Tauck has rapidly grown its Small Group line of tours (an average of 24 guests) since the pandemic, but the tour operator said there is demand for even smaller groups.
The company has responded by piloting its "Smaller Group" tours in 2024. These trips average just 15 guests, Tauck said. In comparison, Tauck's classic land journeys host an average of 35 to 44 guests.
Tauck said three Smaller Group departures have already happened (America's Canyonlands, A Week In… Spain and A Week In… Ireland) in recent weeks. In all, Tauck will pilot 26 Smaller Group departures spanning seven itineraries in North America and Europe this year. The Smaller Group tours are special departures of existing Tauck itineraries.
According to Tauck's website, the classic "A Week In ... Spain" tour in 2025 starts at $5,990 per person, the Small Group at $6,690 and the Smaller Group at $8,990.
The Smaller Group program's official launch is slated for Tauck's 100th anniversary in 2025, when the company will expand its Smaller Group offerings to include 124 departures across 12 itineraries in North America, Europe and Africa. They are open for booking.
Tauck CEO Dan Mahar said guests on Smaller Group safaris will "stay in cozy lodges and tented camps with limited capacity, minimizing disruptions to the wildlife and environment, and providing a more authentic experience."
Tauck said Small Group tours now account for more than half of its non-cruise business.
"Although a large segment of our guests remain devoted to our classic group size, we've also seen incredible growth in our Small Group departures over the past several years," said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar. "More recently, some of our guests have shown increasing interest in even smaller group sizes. Our market research has zeroed in on an optimal group size of 12-20 among those interested in smaller groups, so our average group size of 15 travelers is right in the center of that sweet spot."