EUROTUNNEL is looking to increase carryings on its short-break motoring holidays programme by more than 65%, to a figure of 50,000.
The Channel Tunnel operator achieved 30,000 carryings at the end of its first financial year.
Product manager Toby Hawkins said:”Bookings last year were 45% up in the weeks before Christmas and the new year, as people headed to France for shopping and to stock up on champagne, and I am not expecting demand to drop off through the year. About 75% of bookings are for travel within two months of the bookings and a number are for travel the same week.”
The short-break brochure, operated by Cresta, was launched 18 months ago to replace the Le Shuttle Holidays direct-sell programme that had been operated by Eurotunnel.
Hawkins admitted a lot of business still comes direct, but added that the Eurotunnel/Cresta partnership is keen to increase bookings through the trade.
“We are aiming for 50:50 trade and direct sell,” he said. “We will probably not get there this year, but trade sales are increasing. Independent agents are supporting us well and we have an overbranded brochure with Advantage Travel Centres.”
The new programme has been tailored to appeal more to the family market.
Six Center Parcs have been added in France, Belgium and Holland and there are four Gran Dorado Dutch holiday villages and four Sunparks in Belgium.
“These villages are offered by a number of operators, but agents are turning to our programme because Eurotunnel is so quick and easy to use, which makes it ideal for families,” said Hawkins.
Eurotunnel has also added Parc Asterix, with accommodation at the nearby Novotel Survilliers and Mercure St Witz hotels.
Prices start at £85 per person for one-night bed and breakfast including return Eurotunnel shuttle crossing. Entry to Parc Asterix costs £18 a day.
Children under 16 sharing a room with their parents travel and stay free at both hotels, paying only £13 a day for entry to the theme park.
In Normandy, the town of Bayeux is new. Two hotels are featured – the three-star Grande du Luxembourg and two-star Plus De Brunville.
“Bayeux is around four hours from Calais and is at the limit of how far people will drive on a short-break,” said Hawkins.
He added that the average duration of a Eurotunnel motoring holiday is three days.
“We will concentrate on building up the programme in areas that are one-and-a-half hours from Calais,” he said.
The Eurotunnel brochure also features the Pas de Calais, Champagne, the Ardennes, Paris, Disneyland Paris, Amsterdam and Belgium.
Eurotunnel
Arras: two nights at the three-star-plus De L’Univers Hotel in Arras costs from £99 per person bed and breakfast including return Eurotunnel shuttle crossing with car.
Chantilly:three nights at the three-star Chateau de Montvillargenne in Chantilly, just outside Paris, costs from £141 per person bed and breakfast, including return Eurotunnel shuttle crossing with car.