Latest news with #TrovaTrip
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Jet2 launch new route from UK airport to Greek island loved for its sandy beaches
The weekly service will start from May 26, 2026 and will run every Tuesday until October 20, 2026 giving travellers the opportunity to enjoy the sun-soaked hotspot Scots and those living in the north of England dreaming of a Greek escape can fly directly to an island famed for its sandy beaches and rich history. From next summer, will operate flights from Glasgow Airport to Kos. The weekly service will commence on May 26 2026 and will run every Tuesday until October 20 2026. This gives travellers the chance to soak up the sun in this hotspot, which is the birthplace of Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician considered the father of modern medicine. Greece has seen a boom in tourism after nearly going bankrupt a decade ago following the 2009 global recession. In fact, the country was recently ranked as the world's second top destination in a poll by TrovaTrip, a group travel platform, losing out only to Italy. It comes as news emerges that UK beachgoers risk £2,500 fine for causing common problem. Now Scots have a direct route to the island of Kos, making it sixth Greek destination from Glasgow, which also includes Corfu, Heraklion (Crete), Kefalonia, Rhodes and Zante. Holidaymakers can seize the opportunity to explore Kos's diverse range of historical sights, stunning scenery and golden beaches, reports the Daily Record. Part of the breathtaking Dodecanese Islands, Kos has long been a favourite for sunshine holidays. Holidaymakers can choose from lively party towns, relaxed seaside resorts and traditional fishing villages – all boasting beautiful beaches and serving up traditional cuisine. Kos, with its rich culture and history, is an island where ancient relics sit side by side with vibrant bars and bustling promenades. Passengers can also benefit from the airline's generous 22kg baggage allowance. Steve Heapy, CEO of and Jet2holidays, has said that the popularity of Greek getaways shows no signs of waning. He stated: "Demand from customers and independent travel agents in Scotland is telling us that flights and holidays to Greece are very popular for Summer 26. "As the largest airline and tour operator to Greece from Scotland, we have responded quickly to that demand to give customers even more choice from Glasgow Airport. "Kos is a magical destination, and we know its appeal, coupled with our award-winning customer experience, will make it an extremely popular option for holidaymakers looking to book a welcome escape to Greece." Matt Hazelwood, chief commercial officer at AGS Airports, also expressed his delight at the announcement, saying: "We are delighted to see announce its sixth Greek destination from Glasgow to the sun-soaked island of Kos next summer. "Expanded flight options to Greece have been sought after by Glasgow passengers for some time and the market dynamics clearly show the increasing trend of people in West Scotland searching for travel to this part of Europe. "We are delighted to see respond to this demand with an expanded Greek programme for Summer 2026. Glasgow Airport looks forward to welcoming even more Greek-bound passengers from the city and the wider West Scotland region travelling from their local airport next year."
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Daily Record
Jet2 launch new Scots route to Greek island famed for abundance of sandy beaches
The carrier will whisk fliers to Kos from summer 2026 Scots looking for a Greek getaway will now be able to fly directly to an island known for it's sandy beaches and rich history. From next summer will fly from Glasgow Airport to Kos. The weekly service will start from May 26, 2026 and will run every Tuesday until October 20, 2026 giving travellers the opportunity to enjoy the sun-soaked hotspot which was the birthplace of Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician considered the father of modern medicine. Greece has experienced a surge in tourism after almost being declared bankrupt a decade ago following the 2009 global recession. In fact, the country was recently ranked as the world's second top destination in a poll by TrovaTrip, a group travel platform, losing out only to Italy. Now Scots have a direct route to the island of Kos and it is 's sixth Greek destination from Glasgow which also includes Corfu, Heraklion (Crete), Kefalonia, Kos, Rhodes and Zante. Holidaymakers can take the opportunity to discover Kos's diverse offering of historical sights, stunning scenery and golden beaches. Part of the show stopping Dodecanese Islands, Kos has long been a favourite for sunshine holidays. Holidaymakers can choose from lively party towns, laid-back seaside resorts and traditional fishing villages – all of them boasting beautiful beaches and dishing up traditional cuisine. With its rich culture and history of the capital, Kos Town, Kos is an island where centuries-old relics neighbour vibrant bars and buzzy promenades meet. Passengers can also take advantage of the airline's 22kg baggage allowance. Steve Heapy, CEO of and Jet2holidays, said the trend for Greek escapes doesn't look set to end anytime soon. He said: "Demand from customers and independent travel agents in Scotland is telling us that flights and holidays to Greece are very popular for Summer 26. "As the largest airline and tour operator to Greece from Scotland, we have responded quickly to that demand to give customers even more choice from Glasgow Airport. "Kos is a magical destination, and we know its appeal, coupled with our award-winning customer experience, will make it an extremely popular option for holidaymakers looking to book a welcome escape to Greece." And Matt Hazelwood, chief commercial officer at AGS Airports, added: 'We are delighted to see announce its sixth Greek destination from Glasgow to the sun-soaked island of Kos next summer. "Expanded flight options to Greece have been sought after by Glasgow passengers for some time and the market dynamics clearly show the increasing trend of people in West Scotland searching for travel to this part of Europe. "We are delighted to see respond to this demand with an expanded Greek programme for Summer 2026. Glasgow Airport looks forward to welcoming even more Greek-bound passengers from the city and the wider West Scotland region travelling from their local airport next year."
