Hoseasons Group saw holiday sales increase fractionally over 2011 when compared to the previous year the organisation revealed earlier.

Hoseasons – which operates Cottages4you, English Country Cottages and its own brand properties – sold 1.5 per cent more holidays than in 2010, buoyed by TV advertising.
In total the group sold nearly 2.3 million UK-based holidays.

The Cottages4you brand enjoyed a bookings increase of four per cent, while Hoseasons saw bookings rise by 2.5 per cent.

Hoseasons Group managing director Geoff Cowley said: “The fact these brands are up means others are slightly down, and this is a reflection of the marketing we have done on TV behind these brands.

“You can’t go on TV with everything; you have to have a sensible focus.”

He added the group had seen a continued shift towards short breaks and last-minute bookings.

Over a third of peak season holiday bookings now come within six weeks of the departure date Cowley explained.