WEDDINGS

WEDDINGS

If agents haven’t already realised the potential of the weddings and honeymoons market they should start cashing in now. It’s big business.

Thomson Holidays estimates that the market accounts for a staggering 10%-15% of its total turnover.

General manager long haul Jeannette Linfoot said in addition to the 1,000 couples who booked their wedding with the operator this year, there were at least 4,000 family and friends travelling to the ceremonies.

Kuoni reported that in the last two years, the number of couples getting married abroad has risen by 34%. The operator has doubled the size of its department to eight to cope with the increase.

The size of the overseas weddings market is difficult to calculate because there is no requirement for compulsory registration in the UK.

However, Kuoni special services manager Phil Boswell reported that around 25,000-30,000 couples have voluntarily registered their marriage with the Office of National Statistics in the last year. He estimates that with friends and families accompanying them, the market size could be at least 100,000 people a year.

It is a market that isn’t in any danger of declining. The UK has the highest divorce rate in Europe but divorcees do get remarried. Operators report strong bookings for couples on their second marriage – Somak Holidays, for example, estimates this market accounts for 65% of its weddings business.

There are also many practical reasons for the appeal of an overseas wedding, cost being paramount. Estimates for a UK wedding vary from £10,000 to £15,000. This compares to around £4,000 for a couple’s long-haul overseas wedding and honeymoon.

Traditionally, the market has been associated with long-haul destinations but there is growing demand for locations closer to home. Thomson introduced Cyprus last year and is offering Rhodes as a second short-haul option for next year.

“Customers were ringing our dedicated weddings line and asking if we did short-haul weddings,” said Linfoot. Cosmos also reports strong sales for Cyprus, Rhodes and Crete.

Product manager Ian Hailes said: “The appeal of the destinations lies not just in the charm of the countries themselves but also in the fact that from an affordability point of view the wedding couple can typically invite a wider group.”

Sri Lanka continues to be the top seller for many of the specialist operators such as Kuoni and Tradewinds, while Mauritius is also a firm favourite.

Meanwhile, Somak Holidays head of product Shafique Cockar believes the Caribbean is losing its appeal.

Cockar said: “The market is so huge that it now has a conveyor belt feel to it – couples often find they are just one of 50 lined up for their ceremony.”

But some operators believe the Caribbean should not be overlooked. It is still Kuoni’s top seller. “The hotels are really geared up for weddings and there are also many smaller islands where clients can go,” added Boswell.

ANDHONEYMOONS

Feet first: the weddings and honeymoons market offers huge potential for add-ons

Operators are reporting strong growth for products and the number of destination choices are rising.

Kuoni

1. Sri Lanka

2. Mauritius

3. St Lucia

Cosmos

1. Dominican Republic

2. Kenya

3. Sri Lanka

Thomson

1.Dominican Republic

2. Cancun

3. Bahamas