National Express has forged a new business by bringing a range of its existing brands together to create a single holiday venture selling UK breaks.
The transport operator already owns coach holiday brands such as Fareham-based Lucketts and Woods Coaches of Leicester which sell through agents locally.
It says its new venture, called National Express Leisure, will build a nationwide offering for the trade.
The company said the new entity aims to become “the number one place to go for holidays and leisure travel by coach with a full range of great value options of ready-made or build-your-own packages”.
A spokesperson said: “Existing brands within the National Express, such as Lucketts and Woods Coaches, are established providers of coach holidays and day trips in their local geographies and already sell through a number of travel agents, both independent and multiples.
“National Express Leisure will build on this to offer the same high-quality products on a national scale and we are engaging with current and new partners to do that.
“We will be bringing more choice – from a credible operator with a strong track record – to the UK leisure and market.
“This will give agents a new nationwide offering for their customers so an opportunity to grow their business.”
National Express Leisure will consolidate the skills of teams across the business with operations in Fareham and Birmingham.
Recruitment is under way for new roles in marketing, sales, product development, management and distribution.
Tom Stables, chief executive of National Express UK and Germany, said: “We already have significant experience in offering travel in the UK, whether it’s a build-your-own package with Holidays by National Express, a coach holiday or day trip.
“There is a lot more opportunity in this market which we believe we can best tap into by building on our work with existing partners as one business being managed by a single expert team.”
John Boughton, commercial director at National Express, added: “This is a very exciting move at a time when more people than ever are looking to take a break in the UK.”
The existing brands such as Lucketts and Woods will continue to operate as part of National Express Transport Solutions (NETS). As part of the National Express Group, NETS will remain a primary source of vehicles for National Express Leisure holiday offerings.