Join us in 2021
What a devastating four months this has been for the travel industry. On reflection, I still struggle to comprehend how entire nations have been locked down, their economies grinding to a stand-still, with the basic freedoms and liberties of so many people suspended indefinitely. During peacetime, at least, I think it’s fair to say this situation is wholly unprecedented.
Since the end of June, however, we’ve started to see little whispers of light at the end of the tunnel. Here in the UK, social distancing has already become a part of every-day life - the “new normal”, as we call it - with the re-opening of establishments gradually being phased in. Face masks, once synonymous with infection, are now commonplace as the trademark preventative measure, giving more and more people the confidence to resume their livelihoods.
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In terms of finding a cure, research was initially aided by the speed at which scientists in China were able to identify the genetic sequence of the virus. With such a large international community committed to testing, backed by both public and private financiers, this is all looking extremely promising. Worldwide, around 200 groups are actively working on vaccines: 18 of these are now being tested on people in clinical trials, including those under way in London and Oxford.
Some welcome news for the travel sector is that commercial flights are once again ferrying holidaymakers to their favourite overseas destinations, with some 60 countries (mostly European and Asian) now exempt from the government’s 14-day inbound quarantine. With further countries likely to be added to the list as their infection rates drop, we expect the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office to shortly lift their blanket advice against all but essential international travel.
Indeed, we’re very pleased to see things finally moving in the right direction. Travel companies have recently reported a surge in bookings following the announcement of the easing of restrictions, showing the extent of the pent-up demand dating back to March. We’re gutted not to have been able to reward this years’ fundraisers with their challenge of a lifetime, but naturally we can only operate trips where it is safe to do so. As a silver lining, it would appear that 2021 is on target to become a record-breaking season for us.
With that in mind, we’ve been working very hard behind the scenes over the past few weeks to add a couple of new trips to our existing portfolio. Our Colombia Lost City trek was actually set up in March on the eve of the UK lockdown, which is why we haven’t been able to actively promote it until now. This is a real up-and-coming destination, with a remote jungle trek that offers so much diversity in terrain, culminating in an unforgettable view of these enchanting ancient ruins.
While society slowly rekindles its romance with overseas travel, it would be understandable for some of us to remain apprehensive in the short-term over the prospect of booking a trip that includes international flights. For this reason, we’ve decided to add two fantastic new domestic events to our 2021 calendar: Hadrian’s Wall and the London to Paris cycle.
Spanning the width of England between the Irish and North Seas, Hadrian’s Wall offers a competitive 5-day hike with some fabulous attractions along the path. With a Reg fee of £95 and a balance payment less than £500, this is an absolute bargain! London to Paris, on the other hand, adds some flavour to our trek-dominant portfolio of challenges, encompassing a strenuous 3-day ride from Greenwich Park to the Eiffel Tower. Priced competitively with a £125 Reg fee and £725 balance payment, this iconic challenge takes in some delightful scenery on both sides of the channel, before culminating in a well-deserved night out in the French capital. Your return a la Eurostar is included in the price!
Both events include meals and accommodation, with optional upgrades available. Participants are eligible to either self-fund or raise money for charity to cover their trip costs, and with such achievable targets we believe these challenges will prove very popular amongst our fundraisers. For more information, check out our website or contact us directly.
There really is so much work that goes into creating a new trip, not least of all an abundance of market research and logistical expertise. We make it our priority to find the best trekking experiences, hosted by the best guides and sold at the best value to our participants. For this reason, you’ll find in a typical year Choose a Challenge specialises in only half a dozen or so international treks. Obviously, we can create tailor-made tour packages for companies and charities anywhere in the world, but we’ve been running the likes of Mt Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp for over a decade now, so we’re confident declaring ourselves cream of the crop.
Like all of our trips, these new challenges have the cost of carbon offsetting built into their pricing, so anyone who signs up can travel in confidence knowing they’ll be leaving no footprint. As an ABTA member and signatory to the ATOL scheme, you’ll always be protected when travelling with us. However, our ongoing commitment to responsible tourism is what really sets us apart from other challenge tour operators. Having taken the Travellers Against Plastic pledge, and becoming accredited by Tourism Concern, environmental sustainability has become embedded in our business model, and it’s a passion we implore our participants to share.
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This past quarter has been so difficult for so many. From a purely economic stance, businesses large and small have had to make enormous adjustments to survive. With some being forced to defer or even cancel supplier payments, various operations in the third world were left at risk of collapse. Choose a Challenge opted instead to work with its suppliers, ensuring each of our hard-working representatives and their communities were in a position to survive the storm, and thus continue to provide their services to our participants in the years to come.
2021 is undoubtedly going to be a liberating year for many who have been forced to scale back their travel plans this year, so why not register with us and benefit from the authenticity of a bucket-list adventure led by local guides? With our renowned community culture, we take pride in offering inclusive experiences to participants of all ages and backgrounds. Better still, if you book onto any trip departing in 2021 and for any reason you are unable to travel, we’ll allow you to defer to 2022 free-of-charge, up until ten weeks before your scheduled departure. How’s that for an insurance policy?!