Family travel specialist calls on trade to sell new programme
Family travel specialist Esprit is making a bid for increased bookings through travel agents following the re-launch of its summer programme.
CEO Andy Perrin admitted many travel agents are not familiar with the 30-year-old brand, but he is hoping they will be more comfortable selling its new beach-based holidays than the mountain-based activity holidays it previously offered.
Included in this summer’s revamped Esprit Sun programme are just four destinations: Lake Garda in Italy, the Cote d’Azur in France, the Istrian Riviera in Croatia and Belle Plagne in France – the only mountain resort retained from the previous ‘Alpine Adventures’ programme.
All are aimed at families with babies and young children up to the age of 10. The programme includes flexible childcare, which parents can pre-book in half-day sessions, or arrange when they arrive in resort.
Perrin said the operator, which is better-known among families for its winter ski programme, was aiming to fill a niche between the all-inclusive offering of the likes of Mark Warner and Club Med and the mass market tour operators.
"In the South of France in the summer, a family of four would pay north of £5000 for a week with Mark Warner or Club Med but we are charging nearer to £3000," he said. "What they do they do very well, but we can keep the price more affordable because we don’t offer such a phenomenal range of activities. Our programme is aimed at younger families and we don’t think there are many three, four and five year old who want to go windsurfing."
Instead, Esprit’s packages are similar to traditional bucket-and-spade holidays, but with the same good quality childcare that has made the tour operator so popular with families in the ski market. "Our quality childcare is the key difference between us and other operators," said Perrin.
He admitted Esprit is rebuilding its summer programme from scratch, having abandoned alpine holidays with the exception of one hotel in Belle Plagne in France. "Those families who go to the mountains in the summer absolutely love it, but sadly there are not enough of them," said Perrin.
"We spent two winters asking our guests in ski chalets what they wanted in the summer and overwhelmingly they said ‘bring me sunshine’. They want to go to the beach so that’s what we are giving them."
Perrin said the programme would be expanded for summer 2014 and there is a plan to add holidays for teenagers in the future.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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