Company Profile

Milestones

1999: business launch

We launched our business on 1st December 1999. Drawing on experience from many years' involvement with major camping holiday operators, our first tour operating programmes featured pre-sited tents and mobile homes in France and a pitch and ferry reservation service for readers of the independent Alan Rogers guides.

2000: awarded exclusive UK agency for Camping Cheque

Winning a competitive pitch to become the exclusive UK agent for Camping Cheque was an important step in the development of our business. Providing the UK's leading low season holiday product for independent campers and caravanners immediately raised our profile and helped establish our position as a leading player in this important market.

2001: acquired Alan Rogers Guides Ltd

In October 2001 we acquired the company behind the Alan Rogers campsite guides. First published in 1968, the guides have long been the leader in the UK campsite guide market. Ownership of this well-known brand enabled us to develop our successful travel service with greater confidence as well as providing profit enhancement opportunities within guide publishing itself.

2002: formed Dutch subsidiary and acquired Belle France

In September 2002 we formed a Dutch subsidiary and opened a small office in the Netherlands to promote sales of the Alan Rogers guides in the Dutch language. The following month we acquired another tour operator, the cycling and walking holiday specialist Belle France - our first move into the 'soft adventure' market, offering considerable potential for profitable growth.

2003: business reorganisation and planned move to new HQ

The 2003 season saw continued growth but by the end of the year, our attention turned towards the effectiveness of our business organisation. In October 2003 we took the decision to combine our three separate UK offices with a move to a single base at Spelmonden Old Oast near Goudhurst in the Weald of Kent.

2004: acquired stake in Camping Cheque (now Kawan Group)

In October 2004, following another year of rapid growth in Camping Cheque sales in the UK, we acquired a minority stake in FFH SAS, the French holding company responsible for the Europe-wide success of Camping Cheque. This has since proved a very important investement with the recent growth and development of the re-named Kawan Group.

2005: launch of Alan Rogers Marketing in the Netherlands

A very significant development in 2005 was the launch of Alan Rogers Marketing with an important re-positioning of our activities in the Netherlands. This office is now exclusively focused on the sale of promotional products and marketing services to European campsites and is one of the fastest growing areas of our business.

2006: exclusive deal with European reservations system, CToutVert

Rapidly becoming the most dominant sales system for European campsites with over 800 sites already signed-up and on-line, the French-owned CToutVert system has become a powerful force in the European camping market. In the summer of 2006, Alan Rogers became the exclusive UK agent for CToutVert, using its XML interface to create a unique booking system for UK clients.