Premier Holidays is to mark its 85th anniversary a year late after the Covid crisis put paid to plans for multiple celebrations this year.
The specialist tour operator hopes to celebrate its milestone in three ways in 2022; with its agent partners; its suppliers; and its own staff.
Throughout 2022, Premier will be inviting agents to join a range 85 activities and events being held during the year and will provide 85 prizes.
The operator’s most-supportive partners will be recognised at the end of 2022 with one of 85 partnership awards and Premier is to reinstate its annual Channel Islands dinner, in March 2022, to thank partners for their ongoing support in Jersey and Guernsey.
Staff will be invited to a summer party in June 2022 to celebrate the milestone birthday.
The Channel Islands specialist tour operator, part of the Premier Travel Group, launched in 1936 as a local bus company which developed into a tour operation and network of travel agents, Premier Travel.
The tour operation began with the launch of its Channel Islands programme in 1979. It is now the market leader for trips to Guernsey and Jersey.
It began by flights to the Channel Islands with Premier Airlines, the first commercial airline to fly from Cambridge airport.
Premier Holidays later ventured into the long-haul arena, specialising in Asia.
Its first Asia brochure was introduced in 1989 and first America brochure in 1992. The Indian Ocean and Dubai were added in 1995; Canada in 2003; Southern Africa in 2005; Australia and New Zealand in 2010.
In 2016 the operator left its long-term headquarters in Cambridge and set up in a new building on the city’s outskirts.
Renford Sargent, chairman of the Premier Travel Group, said: “The pandemic has been incredibly challenging for this industry and has resulted in a delay in celebrating this historic landmark, but we are looking forward to celebrating our 85 years in travel in 2022.
“We’d like to thank everyone who has joined us along the way, particularly key suppliers and agent partners.”