VILLA specialist Style Holidays has said holidaymakers are being deterred from celebrating the millennium overseas because of hugely inflated prices.
The Thomas Cook-owned operator claims its new special-edition programmes to Florida and the Algarve and Madeira will make the millennium more accessible to revellers.
Marketing manager John Hayes said: “Our prices have increased from 1998/99 but only by an average of between 5% and 10%.
“We believe people are being scared off by the extreme hotel prices being charged. But because almost 80% of our accommodation is villas and town houses, and many of these are exclusive to us, we have managed to keep the prices down. We want to attract people, not drive them away and penalise them.”
He admitted however that some five-star hotels in Spain, Portugal and Florida have increased more than the average.
Capacity for both programmes have been set at 5,000 with additional flying contracted with Caledonian to cope with expected demand.
In Florida, Hayes said details are beginning to emerge about the millennium celebrations – which will continue for 18 months – while in Spain and Portugal properties are organising gala dinners and entertainment.
The operato, based in Isleworth, west London, is also making dinner reservations at other hotels and restaurants where there are no millennium celebrations. Prices in the Algarve and Madeira programme lead in at £329 for one week’s self-catering, based on four sharing a one-bedroom apartment in Praia de Oura departing December 27.
In Florida they start at £849 for 14 nights based on eight sharing a three-bedroom townhouse at Buenaventura Lakes.