Skip to content

Busting the 4 Most Common Coach Holiday Myths 🚍

coach holiday myths

Have you ever considered a coach holiday?

There are many coach holiday myths about this type of holiday.

Having spent 25 years taking coach holidays all over the world as a Tour Manager I’m here to help bust some of the most common coach holiday myths.

Let’s crack on!

Coach Holiday Myths – Let’s Get Busting!

coach holiday myths coach holiday expert old people
Some older people sitting around – clearly not on a coach holiday!

Coach Holiday Myths

1. Coach Holidays Are Only for Really Old People!

Absolutely not.

This is one of the most pervasive coach holiday myths. People often tell me that they aren’t old enough yet to take a coach holiday!

Coach holidays attract a wide variety of ages, although generally, travellers are from their 40s upwards. It is not common to see children on coach holidays, some coach holiday companies don’t allow children in fact. However, multigenerational coach holidays look like they will become more common in the future.

There are coach holiday options for younger people too with plenty of options aimed at travellers aged 18-30.

Many people picture coaches full of people who need wheelchairs, mobility scooters or walking aids when they picture coach holidays and that is absolutely not my experience of taking thousands of travellers.

Many coach holidays have fitness requirements, which give details of how much walking you need to be able to do in a day etc. Some don’t allow wheelchairs or walking aids, other than a walking stick perhaps.

Of course, over the years there have been some issues with mobility for some guests. Sometimes they just booked the wrong holiday completely, not understanding what was involved. For others, it has been a case of things changing such as needing a knee or hip replacement so not being as fit as they once were, or would be once their operation was completed.

We can all be guilty of making assumptions about people based on their age – what a big mistake this can be.

When I was training to start to work with a coach holiday company one of the new potential recruits was firmly of the view that anyone over 60 should not be out unaccompanied and if they didn’t turn up to meet their friends the police should be called!

Often on tours, it is the younger people who find the program toughest. I have travelled with people in their 90s who have had more energy than everyone on the coach put together and climbed hills to prove it.

When it comes to coach holidays and life in general age really is just a number.

coach holiday myths the coach holiday expert not very active

Coach Holiday Myths

2. Coach Holidays Aren’t Active Holidays

This is not true in my experience.

This is also one of the popular coach holiday myths with people believing that travellers sit on a coach all day!

There are lots of differences between coach holidays, with a variety of types, paces and styles available – ideally something to suit everyone. Most coach holiday companies will give details about the pacing of the tour, and the fitness levels required and the itinerary should give an idea of the activity levels too.

In the tourism industry in general there has been a move towards more active holidays, with travellers wanting to have great experiences in destinations rather than just visit and leave.

Coach holidays can include walking, sports, adventure travel, cycling and much more besides.

There really is a coach holiday for everyone, with a style, pace and activities to suit.

saga info 1

Coach Holiday Myths

3. Coach Holidays Are Cheap & Nasty

Absolutely not.

This is one of the top coach holiday myths not only amongst travellers but also sometimes amongst some ill-informed travel industry people. There is often a view that people on coach holidays don’t spend money which is also not true.

There is a huge variety in the type of coach holidays available, as there are with all types of travel. Coach holidays have adapted over the years to reflect the taste and interests of their customers, who want more local experiences, more authentic experiences and more in-depth and active experiences.

Coach holidays can offer lots of value.

If you compare the cost of some coach holidays which have trips, meals, flights and internal travel in a destination included they can sometimes be considerably cheaper than you could travel yourself.

As you will see coach holidays are changing and adapting and they are options to suit all levels of budgets, with some very high-end options available too.

coach holiday myths the coach holiday expert not well travelled

Coach Holiday Myths

4. Coach Holiday Guests Are Not Well Travelled

Totally untrue.

This is one of my favourite coach holiday myths because in my experience it couldn’t be more wrong.

The people that I meet on coach holidays are all well travelled, many of them better travelled than me and I have travelled a lot.

The way they travel depends on who they are travelling with, where they are going and their budget. This means over the course of a year they could be taking trips on their own, domestic trips, group trips and self-catering trips.

It is rare to meet someone on a coach holiday that hasn’t got an interest in travel and many people have a fantastic knowledge of areas, countries and topics.

The coach holiday guests I have travelled with have come from all sorts of backgrounds, from teachers to nurses, directors to doctors and everything in between.

They are a truly varied bunch.

Assumptions can be dangerous things and that’s also true when making assumptions about coach holiday travellers.

coach holiday expert coach holikday myths coach holidays of the past
Just for clarity this bus is from a bit before my time

5. Coach Holidays From My Past

Coach holidays have already changed a great deal since I started taking them 25 years ago, partly as a result of how travellers have changed and how the whole travel industry has changed.

25 years ago there were no cheap flights, so coach holidays were the cheapest way to get to Europe. Whilst there are still a few holidays that include an overnight coach to reach the destination these are very much the minority. Spending over 24 hours travelling on a coach isn’t that appealing when compared to a 3-hour flight.

