This Brochure Could Change Your Travel Plans
Partnership
Here's what to expect from the latest edition of Hays Travel's Best of Touring
The art of truly seeing the world was once reserved for intrepid adventurers. Now, it is gaining a well-deserved revival as one of the fastest-growing trends in travel. In an age shaped by fast-paced tourism, touring offers something richer: the chance to slow down and experience destinations like never before.
Not the rush of ticking landmarks from a list, but the feeling of understanding a place; hearing its stories, tasting its traditions, and connecting with communities. This growing appetite for meaningful journeys that interlace wanderlust and experience is exactly what inspired the latest edition of Hays Travel’s Best of Touring. The brochure that could change your travel plans.
Now celebrating its 10th edition, the hugely popular series brings together an inspiring collection of escorted tours and adventures from some of the world’s leading touring partners. Published every spring and autumn, the brochures are designed to help you holiday beyond the ordinary. The appeal of Best of Touring lies in the balance. There’s the reassurance of expert planning, knowledgeable guides, and trusted UK travel agents, paired with the excitement of authentic experiences and eye-opening discoveries. For first-time touring guests, these deals remove the stress of navigating unfamiliar destinations. For seasoned travellers, they offer exclusive access to places and moments you might never encounter alone.
Launched this spring, the latest 2026 edition of Best of Touring is more than a brochure; it’s your guidebook to the greatest travel experiences on Earth. Each page as exciting as the last, from exploring the vineyards of Italy or spotting wildlife in South Africa to driving through the dramatic scenery of Canada or uncovering the cultures of India; these are the kind of trips you’ve had on your holiday list for as long as you can remember. But very few places capture that spirit of discovery more vividly than Asia.
Asia has a way of reshaping the way you see the world, sweeping you into another rhythm of life entirely. It’s a continent of contrasts and colour that has fascinated travellers for centuries. Bullet trains glide past ancient pagodas in Japan. Dawn breaks over jade-green rice terraces in Bali, while nights unfold in lantern-lit streets humming with spice, music, and movement in Vietnam. Across the region, landscapes shift dramatically – from emerald jungles and palm-fringed coastlines to vast deserts and snow-dusted peaks. But it is the atmosphere that lingers most. There are moments here that feel cinematic: watching monks drift silently through morning mist in Angkor Wat, hearing the crackle of woks from bustling markets in Thailand, or tracing centuries of history along rivers that shaped civilisations. Few destinations can rival Asia, and nowhere quite captures the extraordinary sense of scale, spectacle, and cultural richness quite like China... a place where dynasties rose, legends whisper, and roly-poly pandas have become the face of a nation.
Vast, layered, and endlessly fascinating, China is a destination best explored slowly. One moment, you’re standing before the ancient grandeur of the Great Wall, tracing the footsteps of emperors. The next, you’re gliding past futuristic skylines in Shanghai, where neon reflections shimmer across the Huangpu River. Touring allows you to connect these contrasts – to witness ancient traditions and modern innovation existing side by side in one extraordinary journey. Rail travel, in particular, has become one of the most immersive ways to experience the country. Curving through mountain landscapes, rural villages, bamboo forests, and bustling cities, China’s rail network reveals the country in cinematic detail.
It’s not simply about reaching the next destination; it’s about watching the scenery, culture and pace of life evolve outside your window. Then there are the moments in between – sipping jasmine tea in a peaceful courtyard, wandering lantern-lit streets in Xi’an, tasting regional dishes that change from province to province, or watching the early morning rituals of locals in city parks. For many travellers, China represents the ultimate touring destination because it constantly surprises. Familiar landmarks quickly give way to unexpected encounters, whether it’s a hidden temple, a traditional market, or a quiet stretch of countryside untouched by time. It’s travel that awakens curiosity at every turn, beautifully brought to life and perfectly packaged by Hays Travel’s Best of Touring experts.
The latest Best of Touring collection is designed to inspire exactly those kinds of journeys. Packed with carefully curated itineraries, exclusive offers, and ideas for every style of traveller, it reflects the growing desire to travel deeper. And to celebrate the launch of the latest edition, there’s even more reason to start planning your next adventure. Hays Travel is giving readers the chance to win one of 10 incredible prizes, making this the perfect time to discover where touring could take you.
The latest Best of Touring collection is designed to inspire exactly those kinds of journeys. Packed with carefully curated itineraries, exclusive offers, and ideas for every style of traveller, it reflects the growing desire to travel deeper. And to celebrate the launch of the latest edition, there’s even more reason to start planning your next adventure. Hays Travel is giving readers the chance to win one of 10 incredible prizes, making this the perfect time to discover where touring could take you.
