THE UK has some of the most popular theme parks in Europe, including two in the top 10. Blackpool Pleasure Beach is the second most visited park after Disneyland Paris and Alton Towers is in eighth position.
These parks represent a growing business opportunity for travel agents, as they no longer appeal just to day trippers but also to those planning a weekend away.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which attracts 7m visitors a year, created its own short-break packages two years ago which are available through several operators including Embassy Short Breaks, Golden Rail, Superbreak and Rainbow Holidays.
Tickets to Legoland Windsor, Chessington World of Adventures and Alton Towers are also available through Superbreak, while tickets to Legoland Windsor are additionally sold by Crystal Premier Britain and Jetset.
A spokeswoman for Blackpool Pleasure Beach said its short-break packages, which are fully commissionable, are becoming increasingly popular.
“Our short-breaks business has quadrupled since the product was introduced in 1997 and we are hoping more operators will sell them in the future.”
Most of the major theme parks in the UK have now grown so large that it is becoming difficult to cover them properly in one day.
Even Legoland Windsor, Britain’s newest theme park, says it has enough to keep people entertained for at least 6hrs.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach says clients booking its short breaks stay for an average of three nights in the resort.
A Crystal spokeswoman said Legoland was proving a very successful addition to the operator’s short-breaks programme. “I think we will start offering more all-inclusive packages combining hotel accommodation with entrance to theme parks and other attractions,” she added.