Home » TRAVEL DEALS » Europe And North America: Globus Launches Choice Excursions For Flexible Travel Opportunities
Published on
September 10, 2025
Travellers heading to Europe and North America can look forward to an exciting way to take charge of their guided tours. Globus Family of Brands has introduced what they call Globus Choice Excursions. This new program lets you swap guided activities for options you can choose all while following a well-planned itinerary through must-see landmarks. With more people wanting flexibility in their travel plans, this initiative fits perfectly into today’s travel world.
The move reflects a wider trend towards enhancing visitor choice, with government tourism data from the European Travel Commission (ETC) and U.S. Department of Commerce – National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) pointing to rising interest in experiences that go beyond fixed sightseeing schedules. Officials in both regions have noted that personalisation increasingly influences travellers’ destination and supplier selections.
Expanding Personalised Itineraries
Globus stated that nearly 80 per cent of its globally curated tours will feature these new excursion options, allowing participants to swap fixed activities for experiences more suited to their tastes. For instance, visitors on a Portugal itinerary can opt between a leisurely Douro River cruise or wine tasting in Porto, while a Florence programme can include a twilight aperitivo stroll or a Tuscan culinary immersion.
Similarly, in North America, guests may choose between cycling across San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge or indulging in a Little Italy tasting tour. In Hungary, options will range from a heritage-rich tasting of the Unicum herbal liqueur to a spa visit at the revered Széchenyi Baths in Budapest.
Guided travel, as defined by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), has long been associated with cultural immersion and logistics convenience. By allowing travellers to swap from a fixed excursion to an activity tailored to their own cultural or culinary interests, Globus aims to set a precedent for the evolving definition of guided travel.
Industry Perspective on Flexibility
Globus’ Chief Marketing Officer, Steve Born, described the initiative as part of a bold transformation. He suggested that research indicated flexibility in excursions was now a key motivation driving a new generation of international travellers.
Stakeholders, such as European tourism authorities, have emphasised in recent reports that customised experiences stand alongside sustainability as one of the fastest-growing expectations among leisure visitors. According to the European Commission’s 2025 progress report on tourism competitiveness, post-pandemic travellers prefer holidays where curated elements can be adapted to their lifestyle rather than fixed itineraries that overlook personal interests.
Building on Government Tourism Trends
Government data backs the timing of Globus’ move. According to figures from the NTTO, inbound visitor spending in the United States has been increasingly driven by culinary and cultural experiences with food-related tourism accounting for nearly 120 billion USD in 2024 revenue. Similarly, the ETC’s annual monitoring report shows that more than half of European survey respondents identified authentic local experiences as a deciding factor in booking organised tours.
The focus on gastronomy, culture and wellness within Globus Choice Excursions directly mirrors these findings. Official tourism boards across countries such as Italy, Hungary and Portugal have also highlighted the growing surge in visitors choosing food trails, regional tastings and wellness offerings. The country profiles published on the European Union’s tourism sector portal similarly underscore a shift towards blending cultural heritage with modern leisure pursuits.
Balancing Ease with Discovery
Travellers often cite the ease and premium access of guided tours as key advantages, but many also express concern that rigid itineraries can feel restrictive. Globus’ model has been presented as a way of balancing those advantages with the ability to make personal choices at critical stages.
Company representatives suggested that the new design would flex around guests while retaining features such as advance planning, transportation, and priority access, which help relieve the stress of managing logistics independently. Governments, through national tourism boards, have consistently recommended innovations that allow visitors to customise stays without compromising safety, security or sustainability practices.
Looking Ahead
The introduction of the Choice Excursions represents Globus’ attempt to transform guided travel into something more fluid, where premium services intersect with personal identity. By including food tours, leisure activities, tastings, and active explorations, the company hopes to attract both traditional guided-tour travellers and a younger cohort seeking more autonomy during overseas trips.
As global tourism rebounds, industry data from the OECD’s Tourism Trends and Policies report (2024) highlights how operators committed to empowering traveller choice stand to be more resilient. Globus, positioned in both Europe and North America, appears to be aligning its offering with this policy direction.
Today’s travellers can plan expeditions that feel as personal as a diary entry. Picture yourself tasting Italian wine as the sun sips the horizon; pedalling past a famed American landmark with the wind scripting your own epic; or unwinding in centuries-old Hungarian thermal baths. This company is urging anyone curious enough to slip into the experiences that linger longest in the memory. Guided trips no longer mean following a stiff clipboard. The itineraries are polished by the pros, yet still leave enough room for your own story to unfold.
