Beachcomber Tours has brought out its first long-haul family educational for agents and their children.
The tour operator plans to take five agents, each with one child aged between five and 11, on the trip, designed to show what makes Mauritius an “extraordinary destination for a family holiday”.
Families account for about 40% of the operator’s customer base, said UK sales manager Sarah Archer.
She said: “Our new fam-ily educational experience is designed not only to give travel agents the tools they need to sell the destination but also to showcase how Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels offer the perfect location for a family holiday.
“Mauritius offers exceptionally good family holidays at prices that can be cheaper than Europe and offer so much more value, so we wanted to showcase it to a parent and child to get both perspectives.”
She added: “It’s the first time we’ve done it and as far as we know it’s the first-ever long-haul parent and child educational.”
The operator is offering the fam trip from July 11 to 18 next year for agents and one of their children, which will fall in the last week of the summer term for most state schools in England and Wales.
Archer said the company was aware of this issue, but added: “We have timed the trip to be as close to school holidays as possible to minimise time away from school. Obviously anyone applying needs to weigh up that decision from their own perspective.”
The trip will be hosted by regional sales manager Sam Orbell, who is bringing his son Arlo.
It will include a tailor-made trip of family experiences with stays at three Beachcomber resorts.
This will include personalised resort tours of the five-star Dinarobin Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa and the five-star all-inclusive Shandrani Beachcomber Resort & Spa, which each offer tailor-made experiences for families.
Exclusive children’s activities on the trip will range from interactive eco-adventures to cultural workshops to learn about the island.
Immersive experiences being offered are traditional Mauritian cooking classes, visits to local markets and guided tours of heritage sites to understand the island’s history and traditions.
Parents will get the chance to have spa treatments or a round of golf while their kids try out the dedicated kids’ clubs and activities at the resorts.
The trip will also feature visits to eco-friendly initiatives and conservation projects that Beachcomber is involved in.
Agents interested in attending the fam trip are asked to send a 60 second fun and creative video featuring them and their ‘junior’ travel agent on why Beachcomber offers the perfect family holiday by the end of the year, with agents selected in January next year.