2012-Holidays Matter - Case Study 1
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Transcript of 2012-Holidays Matter - Case Study 1
Case Study 1
Social tourism in practice:
bringing in
new business and
creating a win-win-win
From the Royal Society Conference Oct 25th 2012
SummarySummarySummarySummary
This case study shows how a third sector social tourism organisation can help bring new business to the tourism industry and create a win-win-win for social tourists, the tourism industry and wider society.
The Family Holiday Association was established in 1975 and is the only national charity in the UK dedicated to promoting social tourism services through the provision of breaks for families in need. The organisation works in partnership with others to improve the quality of family life for those children and their parents/carers who experience disadvantage as a result of poverty. More than two million families in the UK cannot afford a holiday and 2.5m children live in families that can’t even afford a day trip.
Since 1975 more than 150,000 people have been supported with a break through the charity. This is thanks to the extended support of the tourism industry (in kind, through discounts and cash contributions) and by partners who underwrote the Social Tourism Declaration of 5 June 2007, which states:
““““We believe that too many people are excluded from the benefits pWe believe that too many people are excluded from the benefits pWe believe that too many people are excluded from the benefits pWe believe that too many people are excluded from the benefits provided by even a rovided by even a rovided by even a rovided by even a simple break away from home. Together we will work to promote sosimple break away from home. Together we will work to promote sosimple break away from home. Together we will work to promote sosimple break away from home. Together we will work to promote social tourism for cial tourism for cial tourism for cial tourism for
the improved wellthe improved wellthe improved wellthe improved well----being and happiness of society.being and happiness of society.being and happiness of society.being and happiness of society.””””
From the Royal Society Conference Oct 25th 2012
ApproachApproachApproachApproach
The Family Holiday Association provides financial
support to families in need of a break who meet the
following criteria:
•are referred by health and welfare professionals
who know the family in a professional capacity
•have a least one dependent child aged between
three and 18 years at the time of the holiday
•are on a low income
•have not been on holiday in the last four years.
The charity considers a ‘family’ to consist of
dependent children and those who care for them.
Carers can be parents, grandparents, guardians or
others with caring responsibilities such as an older
sibling. The diagram shows how families can access
a break thanks to the help of their referring agent,
the funder and the holiday provider.
From the Royal Society Conference Oct 25th 2012
How it worksHow it worksHow it worksHow it works
The referring agent assists the families with their grant application to the association, which then assesses it against the published criteria. If the family meets these criteria and funds are available, the family will receive a grant. The referring agent will be the family’s first point of contact throughout the holiday process from receiving a holiday voucher, helping to book and prepare for the break, and reporting back on the holiday experience and its impact after the break.
The holiday voucherholiday voucherholiday voucherholiday voucher entitles the family to a free break for a specified number of nights (three, four or seven) in self-catering accommodation at certain dates during the year. It enables the family to book their break directly with the holiday provider, thereby empowering families and keeping administration time and costs down.
The holidays are mostly self-catering breaks and include free accommodation, linen (when available) and holiday insuranceholiday insuranceholiday insuranceholiday insurance (subject to medical conditions) kindly provided by City Bond Insurance.
The charity may also offer a small contribution towards the cost of travel and treats for the children. First Great Western Trains has been supporting this social tourism provision with free travelfree travelfree travelfree travel for families during the low season on its railway network and recently the Welsh Highway Railway has offered discounted day trips in Wales.
The majority of breaks are in UK holiday parks, such as those run by Haven and Butlins (part of the Bourne Leisure group), Pontins, and YHA (England and Wales). The remaining breaks are taken with other small & medium sized accommodation providers.
From the Royal Society Conference Oct 25th 2012
FundingFundingFundingFunding
The Family Holiday Association relies on
donations from individuals, companies such
as TUI, trusts and local groups to carry out its
work.
Every year the Association raises funds in a
variety of ways, through a range of events in
the UK and abroad, and with the help of travel
industry partners.
The social tourism provision is strongly
supported in kind by free and/or heavily
discounted offers from Citibond Insurance,
First Great Western, Haven Holidays, Pontins
and the YHA for England & Wales.
In 2008 the charity became the designated
charity of TUI UK & Ireland. Since 2009, coin
collections have been taken on incoming
Thomson Airways flights and thanks to this
support more families can be supported with
a break.
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From the Royal Society Conference Oct 25th 2012
Measuring successMeasuring successMeasuring successMeasuring success
In 2002, a Problem Statement and a Programme Strategic Plan were formulated
through a logical planning exercise to consolidate, research and expand social
tourism provision in the UK.
The number of beneficiaries of holiday grants (social tourists) has steadily increased
over the years: in 2011 the charity supported 2,000 families (8,500 ‘social tourists’)
with a break compared to just under 1,000 families in 2002.
New types of breaks have been developed with key partners to address particular
elements and specific issues, such as feeling good, eating well and being active in
Feel Good Breaks, and extending the educational visit agenda in Family Learning
Adventures with schools in Sheffield.
From the Royal Society Conference Oct 25th 2012
Challenges and Lessons LearntChallenges and Lessons LearntChallenges and Lessons LearntChallenges and Lessons Learnt
Breaks during the school holidays are two or three times the cost of those at other times of the year, so in
order to help as many families as possible the charity offers breaks during term-time. Families are given a
letter to take into their school to obtain authorised leave. This standard letter was developed with the help
of head teachers and was subsequently updated in line with policy and practice.
Only a limited number of peak season holidays are available for families who are not granted an authorised
absence from their children's school. In recent years the demand for peak time holidays has been steadily
increasing and the charity had to start looking at alternatives to address the need for breaks, short breaks
during weekends and the Family Learning Adventures in Sheffield.
In the last ten years the holiday offer has been widened to facilitate a stepped approach starting with a day
trip for first time holidaymakers, short breaks for those with caring and work commitments, followed by the
traditional 7 night holiday and, where available, a holiday abroad. The latter has either been provided in the
form of a European Holiday Experience in conjunction with Tourism Flanders or been made available by TUI
(in Lapland, Greece and Turkey).
The recent recession is impacting on UK families. More are in poverty and even those on middle incomes are
finding it difficult to find the money for a break away from home. Domestic tourism increased as well as the
demand for more affordable activity breaks e.g. camping and other leisure activities. This was evidenced by the great interest in the Olympics in 2012. What families want is a high quality break and value for money.
From the Royal Society Conference Oct 25th 2012
Questions for the futureQuestions for the futureQuestions for the futureQuestions for the future
How can the Family Holiday Association work with the tourism
industry to provide more affordable holiday packages?
Some of our existing partners have expressed an interest to work with
us on a ‘Family Friendly’ label. How can we use labelling effectively to
develop new products and bring in new business?
For further information visit/contact:
www.FamilyHolidayAssociation.org.uk/holidays-matter
Thea Joldersma, Programme & Policy ManagerFamily Holiday Association
From the Royal Society Conference Oct 25th 2012