About changing traveler habits, winter travel choices, and the advance sales of summer 2027 trips starting on August 7, tells Lilijana Degutytė, head of the tour operator “Kopaturas”.
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A new name backed by many years of experience
“Kopaturas” is still a young name in the Lithuanian tourism market, but the team creating the company has been working in the travel organization field for more than 17 years. During this time, team members have visited dozens of countries worldwide, created sightseeing travel routes, and accompanied travelers in various world regions.
According to the company’s head, when creating “Kopaturas,” the aim was to offer not only well-known attractions but also routes that allow getting to know the country more closely.
“When creating programs, we do not want the trip to turn into rushing from one site to another. It is important to us that a person has time not only to take photos but also to look around, sit down, taste local food, and feel the city life. Therefore, we create programs as we would like to travel ourselves – seeking a balance between the most important places, comfort, and real experiences,” says Lilijana Degutytė.
Currently, “Kopaturas” offers sightseeing trips by plane and bus, weekend getaways, winter and holiday season trips, exotic programs, and group travel.
Why last-minute is not always suitable for sightseeing trips?
Last-minute offers are still popular in the leisure travel market, but planning sightseeing trips has its peculiarities. Here, not only the price of the trip matters but also the program, flight times, hotel location, group size, tour guide, and included activities.
“Sightseeing travel groups are not unlimited. Travelers usually plan in advance when they want to leave, so it is important for them to find a trip suitable for that time. Waiting until the last minute may result in no available spots on the chosen trip or no suitable offer for the planned departure date,” says the director of “Kopaturas.”
Travelers who book earlier have more choices: they can compare different routes, choose a more suitable trip duration, evaluate offered additional experiences, and plan their vacation budget more calmly.
According to Lilijana Degutytė, advance planning is especially important when choosing long-distance trips, popular summer programs, and departures during Christmas and New Year.
In winter, travelers look for two different experiences
In the winter season, travelers’ choices usually split into two directions. Some want to briefly change their environment and feel the festive atmosphere of European cities, while others seek warmth, exotic countries, and the opportunity to experience different cultures.
In Europe, Christmas markets, New Year’s trips, light festivals, carnivals, and weekend getaways to big cities are popular. Such trips allow seeing the main city sights, visiting museums, tasting local cuisine, and feeling the unique winter atmosphere within a few days.
“Some travelers want festive cities, cozy markets, and cultural weekends in winter. Others choose farther destinations where warm, non-winter weather prevails at that time. Therefore, in the winter offer, we try to have very different options – from a few days’ trips in Europe to more extensive sightseeing programs in Asia, Africa, or Latin America,” says Lilijana Degutytė.
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She notes that people start to show interest in holiday date trips earlier and earlier. When traveling during Christmas, New Year, or school holidays, the choice is influenced not only by the destination itself but also by the limited number of suitable flights, hotels, and group spots.
Advance sales of summer 2027 trips started on August 7
While some are still planning trips for the end of this summer, others are already looking ahead to 2027. On August 7, “Kopaturas” started advance sales of next year’s summer sightseeing trips.
According to Lilijana Degutytė, an early start gives travelers the opportunity to choose not from remaining options but from the entire offer announced at that time.
“When planning a trip in advance, you can first choose the desired route and date, and only then adjust your vacation accordingly. As the season approaches, the situation often reverses – people have to look for trips based on remaining spots or change the planned time,” says Lilijana Degutytė.
Advance sales are relevant for families who need to coordinate school holidays, couples and groups of friends who want to travel together, as well as people who need to arrange vacation time at work in advance.
Early booking also allows spreading travel expenses more evenly. Specific booking, payment, and trip change conditions depend on the chosen program, so it is recommended to evaluate them along with the travel route before ordering.
It is important to choose not only the country but also the type of trip
When choosing a sightseeing trip, the head of “Kopaturas” recommends starting not from the question of which country is currently popular but from what kind of experience the traveler expects.
For some, it is important to visit as many places as possible in a short time; for others, a slower pace and more free time. Some want history and architecture, others nature, local cuisine, or more active activities.
“You can travel to the same country in completely different ways. One program may be dedicated to the main cities and historical sites, another to smaller towns, nature, or gastronomic experiences. Therefore, we suggest evaluating the entire program: how much travel time it includes, how much free time, what services are included, and who the trip is most suitable for,” advises Lilijana Degutytė.
According to her, a well-chosen sightseeing trip begins even before departure – with a clear understanding of what is expected from it.
“Trip planning should not cause additional stress. When a person chooses a suitable route, date, and type of trip in advance, the most pleasant part remains – waiting for the upcoming impressions. And we take care of the organizational matters,” says the director of “Kopaturas.”
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