THE few months in the early 1980s that Paul Bennett spent working in Saga Holidays’ public relations department changed the course of his life. It opened his eyes to the immense sales potential of holidays for older people – a vision that was to manifest itself in the launch of Grand UK Holidays for the over-55s. Bennett is still managing director of the Norwich-based company he founded 15 years ago and he remains convinced that senior citizens’ holidays have an even bigger future today. « People are living longer, they have more disposable income and they’re more adventurous, » he said. « Our product attracts a new breed of more sophisticated over-55s with index-linked pensions. « These are people who have already travelled widely. They’re not the stereotype coach holidaymaker who just wants to sit in a deckchair and watch the waves roll in. » At the start of the 1980s, Saga had the ‘golden oldies’ field to itself. With the launch of his own company, Bennett was taking on an established Goliath of the industry. Within two years, however, Bennett had a lucky break – Saga decided to go direct-sell, leaving the way clear for an operator committed to selling through the trade. « The
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