Best and worst smaller/independent package holiday providers

What sets apart small and specialist tour operators from many of the biggest holiday providers is the level of expertise that goes into every holiday. The best-rated independent holiday provider even insists that its advisers have lived or travelled extensively in their specialist region.

When you book a trip with Audley Travel, the same specialist will handle your trip from start to finish. Whether you’re planning two weeks in Tanzania or a luxury cultural tour to Japan, your specialist will know the destination inside out and they’ll make recommendations for accommodation and activities based on their own personal experiences. It’s this level of care that turns a good holiday into an exceptional one.

Sunvil Travel is another small operator that handcrafts holidays to lesser-known places, with holidays tailored to your personal preferences and again, a highly personal service. It’s known for its beach and villa-based holidays to Greece and Cyprus, staying in family-run hotels and discovering little-known locations. But it has an ever-growing list of destinations including Costa Rica and Albania. 

Both of the top providers in our survey of more than 8,000 holidaymakers are Which? Recommended Providers. Not only does that mean that they offer some of the best experiences, but also for extra peace of mind they have guaranteed they won't apply surcharges in 2024 - so the price won’t go up after you book. 

Best and worst smaller/independent package holiday providers

Which smaller/independent tour operators does Which? recommend?

Audley Travel – 87%

Audley Travel is a luxury tour operator providing tailor-made holidays based around individual preferences and interests. It takes nearly 40,000 holidaymakers away each year.

Customers were very impressed overall, but particularly by the individual support they received from Audley’s advisers, who can advise on everything from where to watch a live sumo match in Japan to Costa Rica’s best hot springs. 

Holidaymakers also receive 24-hour support while they travel.

Which? verdict: Audley Travel excels at providing tailor-made luxury trips, that are handcrafted by destination specialists.

Read the full Audley Travel review or visit the Audley Travel website

Sunvil - 83%

Sunvil is a family-run, independent tour operator that first made its name for its Greece and Cyprus holidays. It now sells holidays all over the world, focusing on lesser-known destinations, and it takes around 9,000 holidaymakers away each year.

Sunvil’s holidays received four star ratings across the board, including for customer service, accommodation and organisation, illustrating the reliability of its service. 

Which? verdict: Its impressive 83% customer score and its commitment to authentic, hand-picked experiences make Sunvil a standout operator.

Read the full Sunvil review or visit the Sunvil website.

How we researched holiday companies

In August 2022, we asked 8,361 Which? Connect panel members and the public to complete an online survey about their experiences of booking and going on holiday in the past two years. We only reported on companies when we received at least 30 responses.