Globus
Globus is a Swiss family-owned tour operator founded in 1928, offering 740+ guided vacations across 80+ countries through three brands — Globus, Cosmos, and Avalon Waterways — primarily serving mature Gen X and Boomer leisure travelers via direct sales and an extensive travel advisor network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1928
- HeadquartersLittleton, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Globus does
Globus is a Swiss family-owned tour operator founded in 1928 by Antonio Mantegazza, originally operating tourist transportation on Lake Lugano. Today the company runs three wholly-owned brands — Globus (premium escorted tours), Cosmos (value-priced touring), and Avalon Waterways (river cruises with Suite Ships in Europe, Asia, South America, and Egypt) — collectively offering more than 740 vacations across 80+ countries on six continents. Its product portfolio spans classic guided tours, Small Group Discovery Tours averaging 15 guests in Europe and 18 worldwide, Independent city stays, Undiscovered off-the-beaten-path itineraries, off-season Escapes, religious pilgrimages, rail tours, cruise-and-tour combinations, and special-event trips, supported by features such as Globus Choice Excursions (customizable on roughly 80% of tours), Local Favorites exclusive experiences, and hand-picked hotels with seamless transportation.
The underlying technology stack consists of a digital booking platform with the globusjourneys.com storefront, the MyGlobus customer portal, and a family of mobile apps (GlobusGO, AvalonGO, CosmosGO) for on-trip services, complemented by dedicated portals for travel advisors (agents.globusfamily.com) and group leaders. The business model is one-time package sales via direct-to-consumer channels (website, toll-free Vacation Planners staffed Monday-Saturday) and an extensive third-party travel advisor network, supplemented by optional excursion add-ons and a $250-deposit "Start Now. Go Later" payment plan. Pricing ranges from approximately $899 (Escapes) to $5,389+ (Small Group Discovery) per person based on double occupancy, with US operations housed in Denver under the Cosmos Tours Ltd. legal entity and fielding roughly 251-500 employees.
Customer segmentation is hybrid across personas and use cases, with the primary target being mature Gen X and younger Boomer leisure travelers (ages 50-65) in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, who value guided, structured travel with built-in flexibility. Secondary segments include solo travelers, value-conscious off-season travelers, religious pilgrims, and group/private bookings. The company remains privately held under the founding Mantegazza family with no disclosed external funding, no identified PE/VC or strategic parent ownership, and current leadership including CEO Scott Nisbet.
Globus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Globus
- Legal name
- Cosmos Tours Ltd.
- Website
- https://globusjourneys.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1928
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Globus is a Swiss family-owned tour operator founded in 1928, offering 740+ guided vacations across 80+ countries through three brands — Globus, Cosmos, and Avalon Waterways — primarily serving mature Gen X and Boomer leisure travelers via direct sales and an extensive travel advisor network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Globus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Guided Tour Services
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (561520)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private/Customized Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Escorted Coach & Bus Package Tour Operators (THAKADAA), Adventure & Expedition Travel Agencies (THAKAFAB)
Keywords
Where Globus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Littleton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Globus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Guided Tour Packages: All-inclusive vacation packages combining hand-picked hotels, seamless transportation, immersive experiences, and expert Tour Directors. One upfront price with no surprises. Revenue generated from package bookings across Classic, Small Group Discovery, Independent, Undiscovered, and Escapes tour styles.
- River Cruises (Avalon Waterways): River cruise vacations through Avalon Waterways brand featuring Suite Ships with largest staterooms and modern amenities, included shore excursions. Cruises available in Europe, Asia, South America, and Egypt.
