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Companies who have survived, like family-owned and operated Travelrite International, spent the long months keeping a close eye on a rapidly changing world and devising new and creative tours to match the needs and interests of travellers when they emerged from lockdown.

Travelrite directors Simon and Nigel Walliss are finding that people are now looking to the safety and security and the sense of comfort that escorted tours provide.

"Travelling is still quite complicated, particularly the international borders. There are lots of procedures you do need to go through still before you can travel internationally," Nigel said.

"I guess that's the benefit of using a travel agent in that we handle that for our clients; we keep up to date with all the latest rules and regulations.

"It's a changing environment with borders: different countries have different rules so you do need to be on top of all of that."

Travelrite is noted for its seniors' escorted tours and special interest tours, such as garden and music tours; and it has expanded its portfolio of Australian tours due to more people wanting to travel within the country for the time being.

The great value in taking an escorted tour with Travelrite in Australia next year is that all of the tours have bookings in place.

"All our tours have everything booked well in advance," Simon said. "The escort looks after all the arrangements and also ensures all the COVID protocols are in place."

The brothers say concern about getting COVID isn't holding seniors back. "They are double vaccinated so they know they are safe... their main concern is being able to get back home without lockdowns and quarantining."

Simon said it was important for clients to feel comfortable about travelling again.

Travelrite has introduced some new domestic rail tours within Australia next year to cater for the surging interest in rail travel.

A 12-night rail and road tour of country Victoria in March incorporates a Murray River paddlesteamer cruise and a progressive lunch in the vineyards of Rutherglen.

Another Victorian tour in April incorporates rides on many of the state's "little" trains, such as Puffing Billy and the Victorian Goldfields Railway.

An 11-night rail tour in South Australia next September will have travellers climbing aboard the Pichi Richi railway, visiting rail heritage centres and riding an historic horse-drawn tram.

Like countless others, Nigel is looking forward to travelling next year and doing it on one of his own tours.

"I am planning on travelling with our Ghan Adelaide to Darwin group in April and the Murray River cruise group in August," he said.

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