-PrivateFly.com reports on the rise in short break customers opting to join the jetset-
According to reports, luxury 'short break' holidays are bucking the downturn and on the rise. The popularity of short breaks (1-3 nights), versus longer trips (4+ nights) has continued to rise in Europe over the last two years. In 2008 there was a 9% increase in short breaks taken and this rose again in 2009 by 1%, corresponding with a fall in the number of longer trips (4+ nights) by 10% in 20091.
In summary, leisure customers want to maximise the time they spend at their chosen destination and - to add to this - many are keen to experience a journey by private jet. Recent search data from online booking platform, PrivateFly.com, also highlights a 60% increase in leisure enquiries in the last six months versus this same period in 2009, indicating that a desire to travel by private jet is moving mainstream and becoming ever more accessible.
Carol Cork, marketing director at PrivateFly, comments: "Travelling by private jet is undoubtedly a VIP luxury experience, but it can be surprisingly cost-efficient, particularly for a group travelling together. The cost of the aircraft is the same whether there is one person in the aircraft, or you fill the seats and share the cost."
Pressures of work and the desire to escape to new places mean that today's time-starved travellers are looking to squeeze a restorative holiday into a much shorter timeframe. Travel time - and the quality of the journey itself - has therefore become more and more of a consideration, with customers keen to avoid spending half the time of their short-break at the airport.
PrivateFly also reports a growing interest from the online leisure travel industry, looking to add private jet charter to their range of travel products. This follows the announcement of its partnership with lastminute.com earlier this year.
PrivateFly also cites examples of recent groups and occasions, ranging from retired or elderly travellers wanting to avoid airport stress; special family gatherings; hen and stag parties or honeymooners who are using the same budget to travel within Europe by private jet.
Carol Cork adds: "It's not just high net worth individuals or city corporates who are turning to private travel these days. We're seeing a significant rise in interest from the leisure travel market - both from customers directly and via the travel industry."
"People are coming to PrivateFly.com to check private jet prices, in a familiar online travel marketplace, and they're surprised to see the affordability for a short break. Taking a private aircraft saves a considerable amount of travel time and, of course is a truly celebratory, luxurious experience in itself. And, for groups travelling together, it is sure to be both time and cost efficient."
CASE STUDY 1: Stag party to Le Touquet
PrivateFly.com recently arranged a stag do, with a difference - a trip by private plane to Northern France, to Le Touquet. The day trip was organised by the best man John Eaton, who was looking to avoid airport delays and maximise their time away. PrivateFly arranged for the group to fly in two aircraft including the De-Havilland Mayfair Dove (an ex-royal aircraft, with history and style to match), with a champagne breakfast served en route and a tailormade schedule. The cost per head was just over &ponud;300 - a total of &ponud;3700 for both aircraft.
John Eaton commented "I chose to go by private charter as it was very convenient and surprisingly inexpensive when hosting a group. We all had a great hassle-free trip and PrivateFly could not do enough to help us organise the day. The aircraft were excellent, and it was a memorable occasion for all of us."
CASE STUDY 2: Trip to Ibiza for lastminute.com prize winner
Recognising the surge in private jet interest from their customers, online travel retailer lastminute.com recently ran a popular competition to win a luxury short break trip to Ibiza, including private jet flights for the winner and three friends. As the provider of lastminute.com's new private jet charter service, PrivateFly arranged the return trip for the lucky winner Emma Campbell, a care home worker from Sussex.
The group flew from Luton airport on a Cessna Citation CJ2 aircraft, enjoying champagne and luxury VIP catering en route to Ibiza. Emma says "I had been to Ibiza before, but taking a private jet made it a completely different experience. It felt like we got there in half the time and it was truly a celebration from the word go! One of my friends had never even flown before, so he certainly enjoyed his first taste of air travel."
Notes to Editors:
1. *European Travel Monitor/IPK International World Travel Trends Report, March 2010.
About PrivateFly:
PrivateFly is an online booking network that makes it quicker, easier and more cost effective to arrange private jet charter. With over 7000 aircraft registered worldwide, PrivateFly is the only online aggregator for private jet charter in Europe.
PrivateFly combines online efficiency and transparency with offline expertise to offer a full-service VIP charter service to direct customers and partners. The bespoke software has been created in-house specifically to meet the needs of charter customers and operators. In 2010 PrivateFly launched the world's first iPhone application to provide instant private jet pricing on a mobile phone and now offers the equivalent application for the Android platform.
PrivateFly.com was awarded Website of The Year in Flight International's 2011 'Webbies' awards, which recognise online excellence across the whole of the aviation industry - the judges describing it as "the iTunes" of aviation. It was also announced as one of the Smarta 100 companies in 2010, by a judging panel including Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden and other leading entrepreneurs, such as Bebo founder Michael Birch.
Founded in 2008, PrivateFly is based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. In September 2011 it announced successful investment fundraising of £2 million, enabling international expansion plans and further enhancements to its technology platform.
For further information, interviews or imagery, please contact:
Jane Martin
Publicité Ltd
T: 020 8543 6582/020 8542 7400
E: j.martin@publicite.co.uk
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