Bad UK summer weather aids Holidaybreak sales
Poor UK summer weather helped boost continental camping sales for specialist operating group Holidaybreak.
The company, in a trading update before the end of its financial year, said camping sales were level with last year based on a four per cent cut in capacity. This was described as “a pleasing performance”.
The statement said: “Occupancy has improved and high season has been filled at good yields. In particular, we have seen good growth in Ireland and had a successful late booking campaign in the UK as a result of the poor summer weather.”
Chief executive Carl Michel said: “The poor summer weather was generally helpful to our businesses, driving late bookings to camping.”
He added that the group was “particularly pleased” with the progress made at school activity brand PGL, acquired for £100 million.
“Looking ahead there are several possible acquisitions in the pipeline and we will continue to look at all the opportunities to grow our expanded portfolio of brands,” added Michel.
The group expects to deliver “industry-leading margins” with hotel break sales up 7% year-on-year with London continuing to perform well on the back of strong theatre break and exhibition demand, the group said.
Sales of adventure travel are up by 4% but results were hiot by “geographical events” in the Middle East throughout the year. The doubling of Air Passenger Duty had a “modest” impact.
Trading in the education division, creating with the purchase of PGL, saw sales 13% ahead of 2006 and 18% ahead for 2008. Adventure centres are already 85% sold for next year.
The group as a whole sells more than three million holidays a year.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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