Family deals make a splash

Family deals make a splash

Family orientated product by Teresa Machan

Operators seek to broaden the region’s market appeal

Ice-skating and a round of golf are just two of the distractions to tempt visitors away from the Red Sea’s superlative coral reefs.

Despite being one of the world’s top diving destinations, the Red Sea is breaking free from its niche connotations, offering a range of products for the whole family.

Regal Holidays marketing director Maggie Telford said: “There is now a genuine alternative to the winter family ski holiday which, in comparison, offers great value for money.”

Learner divers/children

Besides being a winter sun destination, the region caters well to learner divers and children, as seen by new operator product.

“Because diving has traditionally been favoured by active young couples, we have introduced programmes for children to enable enthusiasts to carry on the sport with their families,” said Telford.

Hotels too, are catching on – many featured in the Thomas Cook Holidays’ Signature Red Sea brochure offer kids’ facilities, including children’s clubs, and playgrounds.

Sharm el Sheikh has recently gained two new properties, the Ritz-Carlton and Mövenpick Golf Hotel and Resort, both geared very much to the winter-sun seeker, with diving just one of a wider range of facilities on offer. These include extensive children’s facilities, a golf course, kids’ clubs, private beaches and luxury spas.

Learn-to-dive courses

Kuoni is now featuring Eilat in its Dive the World 2001 brochure, alongside learn-to-dive courses, making it easy for agents to sell clients their first diving holiday. Product co-ordinator Daniel Le Merle said: “Shore diving in Eilat caters well for families as they have more time to spend after a dive.”

Regal Holidays’ new Red Sea and Worldwide Holidays brochure offers free try dives plus a huge choice for families.

New moves: clients can now do a try dive without having to take a scuba course, while the Mövenpick Golf Hotel and Resort has boosted family options

Non-dive activities in the Red Sea

&#42 Visit St Catherine’s Monastery, a Byzantine Church built in 542AD, where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments. Petra and Wadi Rum can be visited on day trips from Aqaba.

&#42 Play a round of golf at El Gouna Golf Course or at Sharm el Sheikh’s first golf course, at the new Jolie Mövenpick Golf Hotel and Resort.

&#42 Swim with the dolphins, do a jeep safari or a camel trek in Eilat.

&#42 Visit the Coloured Canyon, north of Nuweiba, a mini-Grand Canyon.

&#42 Do a Quadrunner (four-wheel motorbike) desert trip and combine it with a Bedouin dinner in the Sinai desert under the stars.

&#42 The Valley of the Kings at Luxor – just three hours’ drive from Hurghada.