SHORT BREAKS selling & HOLIDAYS


welcome


A very Happy New Year to all our readers! Selling Short Breaks and Holidays hopes that 2011 turns out to be a healthy and prosperous year for all! That’s our hope, but unfortunately the


reality for some in the travel industry – as in many other sectors – is likely to be yet another tough trading year. By general consensus, with additional


outgoings on everything from VAT to home heating to annual season tickets – and probably, later in the year, rising interest rates – 2011 is going to be a year of fi nancial restraint. That will mean some tough decision-making for many consumers when it comes to planning their holidays and other travel plans.


2011 – Year of the short break? The fl ip side of this coin is that there has perhaps never been a better time for recommending short breaks and holidays to clients. Factors likely to impact on long-haul travel


include the fast-rising cost of fl ying, which has been greatly compounded by the latest round of Air Passenger Duty increases, airline strikes (which affect long haul travel more than short haul destinations) and strong-performing currencies, such as the Australian and New Zealand dollars and the South African rand, which make those countries more expensive than they have been for many years.


Home comforts


It seems reasonable to assume that closer- to-home holidays will be more attractive than ever in 2011. Many UK destinations are already reporting increased levels of interest and bookings (see UK Spring


Steve Hartridge, Editor


MORE... online at www.shortbreaksholidays.com


news • advice • chat • information Northern highlights? See page 34


Breaks, p10), while excellent value is on offer in North Africa (p26), which with its easy accessibility and Eurozone-free currencies offers great value for money along with guaranteed sunshine. Another excellent value-for-money alternative to fl ying is a coaching holiday. The Coach Tourism Council estimates that seven million people are expected to take a coach tour in the UK in 2010 with more than 1.5 million going on an escorted tour to Europe – that’s a lot of potential clients.


Have you joined our campaign? You can take a coach to Portugal, but not to Iceland – but you can learn a lot more about both destinations by reading the coverage of our fi rst two Destination Dialogues (46-49). Destination Dialogues are a central plank


of our We’re Backing Agents campaign. Read how some agents have already increased sales of short break holidays by attending these events. Enjoy the spring issue of Selling Short Breaks and Holidays.


industrycomment


Semmy Rulf, director, VisitSweden UK


“City breaks to Stockholm increased last year, with Norwegian’s new


UK fl ights and easyJet having a positive impact on 2010 arrivals fi gures. We have campaigns running with key destination partners, like Skane/Malmo, Gothenburg/ West Sweden, Swedish Lapland and Lulea. We hope that these initiatives, along with agent fams, travel events and trade shows, will help make Sweden a top choice for UK travellers.”


Anissa Ramoundi UK & Ireland director, Tunisian National Tourist Offi ce “Demand from the


British market continues to grow. Tunisia has something for everyone, from those looking for high-end luxury hotels to families looking for great value all-inclusive resorts to cultural tourists wanting to discover more about the Roman Empire. With new destinations like Djerba being introduced by Thomson, First Choice and Thomas Cook for 2011 we hope that UK visitors will fi nd reasons to keep returning to Tunisia.”


Publishing Director/Managing Editor: Alan Orbell • Publisher: Sally Parker • Associate Publisher: Steve Thompson • Account Manager: Lisa Merrigan • Group Editor: Jo Austin • Editor: Steve Hartridge • Journalists: Andy Hoskins & Julie Baxter • Editorial Assistant: Laura Gelder • Creative Director: Matt Bonner • Senior Designers: Dan Franklin & Emma Norton • Designer: Anna Boultbee • Production Manager: Clare Hunter • Production & Reprographics Controller: Rachel Smith • Managing Director: Martin Steady • Selling Short Breaks & Holidays is published by: BMI Publishing, Suffolk House, George Street, Croydon, Surrey CR9 1SR, UK • Telephone: 020 8649 7233, Fax: 020 8649 7234, mail: enquiries@ bmipublishing.co.uk • Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, BMI Publishing cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions ©BMI Publishing 2011. Some images © Istockphoto.com and Bigstockphoto.com


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