Times
12-07-2025
- Times
The new Gen Z travel trend? Holidaying with an influencer
When 24-year-old Louise Young boarded the plane to Bali in July last year, she'd had eight months to prepare for the fact that she was about to go on holiday with Molly Thompson, 25, an influencer with more than 70,000 followers on Instagram, whom she had never met. Still, Thompson was not a total stranger; Young had been watching her YouTube videos since she was a teenager. 'We're basically the same age. When she was revising for exams so was I,' Young says. So when Thompson advertised a £1,410 group trip on her Instagram page in November 2023, where fans could join her and her boyfriend, Tom, in Bali, it felt like a no-brainer for Young to sign up: 'I was watching her videos and I thought I needed to get away.' On the tour Young was joined by 15 other Thompson followers, all ready and eager to jet across the world to meet their hero. While there, they did activities including snorkelling, tours of sacred monkey forests and temples — with photo opportunities aplenty, of course. Influencer-led trips like Thompson's are taking the travel industry by storm. Supported by companies such as TrovaTrip and Plotpackers, influencers are taking to their social media feeds to sell spots on holidays — with the unique catch that they'll be part of the ticket price too. Booking a holiday once meant flicking through travel brochures or heading down to a travel agent's office for advice. But for Gen Zers like me, social media is our guide. TikTok and Instagram are overflowing with detailed itineraries and travel hacks, so much so that 11 per cent of the world's adult population say they follow travel influencers. 'It is their new form of research,' says Chloe Combi, author of Generation Z: Their Voices, Their Lives. '[Social media] influences all of their decisions, from buying a lipstick to booking a holiday.' • I booked a trip via an Instagram influencer — here's what happened But in 2025 the influencer travel takeover doesn't stop at recommendations. Thompson decided to host her first group trip to Thailand two years ago after meeting a scuba diving instructor who told her he had featured in the itineraries of similar tours. She had already seen other influencers selling excursions on social media but never looked into leading one herself. 'Then I thought, OK, maybe this is something that could work,' she says. 'I love travelling, I love backpacking. I thought I might be able to help other people have the same experience.' Since 2023 Thompson has partnered with various companies to host four international trips. The companies provide the technology that allows influencers to share booking links on their social media profiles — they are usually paid commission from each person who signs up. '[The company] basically know everything about the travel industry and I am advertising the trip to sell it,' Thompson says. 'The most I've earned from a trip is probably four and a half thousand pounds.' But are these trips value for money for the people buying them? 'Of course I'm biased, I'm going to say yes,' says Lauren Schneider, a co-founder of TrovaTrip. A six-day trip to Costa Rica in June, hosted by the influencer Devorah Story, cost $2,495 excluding flights, while Schneider admits that some of Trova's excursions have sold for more than $10,000. However, Combi gives a word of warning: 'To any young people thinking about spending a lot of money on these trips, I'd suggest approaching cautiously. My concern would be the practical, emotional and social organisation.' • How Bali became the influencer hotspot Grace Rhiannon, 19, went on a trip to Bali organised by TruTravels and hosted by the influencer @ last year, which she describes as being content-heavy. 'Even though [Zoe] was very much involved in the activities, she was trying to make content,' Rhiannon says. 'We expected that it was going to be a holiday for her as well, but ultimately it is a job, isn't it?' Rhiannon didn't mind the stream of photos: 'Most of the stuff on my Instagram is from that trip,' she says. However, shyer members of her group tour opted out of appearing in the videos and photoshoots. 'If you're going on an influencer trip, you should probably know that there might be a lot of content.' From Young's perspective, going on Thompson's Bali trip was 'one of the best things' she has done. And for many young women wanting to travel solo, these group tours offer a safe way of exploring the world. 'When you're in a group, no matter who they are, you do feel a bit safer,' she says. So what's the benefit of having an influencer at the helm? 'They can bring a lot of energy to the group, they can convince you to travel more,' says Louise Truman, the founder of Plotpackers. As part of Thompson's Bali tour, she hosted what she calls an ice-breaker welcoming meal. 'I do a bit of chat at the beginning about the week, what I'm doing there, and then we'll quite often play a get-to-know-you game like two truths and a lie,' she says. Young agrees that this was a great way of making everyone feel comfortable: 'We were all nervous to meet everyone but that went away the more time we spent together.' And finding a like-minded group — who felt like 'genuine friends' by the end — was one reason Young booked the trip. But it's not the same for the influencer. 'Those people know a little bit about me, but I don't know anything about them, which can be a little bit bizarre,' Thompson admits. 'I felt like I really should be on my A-game all the time.' Still, Young was certainly convinced by her favourite influencer: 'She is just like she is in her videos.'
