17 June 2009

Festive Breaks Off To Scorching Start In Mid Summer

West Country holidaymakers are already looking forward to the Christmas festive season by booking holidays at home and abroad – before midsummer has even passed.

The lines to the region’s top coach travel operator Bakers Dolphin are already as hot as a summer’s day – but with people looking ahead to the winter evenings.

“It’s the old book early mentality,” said Bakers Dolphin sales and marketing director Amanda Harrington.

“For many people it is hugely important that they have their plans in place well in advance, and Christmas is one of the favourites to do this for as it usually involves letting other members of the family know you’re not going to be around.

“Many people want to plan ahead and they are not only sorting out where they will be at Christmas but many are planning Christmas shopping breaks to the major shopping centres or combining shopping with fun at the increasing number of festive markets in Europe.”

The Bakers Dolphin Festive Breaks brochure for 2009 was sent to regular customers this month and it prompted an immediate rush of calls, especially for the new tours and trips and those where the 2008 price has been held, or even reduced.

The company’s firm favourite trip – a seven day holiday at Lake Garda leaving December 22 – is now £20 less than last year, priced at £569, all inclusive.

New trips include a Gold Service trip to the Black Forest in Southern Germany for seven days, price £569. Holidaymakers spend Christmas in a pretty hotel in the charming village of Oberhamersbach in the heart of the Black Forest. The holiday features tours of the magical surrounding area of high peaks and clear blue lakes and a traditional Christmas lunch.

Another new tour, this time in the UK, is to Brighton, departing December 23 for five days in a top class seafront hotel at the leading UK resort. The holiday features evening entertainment, Christmas lunch and excursions and costs £509.

Another new departure for Bakers Dolphin this year is the New Year trip to Switzerland on the Gold Service coach, leaving on December 29. Staying at a picturesque art nouveau hotel in Interlaken, the holiday features tours of the stunningly beautiful surrounding area and cuckoo clock villages.

Another price drop trip is to the Lake District, which is stunningly beautiful in winter, for £419 –a whopping £60 less than 2008.

Pre-Christmas breaks, which highlight excursions to shop at nearby Christmas markets, include Ostend, and Aachen and Valkenberg in the low countries; Trier, Cologne, Hirschberg and Dortmund in Germany, amongst other destinations, and start at £179.

Three or four day breaks taking in Christmas markets in the UK include York, Lincoln, London, and Leeds, starting from £159.

Amanda added: “It is nice to be able to offer our customers reduced prices on some of our holidays. Likewise, we are promising all customers that there will be no surcharges on their holidays because of rising fuel prices. The price they pay now is the price for the trip in December.”

The trips can be booked or a brochure requested by visiting the firm’s new bookings website site at www.bakersdolphin.com , or customers can call Bakers Dolphin on 01934 415000.