itinerary.

Imagine being bedazzled by Bangkok’s gilded palaces and chanting monks in ancient wats, eating fiery green papaya salad at a street vendor’s stall, heading by train to the northern capital of Chiang Mai. After the week of adventure it could now be time to drop a few gears. Head to an ethical sanctuary before heading to one of the islands in the Gulf of Thailand to savour the warm tides and breezes while snorkelling among the corals and watching sunsets with a cold beer from a beachside bar.

A multitude of options

Many years ago this would have simply been called “travelling” or a typical example of a “gap year”. Footloose and fancy free, moving between destinations during travels, absorbing different experiences as you go. But it’s a different dynamic for those who have to fit a holiday into limited time using their modest annual leave.

Yet with evermore adventurous options available beyond the ilk of sedentary, packaged beach holidays, multicentre trips are booming. These can be defined as either experiencing different locations, or perhaps even countries, in a single holiday, to partaking in varying experiences, such a cultural city break combined with relaxing beach time.

I don’t think their popularity is going anywhere any time soon!! Most of my bespoke itineraries include at least one destination and the majority include at least three!

It’s certainly a growing market, outlining that multi-centre trips require thought and effort to compile. I can give suggested itineraries, but these will always need to be refined to suit a client’s taste. Some are very complicated and take many hours to put together, as they involve multiple overseas suppliers, transfers, car hire, domestic flights and/or ferries, plus excursions.

Popular destinations to combine in this type of itinerary include South-East Asia (Thailand being high on the list), Australia, the U.S.A, Bali, and Singapore – with some significant growth into Japan and Vietnam too.

My clients want to see and experience as much as possible during their time away from home. They’ve worked hard for their annual leave and want to ensure they’ll make the most of their time off. Doing a few nights in one location and then moving to another combines different holiday styles and widens both their knowledge and memories of the destination.

Culture and adventure

If you’re looking to create an itinerary that seamlessly combines ancient culture and architecture with adventure then Southeast Asia offers the everyday exoticism and transport options to fashion exciting multi-centred trips.

Southeast Asia has a vast array of different landscapes, places and people with rich cultures which vary so much from country-to-country. It is the people that make places and trips special and that’s who I try and introduce travellers to.

Vietnam is often tied in with Cambodia and a trip to Siem Reap or Luang Prabang in Laos, but each country has so much more. Cambodia has some of the region’s best islands, swathes of rainforest, and Indigenous people. Since the introduction of the train to Laos a few years ago, travel across the country has been transformed and it is much more accessible. The multi-centre sector is a crucial part of Thailand’s tourism industry, as many travellers seek a range of experiences within a single trip. Thailand is so diverse, each province has its own unique landscape, culture, food and festivals. From the bustling capital of Bangkok to tropical islands, rivers and mountains, the central plains, lush rainforests, and marine parks. It’s many holidays in one.

Beach and nature

For beach breaks twinned with nature escapes, agents should think beyond the obvious. Aside from the Greek islands, the Caribbean or South East Asia, the Middle East, and in particular Saudi Arabia, are rising up the ranks of stand out options.

The Middle East, although not super well-known by holidaymakers, is slated to become a big luxury beach destination either on its own or combined with another destination.

Multi-country hopping

Multi-country trips are big in Latin America, and are a hugely popular option as they offer the opportunity to see more of the popular continent in one go. Owing to the enormity of Latin America, visitors are likely to find it a daunting prospect to arrange a multi-destination itinerary but I’m on hand to make sure it’s completely stress-free.

The majority of the tailor-made itineraries include two or three country destinations on the continent. For example, Chile and Argentina combine perfectly for those wishing to visit the wild and pristine landscapes of Patagonia or Antarctica while at the same time exploring iconic Buenos Aires and the majestic Iguazú Falls. There’s no doubt Machu Picchu is one of South America’s most iconic sites, and with the Galápagos Islands on so many people’s bucket list, combinations of Peru and Ecuador are in high demand.

As you can see there are so many multicentre holiday options that it makes the decisions even harder. I LOVE putting these complicated itineraries together and enjoy finding the way to ensure the holiday aligns with all of your needs.

Get in touch with me now to see how I can help to plan your exciting travels. Email me: Rebecca.Mottram@mytc.com