Florida’s Atlantic coast gets greater focus in Virgin Holidays’ second-edition dedicated programme, taking its coverage of the Sunshine State through to the end of next year.
Due for release in the spring, additions include the New Smyrna Beach resort with a choice of private homes or apartments and an as yet unnamed beach hotel in Hollywood, north of Miami’s Sunny Isles region.
Virgin Holidays managing director Ron Simms said: “We wanted to give the Atlantic coast another try because it doesn’t sell anywhere near as much as Florida’s Gulf Coast, although the beaches are just as good.
“No other operator sells the Atlantic side as seriously as us – we already feature Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Cocoa Beach, Cape Kennedy and Daytona – and we want to give as wide a choice as possible.”
However, Virgin is also adding a hotel-based option in Venice, north of Fort Myers on the Gulf Coast and expanding the hotel choice in the Florida Keys, where sales are getting stronger – especially with families.
“We have a loyal following of people to Florida who want to do something different each time,” said Simms. “Although the Keys were mostly for couples, we are carrying as many families there as we do to Orlando. Key Largo is especially children friendly while Key West is more for adults.”
He said many clients fly on Virgin to Orlando for one week, then drive to the Keys for the second week, and then return to Miami to fly home on Virgin’s service from there.
Another key benefit of Virgin Atlantic’s growing network of scheduled services is its new flights to Barbados, St Lucia and Antigua in the Caribbean.
Simms said: “It has been a huge success for us and we are now the biggest seller to the islands inside the first year.
“They are an important addition to our Florida programme as well because a lot of people go to Orlando and fly on to the Caribbean as part of a two-centre. They can then return home from there on a Virgin flight.”