In the early days of coach holidays there also was no internet and there was much less awareness about places. As such companies offered excursion programs and packages covering the main attractions that people wanted to see, and people booked them, generally all of them.

travelsphere info

6. Coach Holidays Now

Coach holidays now offer much more personalisation. You can choose active trips, adventurous trips, or trips with more free time for exploring on your own. Some coach holidays offer a choice of accommodation, some offer a choice of coach to travel on, and some offer a choice of optional activities in each destination rather than one option.

There are options about how you join your coach holiday with flights, private cars, stopovers and upgrades generally available.

As travellers become keen to explore further so coach holidays have adapted and there are holidays to all corners of the world. Generally, these holidays involve flying from the UK and then travelling on a local coach.

A coach holiday now is definitely not 47 people all doing the same thing – it has never been that in my experience.

7. Coach Holidays of the Future

The big change in travel now is more solo travellers. As such many coach holidays are increasing the number of spaces available on tours that have no single supplement. There are of course dedicated solo travel coach holidays, but my experience has been with solo travellers who are part of a larger group.

There are now lots more solo traveller only departure dates from companies that previously have not offered this. As demographics change in the UK I think there will be more growth in solo travelling for coach holidays.

Over the years travellers have wanted to become more active too – wanted to experience the places they are visiting, rather than being passive observers. Coach holidays are adapting to this trend, incorporating local authentic activities and things like homestays into their programs.

Personalisation of holidays is another trend that I think we will see continue, as people try and create unique holiday experiences.

Smaller group holidays look like a trend that is going to stay awhile too, having gained popularity as a result of Covid19 restrictions and safety concerns.

So having busted some coach holiday myths why not read more about this great way to travel.

Author Bio

melanie photo the professional traveller

Melanie Newdick, The Professional Traveller

🌏 Professional Traveller for +36 years
🚍 Coach holiday expert – taken 8,000 people on holiday

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish Highlands Lover

✈ Lover of An Airport Lounge
🧳 Travel Essentials Packer

💰 Travel Insurance Advocate
🚢 Invergordon Cruise Port Guide
🗺 Travel Inspiration Planner

🤑 Travel Bargain Hunter

You Might Also Like

If you have found my article on coach holiday myths useful you might be interested in;

9 Reasons to Choose a Coach Holiday – Based on real traveller feedback

10 Coach Holiday Hacks to have an even better holiday experience

For more information to help you find your perfect coach holiday check out my Coach Holidays page

Further Reading

  • Touring Holidays to Italy – Find Your Perfect Trip Now 🚍
    Looking for touring holidays to Italy? Great – here you will find a comparison of all the Italian coach holidays available from the main coach holiday companies in the UK. Compare companies and tours and find your favourite trip quickly and easily. Touring Holidays to Italy with Saga Holidays Saga Holidays are for those aged … Read more
  • Coach Holiday Hand Luggage – Helpful Things to Know 🚍
    Planning on taking a coach holiday? Here are some tips to help you with your coach holiday hand luggage. Coach Holiday Hand Luggage – Size The overhead racks on coaches are much smaller than the overhead lockers/bins on planes. For most coaches, a small case that is 45x36x20cm is probably about as big as you … Read more
  • Coach Holiday Meals – Things to Know Before You Book 🚍
    Are you planning on taking a coach holiday? Don’t assume you know what the coach holiday meals will be like – read on for some examples and things to consider before you book. Coach Holiday Meals – What’s Included The website or brochure that you see before you make your booking should have details of … Read more
  • What Are the Best Seats On a Coach Holiday? 🚍
    Wondering what the best seats on a coach are if you are planning on taking a coach holiday? It’s not always the front seat. Here are my tips to help you find your best seat. Best Seats on a Coach – Coach Holiday Seating Policies The first thing to mention before we talk about the … Read more
  • Optional and Included Coach Excursions – What Are They? 🚍
    Heard the term coach excursion and not sure what it means? Here’s all you need to know about a coach holiday excursion and the different types available. Coach Excursion – What Does It Mean? When you book a coach holiday you will be booking a package of things. This may include the following; Coach Excursion … Read more
  • Crossing the Channel by Ferry Or Tunnel on a Coach Holiday 🚍
    Check out this post if your coach holiday involves crossing the channel by ferry or by Eurotunnel and you want to know about the different ways of crossing the channel. Crossing the Channel by Ferry The ferry crossing from Dover takes 1.5 hours across the English Channel. The ferries are large with plenty of facilities … Read more
  • What is a Cruise Escort and What Do They Do? 🚢
    Ever wondered what the role of a cruise escort is? Well here’s my guide based on doing the role several times over the course of my coach holiday career. It may be a bit different from what you think! What is a Cruise Escort? The Role A cruise escort is there to just accompany the … Read more
  • Coach Holiday Seating Policies – What You Need to Know 🚍
    Coach holiday seating is an important part of any holiday. There is nothing worse than spending a week or more in a seat on the coach with a column running through it so there is very little view (yes coaches do have these!). If you are worried about travel sickness you may want to read … Read more
  • What’s The Difference? Tour Manager and a Tour Guide 🚍
    Do you want to understand the difference between a Tour Manager and a Tour Guide? Well, this quick guide will explain both roles so you can understand them and know what to expect on your coach holiday. What’s the Difference Between a Tour Manager and a Tour Guide? Tour Manager The Tour Manager is responsible … Read more

Leave a Reply

error: Content is protected !!