ISLES OF SCILLY IN FOCUS


alternative a very sensible


Reaching sun-filled islands without spending most of the day at an airport or flying might seem a dream too far but the Isles of Scilly can deliver, says Alan Orbell


January temperatures than Cannes in the South of France? The answer? Tresco, one of five inhabited islands among the 56 that make up the Isles of Scilly some 28 miles south-west of Cornwall's Land’s End. Amazingly, the Isles of Scilly enjoy a fluctuation of just nine degrees in monthly mean temperatures throughout the year, which is why many of the early spring flowers you can buy in mainland UK will have come


I 16 Autumn 2010 • www.shortbreaksholidays.com


f ever you find yourself organising a quiz, how about this for a question? Where in the UK has higher average


from the Scillies. And just for good measure, the islands enjoy some 240 more hours of sunshine each year than does Kew Gardens in London. Just as important for agents is the


knowledge that some worthwhile commission can be earned from selling packaged holidays to the islands, primarily through specialist tour operator Prestige Holidays. But why should you recommend this


most westerly part of the UK? For a start, it’s doubtful that you’ll find your clients a more relaxing place in the UK. It’s a little like stepping back in time,


although all the ‘essentials’ of modern life like satellite TV, wi-fi, mobile phone coverage and ATMs are readily available for those who want them. More importantly, the islands are a designated Area of Outstanding Beauty, with empty sandy beaches to rival the Caribbean and clear blue waters to go with them, as well as a multitude of colourful flowers – both wild and cultivated – that would seem equally at home on a tropical island. Nowhere is this more so than on


Tresco where the sub-tropical Abbey Gardens are home to flowers and plants


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