Coach Holiday News

We regret to announce that due to the continuing increases in the price of Diesel, Shearings Holidays have found it necessary to introduce a £1.00 a day fuel surcharge on all its UK breaks as from 09:00 hrs today, Friday 9th of May 2008. We will be posting a warning on every Shearings UK holiday but due to the size of the task this will take some time.

We will keep you updated with any other Surcharges from other operators as they happen.

The over-65s market is becoming one of the larger buying groups of adventure holidays among the older generations, a new survey has revealed.

Shearings Holidays sales and marketing director Karen Gee said an online survey of 1,068 people by Omnibus revealed one in 12 of the 65-plus market are booking activity and adventure holidays. The survey showed four times as many over-65s book adventure holidays as 55 to 64-year-olds. She added: “I thought it was fascinating how many over-65s are looking for action and adventure in their holidays and no longer just want to fly and flop.”

The survey revealed 45 to 55-year-olds take the most holidays, with 10% taking more than four holidays a year – the average is 6.9%.

Gee said this age group is also cornering the domestic holiday market, with 56.3% of 45 to 55-year-olds taking at least one UK break a year, the highest number in the survey.

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WA Shearings has been rebranded Shearings Holidays in a bid to attract younger holidaymakers from outside its established coach-holiday customer-base.

The company, originally formed after a £200 million merger of coach specialists Wallace Arnold and Shearings in January 2005, is also expanding its range of holidays under the helm of new chief executive Denis Wormwell.

The Wallace Arnold initials have been dropped because they were closely associated with coaching and the company wants to highlight the fact it offers holidays including flights, self-drive breaks, cruises and its own hotels.

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Tour giant WA Shearings is reshaping its tours feeder network in the north of England with the introduction of a ‘Home Connect’ service, which will replace around 20% of the current advertised picking-up points. The company is buying between 40 and 60 seven-seat VW Transporter minibuses, to provide a door-to-door service and will not take any new full-size coaches for the next year’s tour programme.

Chief Executive John Slatcher said that he hopes that this will create a huge improvement in the overall holiday experience for many passengers, with tour programmes also being restructured to reduce the amount of time spent at interchanges.
“We’ve gained more volume in areas such as Yorkshire this year and it gives us the chance to slicken up the whole operation,” he said. “Pick-up points will be reduced, as will some connections at interchanges, which will mean passengers getting to their destinations earlier, or in the case of European tours, catching an earlier ferry and reaching their first night’s hotel that bit earlier. Because of traffic conditions we have been stretching running times every year, but this scheme gives us a chance to reduce journey times.”
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We’re excited to announce the launch of WA Shearings new , rather different Holiday Guide for 2007.

This year they have changed, improved or introduced many things they all hope you like and the changes have come from looking at seeing how they could improve what they do, and asking customers like you what you want.

All the changes in the brochure are about what you pay and what you get - more service for less money.

• • WA Shearings have lowered many prices with the same or even better service
  • In addition, you won’t have to wait for last minute reductions - you can travel at a time that suits you, knowing you are getting a very good deal
  • On many holidays, too, you can travel on a new, more luxurious Euro Tourer coach

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