Family-owned and operated Daish’s Holidays, which has 12 hotels in 10 popular tourist destinations across England and Wales, including Newquay and Weymouth, says it has seen a 105% increase in bookings during the first two weeks of January compared to the same period last year, despite the current lockdown restrictions.
The company cited figures from a recent survey by building society The Cumberland which found that almost three-quarters of respondents (71%) said they are intending to plan a UK holiday in 2021 rather than travel abroad, which supports the company’s peak in bookings for breaks taking place from April through to the end of the year.
Paul Harper, Sales and Marketing Director at Daish’s Holidays, said: “Over the past year, the travel and tourism industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. Despite a positive summer, the difficult winter has meant that sadly not all travel providers have survived.
“During our 42 years of business, we have built a loyal network of guests who choose to holiday with us year on year. This, combined with our recent acquisition of Robinsons Holidays, has meant we have grown and enhanced our offering during this time, rather than being forced to scale back.”
Daish’s Holidays acquired Robinsons Holidays, including the Imperial Hotel in Eastbourne and the Abbey Lawn Hotel in Torquay, in November 2020. In addition, the company acquired a fleet of 13 coaches which will operate from a range of pick-up locations in the north west including Cumbria, Cheshire and Lancashire. The company also acquired The Esplanade Hotel in Scarborough at the beginning of last year, which is currently undergoing significant refurbishment work.
Paul added: “We have made it our mission to operate fairly and with clarity throughout the pandemic, and it is pleasing to see that our customers continue to have confidence in us as a business, to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for them, their friends and family.
“The support that we have received from people looking to book a staycation with us as early as spring has been imperative. We can’t wait until it is safe to open our doors again and provide our guests with the warm welcome and excellent hospitality that they receive at Daish’s.”