- Optional Excursions and Add-ons: Additional revenue from optional add-on experiences and upgrades available for purchase during tours, such as zip line canopy tours, catamaran cruises, and adventure activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Classic Tours - Full-service guided vacations |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Start Now. Go Later. Payment Plan |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Escapes - Off-season value tours |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Globus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Globus is a tour operator that designs and sells guided vacation packages across 80+ countries on six continents. Offerings include escorted Classic tours, Small Group Discovery tours (averaging 15 guests), off-season Escapes, Independent city stays, Undiscovered tours, Religious pilgrimages, Rail tours, Cruise & Tour combinations, Special Event tours, and Private tours, all bundled with hotels, transportation, sightseeing, and Tour Director-led experiences at one upfront price. The company also operates sister brands Cosmos (value tours) and Avalon Waterways (river cruises).
Product overview
Globus is a Swiss family-owned tour operator offering a comprehensive portfolio of guided travel experiences across 80+ countries on 6 continents. The company operates three distinct brands: Globus (premium guided tours), Cosmos (value-oriented tours), and Avalon Waterways (river cruises). The core Globus brand encompasses multiple tour styles including Classic Tours (full-service escorted experiences), Small Group Discovery Tours (average 15-18 guests for intimate experiences), Escapes (off-season value tours), Independent Tours (flexible self-paced options), Undiscovered Tours (off-the-beaten-path), Religious Tours (pilgrimages), Rail Tours, Cruise & Tour combinations, Special Event Tours, and Private Tours. Key differentiating features include Globus Choice Excursions (customizable experiences on 80% of tours), Local Favorites (exclusive authentic experiences), Tour Directors and Local Guides, hand-picked hotels, VIP access, and seamless transportation. The portfolio spans over 740 vacation options.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Globus Classic Tours Globus's flagship guided tour line featuring signature escorted vacations with maximum depth and minimum stress, including hand-picked hotels, seamless transportation, VIP access to iconic sights, Local Favorites experiences, and Tour Directors and Local Guides. Targeted at leisure travelers seeking fully guided, all-inclusive vacations.
- Small Group Discovery Tours Smaller-group guided tours averaging 15 guests in Europe and 18 worldwide, providing more intimacy, access, and connection than standard tours, with exclusive excursions and special access. Targeted at travelers seeking smaller, more intimate group experiences.
- Globus Escapes Off-season value tour style offering lower prices, smaller crowds, and cooler temperatures at top destinations worldwide. Available in Europe, South America, North America, and the Middle East with deals from $899 per person.
- Independent City Stays & Tours Flexible touring option including hotels, transportation, and on-trip support while allowing travelers to explore destinations at their own pace without a fixed group schedule.
- Undiscovered Tours Off-the-beaten-path tours taking travelers to hidden gems, backstreets, and lesser-known destinations without the crowds of mainstream tourist sites.
- Religious Tours Pilgrimage and faith-based guided tours that follow historical and spiritual footsteps to places of devotion, connecting travelers with like-minded wayfarers.
- Rail Tours Scenic rail-based travel itineraries featuring iconic train journeys such as Rocky Mountaineer, combining land touring with rail transportation between destinations.
- Cruise & Tour Vacations Combination vacation packages pairing guided land touring with cruise-based travel, combining overland sightseeing with water-based cruising experiences.
- Private Tours Personalized guided tours designed for private groups of two or more travelers, offering all benefits of published Globus itineraries customized for specific parties.
- Cosmos Tours Value-priced escorted tours under the Cosmos sub-brand, targeting budget-minded travelers seeking guided experiences with the backing of Globus expertise.
- Avalon Waterways River Cruises River cruise vacations aboard Suite Ships with industry-largest staterooms, modern amenities, and included shore excursions across Europe, Asia, South America, and Egypt.
Quantifiable outcome
- 74% of Gen X travelers and 71% of younger Boomers find guided vacations appealing
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Globus
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Globus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Globus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- MMGY Travel IntelligenceminorResearch partner commissioned by Globus to conduct traveler preference surveys, including a study of 5,000 leisure travelers aged 50-65 across U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand on guided travel preferences.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Globus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Trafalgar: Trafalgar is a guided vacation operator offering 4-5 star escorted tours across multiple continents, also owned by The Travel Corporation (TTC) as is Globus. It competes directly with Globus Classic and Small Group Discovery tours through similar Tour Director-led, multi-destination itineraries targeting the same 50+ demographic.
