Coach Tourism Association (CTA) members have reported a strong upturn in business throughout the Summer of 2024. Coach tour operators and tour wholesalers are also positive about bookings received for the end of the year and into 2025.
In qualitative feedback received from CTA operators and wholesaler members, the consensus is that in 2024, coach tour traveller numbers have returned to, and in some cases exceeded, pre-2020 figures.
“The UK market has significantly improved over the last two years, and we are certainly back to pre-pandemic levels of departures,” says Claire Smith, Finance Manager at coach tour operator Eastons Holidays.
“Our Summer 2024 Day Trips have been successful,” says Phil Vockins, General Manager at coach tour operator Crusader Holidays. “We have carried more than 2,000 passengers during the school holidays and over 6,500 passengers a year to date – both of which are records for us.”
“For the calendar year to date, we’re finding the season very positive so far with growth in all areas,” says Shaun Read, Managing Director at coach holiday wholesaler Ashley & Newey. “Passenger numbers are up significantly from the same period last year, and the number of holidays operating and loadings (passengers per holiday) are also both up versus last year. We’ve seen huge demand across the sector and increased UK sales despite operators increasing the number of continental Europe holidays on sale.”
Looking to the end of the year and 2025, the outlook is also optimistic.
“The area we are very positive about right now is booking for our 2025 Crusader Holidays tours. Early bookings are up by over 30% compared to this time last year,” says Crusader’s Phil Vockins.
“We’ve just released our 2024/25 Winter & Spring brochure, and we’ve had one of the best starts, in terms of sales, that we’ve ever had, so we’re very optimistic for the upcoming launch of our Summer 2025 brochure,” says Janet Blake, Director, Blakes Coaches.
European coach tours have been popular in 2024 and are also receiving strong bookings for 2025, as reported by several operators.
“When it comes to the European market, this is now going from strength to strength,” says Claire Smith at Eastons.
“We are seeing a large increase in loadings and new customers choosing to try a long-haul touring holiday. Our most popular by far is Italy, which is why we have chosen to offer not only the regular annual tours to Lake Garda or Maggiore but also a much bigger offering to include Rome, Sorrento & Pompeii. We are finding customers who want to explore destinations that would normally be off-limits for coach touring, which is why we have included the likes of Corsica and Sardinia for 2025. So far, these have been well received.”
CTA operators have speculated that a reason for the upturn in business is the eventual return to previous levels of confidence and habits following the pandemic’s extended impact.
Bookings show that new coach tourism products have also been a factor in growth, which is also gradually starting to extend the traditional demographic to a younger audience.
“We’re also seeing younger travellers going to European Christmas markets or city breaks by coach because of the ease of the experience,” says Janet Blake.
In a changing landscape, operators are reporting an increase in late bookings, typically involving a booking within 21 days of departure, making planning with accommodation, attractions, and restaurants more complex.
Alongside the popularity of European trips and tours, the CTA continues to call for equality in the service level provided to coaches for cross-Channel travel, both at ports and in availability with Eurotunnel. CTA-member operators also await the introduction of the ETIAS visa waiver scheme, scheduled for introduction in the first half of 2025.
“There are challenges including price inflation, some hold-ups in cross-Channel services, as well as the gap in driver recruitment. However, on average, CTA members are seeing that consumer demand is high,” says CTA chair Robert Shaw.
“The resilience of the traveller is strong, and consumers are prioritising travel. It’s also noteworthy that demand is coming from new trips and tours available. The partnership between CTA’s operator/wholesaler members and supplier members is vital to develop new products in answer to consumer demand.”
