Youth travel specialists TruTravels is branching out, offering its adventurous itineraries in the U.S. market.

The company, acquired by G Adventures in 2018, was previously only available to travelers in the UK and Australia but it has re-envisioned its product positioning and is now more travel advisor focused.

Mark Pope, co-founder of the UK-based tour operator said that the pause in international travel caused by the pandemic has given the company the opportunity to rethink its product positioning in terms of changing traveler needs and wants, and how they can make their portfolio more agent-friendly as travel consultants become more important for consumer peace of mind.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing our super fun range of trips to US agents to sell to a younger market of travelers. Our itineraries have a high level of structure and plenty of inclusions, making them an easy and economical solution for both time-poor young professionals and independent backpackers who are looking for an added social element as part of a bigger adventure,” said Pope.

The company offers a variety of itineraries focused on social interaction, wellness and adventure in several categories such as FitVentures, SailVentures and Flashpacker.

We know travelers are going to crave social adventures after months of isolation and separation from their friends and family, but at the same time, we are witnessing a shift away from sharing dorm rooms to a desire for personal space in terms of accommodation options. The SailVentures we’ve created offer the perfect balance of action and relaxation along some of Europe’s most stunning coastlines. Our existing ‘TruTravelers’ are also growing up with us - they still want all the best parts of the backpacker experience, but with a bit more comfort, so the Flashpacker style is perfect for them,” Pope said.

Pope added that trips have an increased focus on health and wellness.

“Additionally, there’s been a huge move towards increased health, wellness and mindfulness following the pandemic, and this is extending to how people choose their travel," he said. "Many travelers don’t want to spend a full week in bootcamp, so we’ve created our FitVentures tours to celebrate local wellbeing and great outdoor fitness, while still allowing the group to explore amazing destinations such as Bali and Thailand.”

TruNinjas are TruTravel's trip leaders and also act as social directors, ensuring groups have fun and see important destinations.

With the announcement of its growth into the U.S. market, TruTravel also announced savings of up to 50 percent on trips to Croatia and Greece throughout 2021 and 20 percent off all 2023 departures when booked before July 31, 2021. The sale features more than 20 departures throughout 2021 including the eight-day Greece Sailing Adventure (now $697.50, usually $1,395), the eight-day Croatia Sailing Adventure (now $627.50, usually $1,225) and the nine-day Greece Island Hopper (now $1,624 usually $1,815).