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THIS year’s early Easter is causing trouble for domestic sales.

Both operators and agents say public concern over the weather for the March 25-28 bank holiday weekend has led to a drop in sales, worsened by this week’s cold snap.

Hoseasons director Yvonne Borg said sales of all the operator’s product for the Easter break were 12% down year on year. "Our bookings for Easter are not as strong as we’d like them to be," she said

She blamed customer fears of poor weather as well as the fact half term has only just finished, adding: "We’ve only started promoting Easter this week."

But she said there is still time to make up for sluggish sales.

Manchester agency Peregrination managing director Geoff Dykes said it has seen a 20% drop in domestic sales.

"With Easter so early, you lose about two or three weeks’ worth of bookings," he said.

Wallace Arnold sales and marketing manager Karen Gee said although Easter sales are up on last year, the operator still has more stock to sell.

She admitted an early Easter always created a more difficult market. "A late Easter is better for domestic operators. The weather is more favourable, it is further from the financial pain of Christmas and the New Year and people feel more ready for a holiday."

Meanwhile, Holidaybreak camping division managing director Matthew Cheetham said an early Easter is not helping sales in Europe. "Most camp sites will not open," he added.

Unofficial figures show this winter overall sales via agents are 8% down, partly due to capacity reductions by the bigger operators. For this summer it is almost flat at 0.5% down.

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