By now, the idea of a domestic break is firmly established in the minds of the British holidaymaker after a summer of bumper bookings and – UK operators and hotels still have plenty of short breaks and activities on offer as Christmas and the New Year approach.
When Superbreak launched its Christmas and New Year breaks brochure, it predicted a 25% increase in revenue this winter, assuring the trade that the £1 million-worth of sales that agents made on festive packages in 2008 (a 20% rise on 2007) would be bumped up to £1.25 million this year.
Superbreak sales director Ian Mounser says: “With fewer consumers having gone overseas this year, we are expecting strong demand for UK breaks over the Christmas and new year period.”
Bourne Leisure head of retail sales Allan Lambert believes the demand for UK holidays is set to continue into the winter and the festive season, not least because domestic operators are offering a huge variety of packages to entice customers.
“Our selection of Christmas holidays at Warner Leisure Hotels’ 13 properties have all but sold out. Everything from our Mistletoe and Wine, and Tinsel and Turkey breaks to our Festive Party and new year breaks are proving more popular than ever this year,” says Lambert.
“Butlins’ Christmas and new year breaks are also selling extremely well; they offer themed shows and a variety of family activities. Agents could advertise these value-for-money breaks as a viable alternative to costly overseas options.”
So, here’s a taster of what’s on offer for your clients this winter.
Center Parcs
All four Center Parcs locations offer from two- to seven-night breaks over the Christmas period, which works out to be surprisingly affordable, particularly when you factor in the savings you make being away from home. Try a two-night break at Whinfell Forest, Penrith in a four-bedroom original-style executive lodge for £399 – that works out at potentially £25 per person per night.
All the villages go to town at Christmas and new year with all manner of festive events and Santa’s grottos. At Whinfell, the village centre transforms into Lapland and the theme is Christmas enchantment. Kids can make lanterns, have their faces painted and visit Santa in his woodland workshop. There are also carriage rides, carolling choirs and a panto – Sleeping Beauty.
At Elveden Forest, Suffolk there’s a fire and ice theme, Christmas fancy dress competitions, festive jewellery making, a yuletide treasure trail, and special appearances from Bjorn the Bear, plus a singing reindeer and a firework display.
Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire also has singing reindeer, and Santa and his elves can be spotted around the village collecting the letters from Santa’s post box. Other entertainment includes a lantern procession, a family Christmas ice party complete with white chocolate snow fountain, woodland pony rides and the big panto, Aladdin.
Not to be outdone, Longleat Forest, Wiltshire will have igloos with resident Eskimos, gnomes and roaming choirs. With enchanted walks, carriage rides to see Santa, real reindeers, the snowman trail and Christmas craft making activities, this will be hard to top the following year back at home.
Butlins
All three coastal Butlins venues are offering three-night Christmas Fantasy Breaks this winter from December 18 to 21, with Bognor Regis offering an extra December 11-14 date. The lead-in price is a reasonable £63 per person. The operator is also offering a four-night break from December 23-27 including a five-course Christmas lunch. Minehead has a seven-night Christmas break from £142 per person.
So what is on offer? Children can see Santa’s reindeer at the winter farmyard, visit the winter wonderland, which features Frosty the Snowman, and see Santa in his grotto.
Bjorn the friendly polar bear and other characters create a snowstorm in Butlins’ Skyline Pavilion, and the days are filled with Christmas craft making activities.
Entertainment for the adults includes classic festive tunes to get the party started.
In between Christmas and new year, the operator has a Christmas Party Break from December 27 to 30, starting at £65 per person at Minehead. Six-night breaks are also available from £156 per person at Minehead.
If clients want to see in the new year on holiday, there’s a December 30 to January 2 break with a firework display and confetti blast at midnight, leading in at £109 per person at Minehead.
Warner Leisure Hotels
Warner Leisure Hotels
is offering the cure to the new year angst that is arranging New Year’s Eve and getting back home without spending a fortune. It offers a gala dinner and an evening’s entertainment packed with singing, comedy and live acts; then it’s just a few yards to stumble to your bed.
Its new year breaks, either in grand country houses or bracing seaside resorts, offer a good selection of live cabaret acts for the big night. Four nights at Corton Coastal Resort in Suffolk start from £399 per person for departures on December 29, and include live comedy and entertainment in the Late Lounge.
The group has a clutch of breaks over the Christmas and new year period at a range of properties around the UK, from Cricket St Thomas in the rolling Somerset countryside, to stately Nidd Hall in smart Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
Clients can enjoy the Christmas build-up with a Turkey and Tinsel break (three-night weekend at Corton on November 20 from £131 per person), or a four-night Christmas break with mince pies on arrival, gifts and a fruit basket in the room, craft activities and a gala dinner with a show. Prices start at £444 per person at Norton Grange Resort, Isle of Wight.
Warner also offers ‘twixmas’ breaks for clients looking for somewhere to relax between the celebrations. Two nights’ half board twixmas breaks at Littlecote House Hotel in Berkshire start from £172 per person for departures on December 27.
Superbreak
Superbreak’s stand-alone Christmas and New Year brochure offers more than 500 hotel breaks, including shopping breaks in London, UK Christmas market trips and loads of activity-centred getaways.
As December 25 approaches, overseas Christmas markets always sell well, but does your client know about the great options in the UK? Superbreak has short breaks in historic York, Bath, Canterbury and Cardiff, which has open-air ice-skating, a children’s carousel and a big wheel. The lead-in price is £21.50 per person per night.
Alternatively, suggest a four-night break over Christmas in chic London-by-the-Sea, otherwise known as Brighton. For £265 per person, clients get full-board accommodation including Christmas lunch at the three-star Royal Albion Hotel.
Tell them to wander up to Hove’s front where beach hut owners open up their miniature seaside homes to put up lanterns and decorations, sip brandy and sing carols. Or meander through the North Laine and South Lanes, which are cutely strung with winking lights at night.
After dark, they can head back to the hotel for free entertainment or take in a show at the Theatre Royal, enjoy one of the hundreds of bars and pubs, or dance through the night at one of the city’s many clubs.
Pontin’s
New for 2009 is the Pontin’s Christmas Dreamland programme, which recreates the big day at home with decorations, party games, drinks and nibbles. Santa, Rudolph and the elves are there, and Dancer and Prancer put in an appearance too.
Clients can go ice-skating and enjoy traditional Bluecoat shows including the Enchanted Castle and Jingle Bell Rock Out. There are also tons of free activities for kids, and a live cabaret.
A two-night Christmas Dreamland break at holiday parks in Southport, Somerset and Sussex leads in at £99 for a family of four in a one-bedroom self-catering budget apartment on December 11 or 18.
Four-night breaks from December 23 at Southport, North Wales, Somerset and Sussex start from £216 per self-catering apartment.
Three nights from December 27 start at £120 per self-catering apartment at North Wales, Sussex and Somerset.
Half board in Suffolk starts at £189 per adult, and £95 per child for a four-night Christmas break, and £159 per adult and £80 per child for a three-night Festive Filler from December 27.
