market through its domestic short-breaks programme. According to director Lloyd Boutcher, the operator has expanded the choice of activity options across the board and this year offers the opportunity to do everything from driving a Ferrari to watching bats.
“Our expanded range of activity options has enabled us to tap into the special event market for those celebrating birthdays, anniversaries or those who just like to be active when taking a short break. It has broadened our target market considerably,” said Boutcher.
Top-selling regions for Sunvil UK are the Cotswolds and New Forest. But to boost bookings for Wales, the operator will be working with the Wales Tourist Board to invite selected agents on familiarisation trips to the country.
Cycling is also offered by cross-Solent ferry operator Wightlink which is reporting strong demand for its Gourmet Cycling short breaks to the Isle of Wight, available during the off-season.
“We have had literally hundreds of enquiries and are now taking bookings for September onwards,” said Wightlink Holidays operations manager Martyn Briggs.
“The idea of combining cycling in the daytime and gourmet eating in the evenings seems to be a winning one.”
The market for activity holidays in the UK is growing steadily but the domestic product is still largely untapped by travel agents.
Given a request for an activity break, many will turn to the main short-break operators such as Superbreak and Rainbow. Both feature the Choice Hotels network which runs its own Leisure Pursuits programme at selected hotels. Interests include fishing, golf, bowls, photography and gardening.
However, for a wider range of options, agents will need to look at the specialist activity operators. One of the best-known players in this field is Acorn Activities which books around 20,000 people a year.
It is supported extensively by independent retailers, but has yet to make a significant breakthrough with the multiples. The exception is Co-op Travelcare.
The operator expanded its programme last year with activities ranging from the more sedate pastimes of drawing and painting or garden design to ‘soft’ adventure breaks including pony trekking, white water rafting and tank driving.
The latter style package is particularly popular with large hen and stag groups which make up a significant – and fast-growing – proportion of the operator’s business.
In the past, Acorn Activities based its packages primarily in Wales and the Welsh border area. For 1999, the operator expanded its geographical base and is offering activity packages throughout the UK.
A more familiar name to agents, but as yet something of an unknown in the activity holiday market, is Jetset which launched its Freedom Breaks programme last year in conjunction with the Consort hotels group.
The original choice of cycling and walking packages has been extended to include ballooning and hang-gliding breaks in the Malvern Hills, near the Cotswolds; and clay pigeon shooting and fly fishing breaks in Scotland.
Like Jetset, Sunvil UK has moved into the activity holidays market through its domestic short-breaks programme. According to director Lloyd Boutcher, the operator has expanded the choice of activity options across the board and this year offers the opportunity to do everything from driving a Ferrari to watching bats.
“Our expanded range of activity options has enabled us to tap into the special event market for those celebrating birthdays, anniversaries or those who just like to be active when taking a short break. It has broadened our target market considerably,” said Boutcher.
Top-selling regions for Sunvil UK are the Cotswolds and New Forest. But to boost bookings for Wales, the operator will be working with the Wales Tourist Board to invite selected agents on familiarisation trips to the country.
Cycling is also offered by cross-Solent ferry operator Wightlink which is reporting strong demand for its Gourmet Cycling short breaks to the Isle of Wight, available during the off-season.
“We have had literally hundreds of enquiries and are now taking bookings for September onwards,” said Wightlink Holidays operations manager Martyn Briggs.
“The idea of combining cycling in the daytime and gourmet eating in the evenings seems to be a winning one.”