Australia’s leading Asia travel specialist, Travel Indochina, has announced its January and February Burma small group journey departures have sold out, in a sign of strength of demand for the new destination.

Travel Indochina Managing Director, Paul Hole, says the results have confirmed that the choice to launch Burma tours was the right one, following positive indications from clients that the time was appropriate to travel to the nation.

“As a country with limited tourism infrastructure, and a history of restricting access, Burma is best suited to small group journey style travelling,” according to Paul.

“The quick take up of our inaugural 9 and 13-day journeys has validated our choice of beginning to offer tours to the country in 2012.”

While peak season tours are quickly filling, low season availability remains, with guaranteed departure tours scheduled monthly throughout 2012 and into 2013.

“Demand is outstripping supply at the moment in Burma, so we encourage people to lock in their travel plans without delay to avoid disappointment,” said Paul.

Prices for the 9-day ‘Highlights of Burma’package, which visits Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake, start at $1745* per person twin share and includes 8 nights’ accommodation, breakfast daily, one lunch, four domestic flights, all sightseeing as specified including entrance fees, tour arrival and departure transfers.

The 13-day ‘Burma Revealed’ covers the same destinations as the Highlights of Burma tour, as well as visits to Pindaya Caves, Kalaw, a hilltribe trek and cycling in Bagan.

‘Insider experience’ highlights of the 9-day tour include travelling through the Bagan plains at sunset by horsecart to evoke bygone eras, and a heartwarming visit and the opportunity to share lunch with residents at a local nunnery.

Nine of the Travel Indochina team have returned from a recent exploratory famil where they experienced the sights and scenes personally in order to be better able to provide insights and advice to agents and clients alike.

“Personal experience of the destination is very important for our team,” says Paul.