Contiki Intros “Sober Curious” Itineraries for Gen Z

by Sarah Milner / January 16, 2025

Contiki sober curious travel style — Photo: Contiki

Contiki is responding to the Gen Z interest in alcohol-free travel with a new “Sober Curious” travel style.

Announced today, the tour operator is introducing six itineraries across Britain and Ireland that have been curated with sober travel in mind. These journeys range from six to 18 days long, and focus on clear-headed cultural experiences—forgoing the whiskey tastings and distillery tours found in Contiki’s other packages.

“Contiki built its name on communal fun and social spontaneity and this new trip proves that travellers don’t need booze to bring the buzz,” the company said in a release.

The new sober-curious departures include:

Contiki designed the new travel style to meet the demand for travel experiences that don’t revolve around alcohol. Contiki’s 2024 Voice of a Generation Survey found that 83% of respondents aged 18 to 35 said they’d be interested in a completely sober travel experience, and a report published by Berenberg Research showed that more than a quarter of Gen Z live a teetotal lifestyle (via World Finance).

“The data doesn’t lie. Young travellers are not only drinking less in general but are also increasingly curious as to what a completely sober travel experience would look like,” said Adam Armstrong, Contiki CEO. “Of course, our travellers can still enjoy an Aperol in Rome or some Beaujolais wine at the Contiki Château if they want to, but these sober curious trips are part of a suite of cultural experiences we offer that prioritize the buzz of travel over anything else.”

Contiki is a tour operator specializing in travel for the 18 to 35 demographic. The brand is part of The Travel Company’s portfolio, which also includes Trafalgar, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, premium guided vacation company Insight Vacations, and Celtic travel experts Brendan Vacations.

For more information, visit https://www.contiki.com.