- Insight Vacations: Insight Vacations is a premium escorted tour operator also under The Travel Corporation umbrella, serving the same upscale guided tour customer as Globus with a similar business model of Tour Directors, hand-picked hotels, and immersive itineraries in Europe and beyond.
- Cosmos Tours: Cosmos is Globus's own value-priced sister brand under the same family ownership. While not a true independent competitor, it operates in the same escorted tour market at lower price points and is the primary direct internal comparable for understanding segment-level margin and growth economics within Globus's portfolio.
- Avalon Waterways: Avalon Waterways is Globus's sister river cruise brand, a wholly-owned subsidiary under the same family. It operates Suite Ships in Europe, Asia, South America, and Egypt, directly comparable to Viking River Cruises and AmaWaterways in product and customer profile.
- Viking River Cruises: Viking River Cruises is a major river cruise operator with a similar 50+ affluent traveler customer base and a comparable river cruise plus pre/post land tour package model. It is the most direct external competitor to Avalon Waterways and overlaps heavily with Globus's Cruise & Tour products.
- Tauck: Tauck is a family-owned, premium escorted tour operator founded in 1925 serving the same affluent 50+ traveler segment with guided land tours and small-ship cruises. Its premium positioning, century-long heritage, and family-controlled ownership structure make it one of the closest analog peers to Globus in both business model and customer profile.
- Collette: Collette is a guided tour operator offering escorted tours across all seven continents, closely comparable to Globus in product mix (multi-day escorted tours with Tour Managers), target demographic (mature travelers), and global distribution via travel advisors.
- AmaWaterways: AmaWaterways is a family-owned premium river cruise operator, directly comparable to Avalon Waterways' Suite Ships product. The river cruise segment overlap and shared customer demographic make it a highly relevant peer for assessing Globus's Avalon Waterways subsidiary.
- Gate 1 Travel: Gate 1 Travel is an escorted tour and river cruise operator with a similar tour director-led multi-country model across 6 continents, serving both value and premium tiers. It is a meaningful direct competitor particularly in the value tier where Globus's Cosmos brand competes.
Emerging players
- TourRadar: TourRadar is an online marketplace aggregating 40,000+ tours from 3,000+ operators, providing booking and comparison functionality for guided tours. It is comparable as a distribution channel and emerging disintermediation threat to traditional tour operators like Globus, though it serves an overlapping rather than directly competing role.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Globus social profiles
Digital presenceGlobus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Globus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Globus subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Globus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Globus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Globus
What does Globus do?
Globus is a tour operator that designs and sells guided vacation packages across 80+ countries on six continents. Offerings include escorted Classic tours, Small Group Discovery tours (averaging 15 guests), off-season Escapes, Independent city stays, Undiscovered tours, Religious pilgrimages, Rail tours, Cruise & Tour combinations, Special Event tours, and Private tours, all bundled with hotels, transportation, sightseeing, and Tour Director-led experiences at one upfront price. The company also operates sister brands Cosmos (value tours) and Avalon Waterways (river cruises).
Is Globus a public or private company?
Globus is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Globus founded?
Globus was founded in 1928. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Globus based?
Globus is headquartered in Littleton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Globus make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Guided Tour Packages are the primary driver. The others are river Cruises (Avalon Waterways) and optional Excursions and Add-ons.
Who are Globus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Cosmos Tours, Avalon Waterways, Viking River Cruises, Tauck, Collette, AmaWaterways and Gate 1 Travel. TourRadar is listed as an emerging player.
Does Globus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Globus.
What industry is Globus in?
Globus's product category is Guided Tour Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAKADAC, Private/Customized Multi-Day Tour Operators, with a secondary code of THAKADAA, Escorted Coach & Bus Package Tour Operators. Its NAICS code is 561520 and its SIC code is 7900.