Leger Shearings Group pitches to new customers with shorter coach trips

Leger Shearings Group has introduced a range of three-day trips including tickets to the theatre, concerts and festivals, with new customers among those in the operator’s sights.

The Direct-Route Mini-Breaks range, which offers departures from February until 2026, has been designed to appeal to those who would prefer a weekend away or a short midweek trip rather than the traditional Monday-Friday package.

The journeys to the destinations will be simplified because the number of pick-up points will be limited to between five and eight of the “most popular”.

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Leger Shearings Group chief executive Liam Race said: “The demand for UK holidays shows no sign of slowing down, so we’ve carefully put together this collection of getaways with shorter journey times to get to the destination swiftly – meaning more time to appreciate what’s on our doorstep and less time travelling.”

Among the events featuring in the range are Gardeners’ World Live, Blackpool Air Show and the Great Yorkshire Show, while the music and theatre outings include trips to Tina: The Tina Turner Musical in Liverpool and Manchester, André Rieu in Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Liverpool and Abba Voyage in London.

Unlike the traditional Shearings trips, the shorter variants will not require a change of coach at an interchange.

The pick-up points, which have been chosen after considering data, will also avoid any “super early” starts, Leger Shearings Group said, with the first pick-ups being scheduled for around 7am.

Matt Herbert, group product manager, said the shorter trips could help attract younger passengers than those in the 55-plus age category which currently dominates sales.

Pointing to the theatre and music itineraries, he said: “Colleagues and friends of mine in their 30s would be interested in these kinds of things.”

Prices include coach travel, hotel, breakfast and evening meals and an excursion such as a cruise or railway journey. The majority of the hotels offer three-star accommodation.

Herbert said a key strength of the trips to ticketed events was that customers would be spared the stress of purchasing tickets, pointing to the recent scramble for access to the Oasis reunion concerts.

“Sorry, though – we don’t have any Oasis tickets,” he added, going on to encourage the travel trade to support the new range of three-day trips.

“We’re really anxious for travel agents to know that booking these is easy and therefore it’s easy for customers,” he said.

“We love the trade and Ash [Dellow, head of retail sales] loves nothing more than talking to agents about our products.”

Dellow said: “Agents will enjoy selling Shearings’ new Direct-Route Mini-Breaks – there are so many sales targets.”

Potential customers include those who are new to coach holidays and want a ‘taster’, he said, as well as those wishing one longer trip and one shorter one.

Solo travellers will also be attracted to the range, he added, because they will know they will be with like-minded people.

Picture: Tina: The Tina Turner Musical