WITH the nation gripped by football fever, travel companies have slashed prices further and launched a raft of giveaways to boost sales during the World Cup.
As the England team left Luton Airport on British Airways’ Pride of the Nation flight for Germany this week, Thomas Cook shops kicked off promotions with football-related prizes.
All clients booking holidays between June 9 and July 31 will receive €19.66 free to celebrate the year England last won. Customers who book a Thomas Cook holiday will be entitled to a scratchcard, guaranteeing a win every time.
Prizes, provided by Nationwide Building Society, range from signed England shirts to caps, flags, posters and towels. Meanwhile, Libra Holidays announced further discounts of up to £25 per person for all new bookings before June 30 for travel between now and July 15 to boost June sales, and produced pocket fixture guides for agents.
Sales and marketing director Paul Riches said: “June departures are better than they were but we are having to buy customers with attractive rates like everyone else.”
EasyCruise is offering cabins for as little as £19.66 as it attempts to increase sales. Other companies tried to boost bookings by appealing to holidaymakers keen to escape football.
Oceânico Resorts is offering World Cup widows’ spa breaks from £130 per person in the Algarve and the Westin Turnberry Resort in Ayrshire has Ban It Like Beckham packages from £355.
Nottingham East Midlands Airport has erected plasma screens, while Flybe has listed bars screening matches in its destinations. Butlins is even inviting women holidaymakers to attend pre-match FIFA lectures – Females Interested in Football Academy seminars – to teach the essentials of the game.
- Travel Weekly still has Thomas Cook’s Know The Score guides to give away. Email travel.weekly@rbi.co.uk for your chance to win a copy on a first-come first-served basis.