Europe and UK Travel Set to Rise for Christchurch Residents in 2015

A year of major events in Europe and the United Kingdom will see a rise in bookings for local residents, despite the Christchurch earthquake still affecting people’s travel plans, says the owner-operator of a new travel agency.

Paula Waldeck, of new Christchurch travel agency House of Travel Hornby, says holidays are still being put on hold by some of those waiting for insurance payouts following the devastating 2011 earthquake.

However, many others affected by the quake appear to be putting travel ahead of replacing material possessions, she adds. “People aren’t necessarily going out and getting new vases or household items. Instead, they want to create memories and have some good times after all the stress, so they are booking holidays with family to do that,” explains Waldeck.

For those who are travelling, Waldeck believes 2015 is set to be a bumper year for trips to the UK and Europe, with major events proving a popular attraction for Christchurch residents.

“Next year will see the Gallipoli 100 Years commemorations in Europe and the Rugby World Cup in the UK, so there are plenty of Christchurch people wanting to be there for those events,” says Waldeck, who has more than 20 years experience in the travel industry.

“There is also the Netball World Cup taking place in Sydney, which we expect to get plenty of bookings around too,” she adds.

With the October school holidays fast approaching, Waldeck says bookings for perennial family favourites such as the Gold Coast and Fiji were going well, along with a healthy amount of trips to the USA and Hawaii.

“Hawaii has become an incredibly popular destination for Christchurch,” she says. “A lot of people are booking to go there or to the States with their family for the school or Christmas holidays.”

The passionate travel agent, who was most recently the retail director at House of Travel Addington, says the new House of Travel Hornby will be participating in a Christchurch UK & Europe Expo on 12 October, and expect a busy month of bookings to follow.

Waldeck says the store, which opened on 8 September, offers convenient parking and a modern, inspiring environment on the border of Selwyn, one of New Zealand’s fastest growing districts.

“It’s fantastic to be opening a new store in Christchurch, and I’m excited to be able to help people bring their travel dreams to life and plan those special memories,” says Waldeck.

House of Travel Hornby is located at 40 Carmen Road and has a team of three experienced travel consultants.

For more information, seewww.houseoftravel.co.nz.

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