French self-catering specialists Lagrange has added another property to the mountains section of its summer 2008 brochure in response to customer demand.
Sales and marketing executive Laura McAvoy said the section of the programme accounted for nearly 20% of all the operator’s sales in 2007, up around 2% on the previous year.
She added that families with teenagers were looking for increasingly active holidays and the value for money. Resorts which serve the ski market during the winter, were now offering growth in the summer as a result, she said.
She said: “A lot of the ski resorts in the winter are now marketing themselves as summer destinations and offer really great activities. The message is slowly filtering down and we’re seeing continued growth every year.
“The properties offer a very high standard of self-catering accommodation as well as other shared facilities such as a swimming pool and sauna.”
The new property means there are six now on offer with prices leading in at £648 for a family of four staying in self-catering accommodation in Samoens for two weeks in August. The deal is self-drive but includes an off-peak return SeaFrance crossing.
McAvoy said the operator had added two new properties in the south west region of Aquitaine after accounting for 21% of all bookings made last year, twice the proportion found in 2006.
The operator has also added a new section featuring guides allowing agents to quickly find the different types of properties their customers require.
McAvoy said: “People mostly want private villas with private pools while there’s also a lot more demand for family friendly villas so we’ve added in a specific guide where you can find them.
“We’ve got a really wide programme and this makes it a lot easier for people to find what they’re looking for.”