City breaks used to be simple. A couple would come into your shop and you’d book them on a flight to Paris or Amsterdam. Maybe you’d call Cresta or Travelscene and get them to recommend somewhere a bit different. In which case, they might have been off to Prague.
Now, everything’s changed. Cresta has merged with Bridge, Travelscene’s gone altogether, and, as you’ll see on page 4, Prague is now so popular operators are desperate to replicate its success all over central and eastern Europe.
Travellers are familiar enough with the Eurostar network that Paris and Amsterdam are realistic day trips as well as weekend breaks in their own right. And the way we’re booking our short breaks has changed beyond all recognition. Dynamic packaging, once a novelty, has become the norm, and agents have to be able to make the most of the no frills carriers – commission structure or not.
Fortunately, there’s still good money to be made from quick getaways. Short break travellers are more ambitious than ever, and as they start to look further afield for their few days of fun, so the price of the break rises: New York, Las Vegas, Dubai… people are more than willing to travel further for something different. And as the popular cities fill up, more out of the way places are starting to get a look in. As an agent, you can sell them all, and in this guide, we’ll be showing you how to make the most of the dynamic market, which alternative cities to consider and which old favourites are still top of our agenda for a short break.
As we dip deeper into autumn, remember there are still a few places within easy reach where the sun’s still shining, or if you’d prefer to embrace the winter, there are even more where days are getting crisper and snow is starting to fall.
Enjoy our suggestions, and good luck booking them.
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