21/09/06
EVEN grown-ups will be captured by the magic of Finnish Lapland
ALTHOUGH Christmas is still three months away, leading operators to Finnish Lapland are trimming prices to win early bookings from families keen to visit Father Christmas on his home patch.
The Finnish Tourist Board reckons Britons book more than 106,000 bed nights during December on Santa's Lapland programmes from as many as 20 operators.
However, so many UK operators have joined the sector in recent years that Santa is already handing price cuts out of his sack.
Leading operators include Esprit Ski, Cosmos, Transun, Inghams and Canterbury Travel - and Esprit is currently offering 70% reductions on some child packages, with a £170 lead-in for two-night Santa's Magic breaks in early December on bookings by October 6.
Esprit day trips, ex-Gatwick and Manchester, start at £379 per adult and £199 per child, and three-day breaks from £569 per adult. Some Esprit day breaks currently offer a £50 price cut, down to £149.
It's not a cheap treat. Typically, families of four can expect to pay around £2200 for a three-day break with Santa this winter.
Esprit managing director Andy Perrin said: "Travellers can choose between a traditional Christmas style celebration, which is our speciality based on the resort of Saariselka, nearly 140 miles north of the Arctic Circle, or a more Disney-style experience in other centres.
"For many children, seeing Santa Claus in his Lapland home and meeting his magical elves is a dream come true. Parents and grandparents, apart from sharing their children's excitement, love the thrill of snowmobiling, husky sledding and reindeer sleigh rides."
Cosmos, with packages to the resorts of Saariselka and Levi this winter, also cut prices this week - and for the first time offers ski suits/boot hire within the standard holiday price. Its one-day trips - ex-Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham - start at £289 per child, £359 per adult, with four-nights from £679 and £895.
The Cosmos programme also includes a five-night trip, departing December 27 - including toboggan, reindeer, snowmobile and husky dog rides and New Year's Eve gala feast, with ice fishing among the optional extras. With full board, that costs £799 per adult.
Cosmos's Sara Gelder said: "Very often, companies strip their packages to include the absolute basics at the lowest prices which can be a disappointing experience for both children and grown-ups. Our programme uses four and five star accommodation, and a full range of winter activities."
With temperatures dropping as low as minus 30C, it's also important to book Lapland trips with a constant programme of entertainment, and even sing-songs on bus trips between attractions to keep spirits up in daytime twilight.
• INFORMATION: Esprit Santa's Lapland (01252 618 300 and online at
http://www.esprit-holidays.co.uk); Finnish Tourist Board (020 7365 2512 and online at
http://www.visitfinland.com/uk
Cosmos: 0870 443 1823 and online at
http://www.cosmoslapland.co.uk.
EveningTimes
