“UK hospitality is an acutely overlooked growth opportunity”: Paul Flaum, Bourne Leisure

“The UK is desperate for growth. There are few industries which are big yet can still grow by taking market share off its international competitors – but that is exactly the case with UK tourism. It’s the UK’s second largest export industry and an accutely overlooked growth opportunity.” 

It was this logic from Bourne Leisure CEO Paul Flaum that helped convince Blackstone to buy the company in 2021. And the numbers are stark: the UK population spends £56 billion on holidays a year, of which only £14 billion is spent in the UK.

Flaum believes taking market share requires augmenting the business, its technology and facilities, to create individual, inclusive experiences that are highly valued and drive loyalty.

“The more memories you create in life, the better you feel. Forget everything else. The happiest people create the most memories,” he continues.

Focus on untapped demographics

Bourne Leisure operates two holiday businesses which saw around 4.5 million guests take UK breaks in 2024. Haven has 39 coastal caravan parks, designed around family fun and entertainment while 16 Warner Hotel locations are focused on adult-only breaks with high quality food and entertainment.

The divestment of the Butlins arm of the business in 2022 enabled investment of £750m in both Haven and Warner since Blackstone’s acquisition. Recent additions to the resort collections include new hotels in the Cotswolds and Windsor plus future pipeline at Dalmahoy in Edinburgh and Forrest of Arden in the West Midlands. Meanwhile Haven has seen significantly improved and expanded accommodation on all sites alongside investment across restaurants, entertainment facilities, new outside “adventure villages” and the acquisition of a new park in Lincolnshire.

Inclusivity is the driving force behind the two brands, with Flaum describing the collective ethos as centred around an obsession with the guest experience. Both businesses specialise in making affordable holidays that have an element of personalisation. At Haven this can be seen in their adapted caravans with sensory lighting and bubble tubes for autistic guests, specialist changing areas equipped with hoists for individuals with mobility needs, facilities that allow for pets, or simply the ‘Choose your Holiday Home’ option where guests can choose the specific caravan they prefer. 

Frictionless, tech-powered leisure 

Tech plays a part in creating that optimal guest experience, by removing friction at every interaction, such as using numberplate recognition linked to bookings to minimise queuing at check-in or booking restaurants, food delivery, activities or swim slots through the Haven app. But it is a blend of both human interactions and customer-centric technology that leaves guests happiest, says Flaum.

“It’s about making sure we do everything we can to make their holiday as good as it can be,” says Flaum. "We also pride ourselves that both Haven and Warner are both direct distribution businesses showing the power of the two brands, our websites and our technology.” 

Accessible staycations, regional growth

The beachside location of the holiday venues means the company impact reaches beyond its clientele. The 5,500 acres of land in Haven’s assets alone makes it one of the biggest coastal investors in the UK, bringing stimulation to some of the most socially and economically challenged areas of the country. The Haven holiday resorts are mini towns of sorts and give many people their first jobs in roles from lifeguards to chefs to gas engineers and front of house hospitality, all with opportunities for professional development.

This observation is borne out in the facts, with 70% of the 1,000 leaders within the businesses having started as team members, and 43% of all team members are under the age of 23. Flaum adds: “We've got all the growth potentials. Economically we create first jobs, and we're among the largest investors in the levelling up areas of the UK. It's not just one massive investment in one location; it proliferates throughout the communities and supply chains that we are part of”. 

It’s also an example of how potential collaboration between the public and private sectors could make that impact go even further for the benefit of all.

“Haven holiday parks and Warner Hotels bring flexible entry-level jobs, training, investment and growth wherever they are placed — and the majority are in the areas of the UK which need investment the most,” Flaum continues. 

Ultimately it is about levelling up access to holidays for as many people as possible, says Flaum, ensuring the experience is tailored to the individual and those all-important memories are created. 

“We know our guests have a better holiday if they’ve taken part — whether that’s at Haven watching our Mad Hatters Circus or learning axe throwing or how to ballroom dance at a Warner Hotel. That’s what you remember in the end. Taking part.”