A holiday giant has reported a return to profits after recently launching package trips to a Sussex city.
Over-50s travel and insurance firm Saga has reported pre-tax profits of £2.1 million for the year to January 31, amid a relaunch of trips to a number of UK destinations, including Chichester.
The news comes as Saga recovers from a £160.2 million loss the previous year, with the company also recently re-launching tours to other historical cities like Canterbury and Falmouth.
Underlying profits rose by 19 per cent to £44.2 million, driven by a 31 per cent surge in travel earnings.
Chairman Sir Roger De Haan said: “Travel is now the largest generator of profits in the group.
“Implementing a series of operational improvements and changes to our management structure led to increased customer numbers and improved customer satisfaction.
“It is excellent that, after a number of years, we have started offering holidays in the UK again, the place our journey began 75 years ago.”
Saga’s Chichester tours are currently available from £1,129 per person for seven days, staying at the University of Chichester’s Bishop Otter Campus.
Among the offerings are visits to the Weald and Downland Living Museum and Parham House and gardens.
Read more
Fresh plans to convert ‘last pub in village’ into a home
Fresh plans to convert ‘last pub in village’ into a home
Sussex hospital doubles MRI capacity with arrival of four tonne scanner
Sussex hospital doubles MRI capacity with arrival of four tonne scanner
New coffee shop opens at one of Sussex’s oldest pubs
New coffee shop opens at one of Sussex’s oldest pubs
The company added that it had largely shrugged off disruption from the recent Middle East conflict.
Chief executive Mike Hazell said the overall impact of the war on the firm was “small”, with about 75 per cent of its holiday programme for the year already booked.
He said: “For the small proportion who haven’t booked their current holidays, then there will be some people waiting to see how this settles down, but we have plenty of options for them to travel to regions that aren’t affected.”
Saga said it expects further growth over the coming year and aims to boost underlying annual profits to at least £100 million by January 2030.