I wonder how many travel agents overlook the many profitable opportunities offered by the vast coach holiday market?
I have to confess that I have not studied "the numbers" for some time (i.e. years!) and am ashamed to say that I had not recognised the amazing volume of travellers who booked a domestic coach holiday last year.
A MINTEL report mentioned in Travel Weekly highlighted the drop in numbers experienced during the last 6 years, and it is only when you stop and ask why that you realise that perhaps the coach holiday industry needs an image review not dissimilar to the cruise industry's.
The Travel Weekly feature used the words "blue rinse" "old people" "youth focused" - all words that until recently were totally associated with the cruise holiday, and just look at the success of cruising today.
The coach holiday really does meet the needs and desires of the travellers of many age groups - meeting a variety of different people, friendship, safety and security, and a variety of different destinations which appeal to holidaymakers who have already travelled extensively and are beginning to enjoy the unique and special benefits that Britain offers year round.
Yet again, more opportunity for the creative and aggressive travel agent to expand customer support, develop new business and of course MAKE MONEY! (I am sure someone will tell me - do customers ask for a deal when buying a domestic coach holiday?)
The world of travel is surrounded with opportunity and domestic coach holidays MUST be seen as yet another market arena to explore.
Brian Hordon, Director of Training Development, Silversea Cruises (UK)Ltd.
Coach Holidays are largely overlooked by the travel industry, with many people not even considering them as an alternative. Similarities with the cruise industry are true: "blue rinses" are no longer required, the coach-touring product has moved on.
There's a huge choice for those who really want a "package holiday", with many operators picking you up from home, including porterage so you never have to carry a case, offering hotels from 2 to 5 stars and travel on luxury coaches (think Mercedes not school bus). Forget about airport blues or lost bags. There are bargain weekends from under £100 to luxury 3-week tours cost £2000+.
Many coach holiday clients take several holidays a year and increasingly coach operators are successfully offering cruises; it would be fantastic if cruise agents/operators would offer their customers coach tours!
We have to change the "image" of coach holidays, but also make them more accessible. This was why we created Door2Tour.com to bring together the industry in an up to date format, crammed with information the users crave, from 1000-page travel guide to Google Earth integration and video clips.
The market should embrace those "new middle-agers" who are its core business and challenge the airlines for short breaks. We must play the green card with coach travel being significantly more carbon friendly than car, rail or air!
The industry has a unique product, which is being overlooked and is still the invisible man of the travel internet. From a grand tour of Italy to a weekend in London for a show, we just need clients and agents to open their eyes to coach travel.