FORGET the traditional summer fortnight by the sea – Pontin’s is now a major player in the short-break market, according to managing director Stephen Haupt.
While the family market still has a role to play, the holiday-centre operator is increasingly looking to short-stay business to boostprofitability.
The perception of a Pontin’s centre packed with families on one and two-week holidays is old hat, claims Haupt.
“Though a very small element still come for two weeks, the average Pontin’s stay has reduced over the past five years from six to four days,” he said. “During that time we’ve changed the way we sell our holidays. We now make it easier to buy a short break, unlike four years ago. People can arrive any day of the week.”
The hosting of themed events is vital to short-break growth – everything from Sixties revival weekends to chess tournaments – drawing up to 3,000 patrons a time.
They were introduced in a bid to stretch the traditional 16-week summer season into spring and autumn and have been hugely successful, now accounting for 30% of Pontin’s business.
“We’re now the UK’s leading short-break special-event operator,” said Haupt.
The special events have been consolidated into selected centres, among them Hemsby in Norfolk and Pakefield in Suffolk, at which £8m apiece has just been invested. At Pakefield, which takes around 25,000 guests each year, 462 apartments have been refurbished and a new entertainment centre and multi-sports court added.
At Hemsby, which receives up to 40,000 guests annually, all 490 apartments have been revamped, a new pub and themed restaurant added and Egyptian-style reception area created.
Investment in the two East Anglian sites, which reopened in March, completes a £55m two-year spend by Pontin’s’ parent Scottish and Newcastle group on refurbishing and upgrading its eight Family Centres. Other revamp details are displayed opposite.
The Blackpool and Pakefield centres are full-board, the remainder self-catering. The new three-tier accommodation structure has seen Club apartments added to the Classic and Popular categories.
Lead-in price for a family of four at the six self-catering centres this year is £27 a night in Popular accommodation; the price rises to £48 a night in peak season.
Classic apartment prices for a family of four range from £32 a night in low season to £57 high season. At the top end, Club accommodation costs from £37 to £67 a night. Full-board rates at Blackpool and Pakefield range from £22 a person per night in Popular to £28 a night in Club low season; high-season rates are £28 and £46 respectively.
Haupt added: “Marketing is now targeted at mum – she makes the holiday happen, makes sure the kids will be satisfied and she wants value for money, while having a break herself.
“Our core market has always been families with children under 10. ‘The Party for Kids’ is our slogan. We don’t have day visitors and there are no single-sex parties.”
Pontin’s has big plans for the millennium. “Clients at our centres will have the mother of all parties – and know they won’t be ripped off,” said Haupt.