Johnsons Coaches of Warwickshire is celebrating 25% year-on-year sales growth by committing to an investment in nine new coaches and two new minibuses this year.
The operator, which organised more than 650 holiday departures last year, announced sales of £17 million in 2023. It also enjoyed a 22% rise to 23,000 in passengers carried throughout the year.
Johnsons says interest in its “unusual excursions and luxury travel” has contributed significantly to the surge in demand. Visits to the Flying Scotsman, a VIP hovercraft experience from Portsmouth and 66 ski tours around in Europe have proved popular.
Its Luxury Traveller brand has particularly grown thanks to the wi-fi, large screen TVs and extra legroom provided.
Lauren Davies, Head of Business, Sales and Marketing at Johnsons Coaches, says the investment in renewal of its fleet – currently 65-strong – reflects anticipation of another record year.
“Keeping up with travel trends whilst retaining seasonal favourites has been fundamental to our consistent growth since the pandemic,” says Ms Davies.
“While traditional tours are selling well, with the average spend now at £862 per person for brochure tours, new and quirky excursions are seeing significant growth – particularly amongst a younger demographic – which is a new market that we are tapping into.
“We are also seeing an increase in later bookings, as well as single bookers with more people keen to pursue an adventure and make new friends.
The new vehicles include an 87-seat Van Hool Astromega TDX27 double-decker, four VDL Futuras and three Yutong TC9s.
Ms Davies adds: “We’re really proud to be celebrating our 115th anniversary in 2024 – much of which has been built upon our reputable customer service – and we are looking forward to continuing our journey and totting up the next 115 years.”
Cllr Martin Watson, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economy, and Darren Tosh, Operations and Marketing Director from South Warwickshire’s tourism board Shakespeare’s England, recently visited Johnsons Coaches’ depot in Henley-on-Arden.Cllr Watson says: “Seeing a Warwickshire-based family business heading in the right direction, despite the difficult economic climate, is fantastic to see.“Their longevity speaks for itself, and underlines that good customer service and reputation go hand in hand.“Johnsons Coaches’ upward trajectory is also a reminder that Warwickshire is only a two-to-three-hour coach journey from many parts of the UK – which not only is a positive for the business to grow their day trip offering – but it also helps the region to attract inward investment from tourists, as well as for meetings and events.”
