‘Two weeks from £69 and under 19s go free!’ Old travel brochures unearthed reveal how Brits enjoyed package holidays in the 80s and 90s

Decades-old travel brochures have been found that provide a fascinating insight into package holidays from the 1980s and 1990s.

Siesta Holidays in Middlesbrough has been operating coach holidays across Europe for 44 years – long before cheap flights and Airbnb transformed the travel industry.

To celebrate the company’s nearly five decades of providing affordable holidays to people in the North East of England, bosses have released the company’s first brochures.

One of the most popular budget deals in 1982 was a 17-day all-inclusive trip for just £69 – in today’s money, that’s £345.

In 1989 the company advertised trips to the former Yugoslavia, Mallorca and Austria.

Siesta Holidays, a coach tour company based in Middlesbrough, has launched its first holiday brochures

Siesta Holidays was operating coach tours long before cheap flights and Airbnb transformed the industry

Siesta Holidays is closing next month (above one of the modern coaches)

In addition to the journey by ‘supercoach’, tourists could also race through the French countryside on the new SNCF ‘Holiday Express’.

Five years later the brochure ‘Superbeach 94’ appeared, advertising ‘apartment hotels!’ and ‘mobile homes!’ and stating that children under 19 got ‘free holidays!’

Inside, customers could also find information about travelling to Euro Disney Resort and were assured that all holidays offer ‘financial security’.

A 1999 brochure offered holidays from just £49 and two weeks from £69.

Despite the business’s success, bosses announced they would close their doors next month due to financial pressures.

Managing Director John Harrison said: ‘We have decided to close due to a number of factors.

‘One of the reasons is that we had a hard time because of Covid, which meant we were completely shut down for two years and couldn’t spend any money on marketing.

In the early 1980s, holidaymakers could book a 17-day all-inclusive holiday for as little as £69 (£345 in today’s money)

Children under 19 travelled free in 1994, while a week’s self-catering holiday cost just £49 in 1999

‘Another reason is that Brexit has made it more difficult to cross the Channel, making it longer and more expensive to go on holiday.

‘[Now,] Young people travel to mainland Europe more often with budget airlines than by bus.

‘Another reason is that our customer base is getting older and one or more of our guests may no longer be able to travel for health reasons.’

Despite the business closing, John said customers had fond memories of the bus trips to the mainland.

He said: ‘When we announced we were closing, we were inundated with customers old and current telling us how much they enjoyed their holidays with us.

‘The brochures show how important we were to providing affordable travel to the continent so families could create unforgettable memories.’

Pictured are some of Siesta Holidays’ recent customers. The company says it was ‘inundated with old and current customers’ saying ‘how much they enjoyed’ the holidays after it announced the closure