IN FOCUS UK HOLIDAYS
The most important message for agents is
that hard-pressed families are looking to obtain the best value for money they can
The tour costs from £181 for a family of four, including one night’s accommodation.
Hoseasons has introduced a new, upmarket lodge brand called Evermore at six locations in England, Scotland and Wales, featuring secluded lodge accommodation with facilities such as hot tubs, iPods, free wi-fi and fl at screen TVs.
Butlins’ opens a third hotel in Bognor Regis – the Wave – early this summer. It is also introducing Country & Western festivals in March, while sister Bourne Leisure brand Haven is launching a Talented Seaside competition. New from Attraction World are three tours in Blackpool: Madame Tussauds, the Blackpool Tower Dungeon and Blackpool Tower SkyWalk. Park Resorts is investing over
£3.5million in accommodation and entertainment across its 39 UK holiday caravan parks this year.
UK Hols Niche
Themed holidays for the over-60s remain very popular, and Grand UK Holidays has a growing range. These include Anniversary
Celebrations, fi ve-day half-board escorted tours for people celebrating Ruby, Golden or Diamond wedding anniversaries. Based at the County Hotel in Kendal, they include excursions (such as Gretna Green), anniversary blessing in a church, special anniversary breakfast, commemorative photographs, champagne and cake and cost from £265.
Grand UK has also introduced up- market Gold tours, among 45 new tours for 2012.
tourismtalk Stuart Heath,
Head of Marketing Partnerships, VisitEngland “Travel agents are key to
our marketing strategy as it is vitally important that we inspire them about England and all it can offer their clients. 2012 will be a spectacular year for this country and there really will be no better place to be.
“Our forthcoming activity will ensure that we are working with agents up and down the country and hope they will become ambassadors for England. VisitEngland’s travel trade team will be engaging with tour operators, travel agents and group organisers, and elements of the campaign include an online toolkit and collateral,
training programmes, road-shows, regular newsletters and social media activity.”
asktheoperators Pali Badwal,
Vice-president for lodges, parks, boating and apartments, Hoseasons
“The continued squeeze on family fi nances, combined with ongoing economic uncertainty, means that there are likely to be good business opportunities for agents selling UK holidays in 2012.
“The most important message for agents is that hard-pressed families are looking to obtain the very best value for money. “They are not necessarily going for the very cheapest holidays, but they do want to make sure they are getting as much for their holiday pound as
they possibly can. Knowing the type of holidays people are looking for – and their likely booking habits – will allow agents to make UK holidays a big part of their business in 2012.
Allan Lambert, Head of Retail Sales Bourne Leisure
“Recent research shows
that a greater number of UK families are opting for breaks at home in 2012, despite holidaying abroad last year. The main reasons for this are economic circumstances and
increased pressure on the family purse, as
well as a growing sense of patriotism among
Brits following recent and upcoming events such
as the Royal Wedding, the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics.”
Bill Low, Manager, Park Travel Service, Birkenhead “We sell the full range
of UK holidays and we fi nd demand is cyclical, as the UK sometimes prices itself out of the market but then sees a resurgence when prices come down. “Self-catering is strong because
people are budget conscious, and we also see strong demand for apartment breaks in cities as offered by Hoseasons and Superbreak.
“Operators must keep prices
competitive, as people don’t have to go away on holiday to have a good time. We offer a full travel service, including the UK.“
FACTFILE 23
Where To Book It Park Resorts
0808 161 7233
www.park-resorts.co.uk Prices start from £152 for one week’s self-catering in April, for a family of up to eight people in bronze caravan accommodation at Withernsea Sands in Yorkshire. High-season prices start from £436 for one week in August, for a family of up to six people in bronze caravan accommodation at Sunnydale holiday park in Lincolnshire.
Grand UK Holidays 01603 619933
www.grandukholidays.com Back to the Good Old Days is a four-day half-board escorted coach tour based at the Britannia Hotel in Bramhope, which includes an evening at the City Varieties Theatre in Leeds for the Good Old Days Variety Show. It costs from £199.
Superbreak 0871 221 3344
www.superbreak.com/agents Packages to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant at Windsor Castle in May, including one night at the four- star Beaumont Estate hotel in Windsor, cost from £125. The pageant celebrates over 250 State and Commonwealth visits that the Queen has made, and tickets include the Jubilee Royal Windsor Horse Show.
32 March/April 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
thedeal seal
Patriots game: Stress that one-off events like
the Queen's Jubilee and the Olympics make holidaying at home a 'call of duty'
IMAGES: © VISIT BRITAIN
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36