Coach Tourism Association (CTA) members have reported a strong upturn in business throughout summer 2024, the association reports. Coach tour operators and tour wholesalers are also positive about bookings received for the end of year and into 2025, it says.
In qualitative feedback received from CTA operator 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,” said Claire Smith, Finance Manager at coach tour operator, Eastons Holidays.
“Our summer 2024 day trips have been really successful,” added 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 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,” commented Managing Director at coach holiday wholesaler Ashley & Newey Shaun Read. “Passenger numbers are up significantly from the same period last year, and the number of holidays operating and loadings 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.
Director at Blakes Coaches Janet Blake added: “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.”
European coach tours have been popular in 2024 and are also receiving strong bookings for 2025, report several CTA member operators. “When it comes to the European market, this is now going from strength to strength,” said 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 not only offer the regular annual tours to Lake Garda or Maggiore, but also a much bigger offering to include Rome, Sorrento & Pompeii. We are finding customers want to explore destinations which would normally be off limits to coach touring, which is why we have included the likes of Corsica and Sardinia for 2025. So far, these have been well received.”
The CTA members 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, they say, 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,” said 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,” said CTA Chair Robert Shaw. “However, on average, CTA members are seeing that consumer demand is high. 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. Partnership between CTA’s operator/wholesaler members and supplier members is vital to develop new product in answer to consumer demand.”
