Battlefield Tours offer a great opportunity to help keep the memories alive, says Leger head of retail sales Ashley Dellow
At Leger Holidays, we are all passionate about Battlefield Tours. With our own ever-growing range of tours covering WW1, WW2 and other campaigns, we understand how these experiences take customers on a journey of remembrance, a journey that will be emotional, enlightening and moving.
When a passenger joins us on a Battlefield Tour, they embark on a personal journey. Some look for family links, some set out to visit personal graves or discover names of their grandparents etched into moving memorials. Others will be following their interests, conducting research, following a passion that they have held for a lifetime. Battlefield tours are unique to every person that joins us, and that’s why, at Leger, we’re so passionate about these experiences.
Each of our specialist guides have a wealth of knowledge and have the ability to really bring history to life, this is something we feel makes a world of difference to passengers’ experiences. Our team of guides are approachable, enthusiastic and are there to help customers decipher military jargon and really understand the past that touched us all. This is something we find gives us a strong position in the market and help us create a lasting and memorable impact.
Following on from the centenary years, we have seen an increase of passengers to our tours, and as we enter another important anniversary year, commemorating 75 years since VE Day, I’m expecting another strong year for Battlefield products.
Already this year we’ve seen the release of Sam Mendes’ epic war film, 1917, something that helped create a spike in interest surrounding military history and subsequently visiting the battlefields. We’ve seen a positive impact on our tours, especially our All Quiet on the Western Front experience.
This tour specifically gives customers the closest experience to life on the front line, giving them an opportunity to explore trench systems and learn more about the Great War and remains one of our most popular introductory tours.
The anniversary of VE Day is sure to have a positive effect on sales of Battlefield sales, with the May Day Bank Holiday changed to mark this occasion, it will certainly create a wave of conversation. At Leger, we have released a special tour for the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, which brought about the end of the Second World War in the west, allowing customers to join in with special VE day events in London – a real celebratory moment.
We will also be drawing attention to the committed and dedicated work that the CWGC commission undertake, caring for the graves and memorials of 1.7 million men and women who died in the two World Wars its dedicated staff now work at 23,000 different places across more than 150 countries and territories.
Our brand new Silent Cities: The CWGC Story tour, developed in association with the CWGC, provides a unique insight into the story of this remarkable organisation. Customers will be given unique access to fascinating workshops, highlighting the hard work of this incredible organisation.
With such potential for another fantastic year for Battlefield Tours, it offers a great opportunity for the travel industry to really help keep the memories alive and that’s something I’m really excited about.