Contiki is a tour company that caters to 18- to 35-year-olds. It operates tours in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America, Africa, Middle East, and Asia. It is a subsidiary of The Travel Corporation. The company is committed to sustainable tourism. Its tours historically had a reputation for partying. However, in recent years the brand has evolved in many different directions, promoting wellness trips vegan trips and focussing more on culturally immersive experiences. Contiki claims to be the most popular youth travel company in the world, carrying over 150,000 18-to-35 year oldsworldwide in 2007. Contiki offers over 350 different tours in over 75 countries. Trips include a mix of sightseeing, free time, culture, socialising, and adventure. The company offers various styles of trips, with the main difference between the styles being the accommodations used and the number of nights spent in each location. It owns its own properties across Europe for its travellers to stay in, including the Chateau De Cruix, a 16th century castle in the Beaujolais wine region, and the Gasthof Schoneck in the Austrian Tyrol The name "Contiki" comes from the portmanteau 'Con' from the word 'Continent' and 'Tiki'; derived from the native New Zealand Maorigood luck charm. It can also be attributed to the New Zealand slang 'Tiki-tour' describing taking a longer route to a destination in order to explore.
History
In 1962, when New ZealanderJohn Anderson was alone and without much money he devised a plan so that he would not have to travel alone and could see Europe for free. He put a deposit on a minibus, gathered a group of people to travel with, and spent 12 weeks exploring Europe with his group. At the end of the trip, he unsuccessfully tried to sell the minibus. As a result, he decided to promote his Europe trip again, and this time he was able to fit two trips into the summer season. The first tours were booked by 19- to 29-year-olds, starting the tradition of Contiki Holidays being for youth travellers. In 1982, the company began offering tours in the United States. In 1984, it expanded to Australia. In 2009, it expanded to Asia. In 2013, it began tours in Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Galapagos and in 2015, it expanded to Japan.
