The world’s longest established travel company, Cox & Kings, has launched its new Middle East brochure for 2010, featuring a comprehensive programme of escorted group tours and private tailor-made travel to the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, and the Gulf. New for 2010 are a group tour to Lebanon, travel in the United Arab Emirates, and tailor-made travel ideas for Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Central Asia, Oman, Morocco and the UAE.

Cox & Kings has announced record figures to the Middle East for the second year running, with a 35% increase in passengers to the region in the last twelve months; last year’s figure was already up 38% on the previous year. Most noticeably, tailor-made travel to the Middle East is becoming increasingly popular, and the new brochure has significantly increased its coverage of the flexibility provided by tailor-made travel. “Cox & Kings offers one of the most comprehensive programmes in the Middle East” explains Mark Stacey, Cox & Kings’ Middle East Product Manager. “We have the experience and the expertise to offer complete flexibility in the region and there’s actually very little we can’t arrange”.

Bookings to Syria in the last twelve months were up 53% on the previous year, with nearly a quarter of all passengers travelling on tailor-made tours. A new Tailor-Made Syria section (page 53) outlines the possibilities of tailor-made travel to the country.

The suggested nine-night Euphrates & The Desert itinerary begins in Aleppo with visits to nearby St Simeons and Serjilla, before travelling east towards the Euphrates to Deir ez-Zour and on to Palmyra before ending in Damascus. From £3,695 per person including flights, accommodation, and all transfers and excursions on a private basis.

Lebanon has re-entered the brochure for 2010 after being designated ‘off limits’ by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for almost three years. Lebanon: Land of the Phoenicians (page 54) is a new six-night group tour that takes in the country’s highlights, visiting the Phoenician ports of Byblos and Sidon, the bustling cosmopolitan capital of Beirut and the spectacular Roman remains of Baalbek. From £1,045 per person including flights with bmi, accommodation with breakfast and one additional meal, transfers and all excursions. The tour can also be taken on a private basis from £1,495 per person.

“We are very excited to be offering travel to the United Arab Emirates for 2010, for the first time” says Stacey. “There is so much to see beyond the glitzy hotels and casinos of Dubai, and our new private journey, Emirates Explorer, and tailor-made travel suggestions focus on the history and culture of the country. Visitors benefit from first-class hotels and facilities while also seeing some magnificent cultural sites.”