Popular Destination UK boosted further by Queen’s Jubilee

Popular Destination UK boosted further by Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations

7th June 2012 - The Queen’s Jubilee celebrations have shone a spot light on London and the UK. House of Travel has reported strong demand for travel by kiwis throughout the 2012 Northern Summer season. Draw cards such as the Diamond Jubilee and the strength of the New Zealand dollar has seen House of Travel report a 15% increase in visitors to the UK/Europe so far this year.

The showcase of ‘Royal’ events over the past week, including the Special Concert in front of Buckingham Palace, the fantastic view down the Mall from the Palace, and the flotilla of over 1000 boats taking to the Thames for the Diamond Jubilee are expected to continue the solid drive of enquiry into Europe that House of Travel stores have experienced so far this year.

Anne Graham, Destinational Product Manager for the UK and Europe, describes kiwis as favouring travel before and after the London 2012 Olympics. “Our customers are very keen to take advantage of all the excitement, activity and fan-fare associated with the Olympics, without necessarily travelling at the peak of this particular event.”

Graham suggests September and October are ideal months for travelling to London. “The weather is generally very settled, you’ll still be able to pick up some shopping bargains for the summer months ahead, and October is brilliant with the rich autumn colours - making travelling to places like the Lake District before coming home a spectacular addition to your time away.”

Participating in some of the more uniquely British experiences and visiting tourist sites will also be more accessible just after the peak season. “Choosing to enjoy that very special treat, High Tea at the Orangerie will be that much more pleasurable than in peak of summer when it is sometimes impossible to get in due to its huge popularity” says Graham. House of Travel also reports close outs for a number of the popular palace visits during the peak July and August periods.

Accommodation in London over the Olympic period, July & August is tight. Graham suggests that travellers looking to participate in the London Olympic experience maintain a fluid approach to their travels across the UK through this period. “There are pockets of accommodation available, particularly for those who can be a bit flexible with their dates and maybe the style of accommodation you choose.”

And suggestions on how to best experience the UK? Graham suggests self-driving as a good option for touring the UK. “Taking a car is an easy experience as driving is on same side of road, signs are in English and the wee lanes and narrow streets through the character villages are definitely best experienced from the road. And when you’re tired of London and the UK, think about all the other European destinations right on the doorstep.”

“UK and indeed all of Europe is tremendous value now as the exchange rate is so favourable. The UK has put considerable resources in preparing for this high profile international event. You won’t find a better time than 2012 to see the country dressed to impress and ready to entertain a wave of international visitors.”

About House of Travel
House of Travel is a favourite among New Zealanders, looking to plan and book holidays. Established in 1987, the House of Travel Group now spans the length of breadth of New Zealand with over 60 retail outlets, and has an expanding network of travel consultants across Australia.

House of Travel is fiercely proud of its New Zealand owned and operated status, and employs over 1200 group-wide. It supports a successful owner-operator partnership model with its retail outlets nationwide, as well as specialist Corporate, Wholesale, and Groups operations.

House of Travel is known for its innovative market approach, and commitment to providing expert travel advice and high quality holiday experiences. House of Travel online has won numerous awards since it began in 2004, including Overall Excellence in the Use of IT at the Computerworld Excellence Awards in 2005; and has been voted the best Travel Site in the NetGuide Peoples Choice Awards in since 2006.

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