Riviera Travel to reduce group tour sizes in response to customer feedback

Riviera Travel will reduce the group sizes for its tours from 2025 following customer feedback.

The operator currently caters for up to 50 people on each of its European tours, but will drop that to 36 from next year to provide a “better customer experience”.

Vicky Billing, head of trade partnerships for the UK & Ireland, told Travel Weekly the change will “set Riviera apart” from other mass market tour operators, which she said mostly have group sizes of 50 or more.

More: Riviera Travel adds 16 new options to 2025 Europe portfolio

The change will apply to all the operator’s European tours, with its signature tours having a 22 customer maximum.

“We looked at our customer reviews and while nearly all the feedback from our customers was positive, there was an undercurrent of people saying the groups are too big.

“Our new group sizes will make the tours more exclusive as there are fewer spots, but we are not putting the prices up, we are maintaining cost and providing a better service.”

She added: “I would advise agents to emphasise the exclusivity of the tours to their customers as now there is a reduced number, each client will receive a more personalised service.”

Chief commercial officer Robin Shaw added: “Passengers will typically still be on a 50-seater coach or bus, but they will have more space, and our customers who have already booked for 2025 are very appreciative of that.”