The directors present their strategic report for the year ended 31 December 2025.
The business delivered another year of strong revenue growth, with turnover increasing by approximately 14% to £86.6m (2024:£75.8m), marking the company’s highest ever revenue. Operating profit improved materially to £2.3m (2024:£0.8m), reflecting the continued benefits of both top-line growth and operational efficiency improvements.
2025 was the first full financial year under the ownership of the Blossom group, following the acquisition by Blossom Bidco Limited in October 2024. The business has continued to benefit from the support and strategic input of its new board members as it pursues its growth ambitions.
During the year the company sharpened its strategic focus on the core escorted tours proposition, while also developing new product formats including Tour Plus extensions and the Premier Tours range. The company continued to invest in its digital marketing capabilities and in its trade distribution partnerships, both of which contributed to the strong performance. The continued focus on service quality saw the company maintain its sector-leading Trustpilot score of 4.8 and win a record number of industry awards for the third consecutive year. Forward sales for 2026 and beyond are strong and the company is well-placed to continue on this growth trajectory. Since the year end, the company has launched a new Tour Only product, offering the core touring experience without flights through trade distribution partners.
The main risks that will affect the performance of the company continue to be predominantly external. The geopolitical environment has become increasingly complex, with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, instability across the Middle East, and the introduction of a broad US tariff regime in 2025 all contributing to macroeconomic uncertainty, elevated inflation and exchange rate volatility.
The breadth and geographic diversity of the company’s product offering, spanning destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, provides inherent resilience against the impact of disruption in any individual region. This geographic spread, combined with the strength of the distribution network and the quality of the product, has underpinned the company’s ability to deliver consistent growth through a period of significant external uncertainty.
The target customer demographic of travellers aged 50 and over has continued to prove itself well insulated against macroeconomic pressures, with this group consistently prioritising travel spending. The variety of distribution channels, improved quality and curated addition of new products have also supported against these risks, and the overall effect of the strategy is to provide great value and choice to customers. As such the business believes that it is already well placed to respond to these risks.
The UK travel industry continues to be highly competitive, and industry margins are consequently tight. The company maintains its approach to meeting this risk by an innovative and structured approach to product development and distribution, such that many of the company’s packages are not readily available from other businesses. The company’s profitability is also influenced by the GBP exchange rate environment, particularly in relation to EUR and USD. The company mitigates this risk by hedging its currency exposure.
Since the balance sheet date, the geopolitical situation in the Middle East has evolved further, with an escalation of conflict in early 2026 resulting in changes to Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advisories for a number of countries in the region. The directors are monitoring the situation closely. The breadth of the company’s destination portfolio and the proven resilience of its target customer demographic provide the directors with confidence in the company’s ability to navigate this evolving environment.
The board of directors consider that the decisions they have made during the financial period and the way they have acted have promoted the success of the company for the benefit of its stakeholders. The Board meets on a monthly basis to review the management accounts for the company, with standing items on the agenda covering areas such as current trading, customer feedback, employee engagement and review of the business plan delivery. The Board considers the company’s key stakeholders to include employees, customers, suppliers, and shareholders.
Principal decisions taken by the Board during the period
The Board meets on a regular basis to evaluate longer-term strategic direction and agree levels and areas for investment. The decision-making process takes into account financial benefit to the company, as well as the long-term effect on the company’s going concern, service for customers, development of employees and the environment. The approach to all stakeholders is one of mutually beneficial partnership where sustained returns and good long-term relationships are key.
During the financial period, the Board considered a wide range of matters affecting both the short-term and long-term future of the company. Key areas of focus included the strategic direction of the product offering, investment in the company’s digital and technology capabilities, strengthening the leadership team, and developing the company’s trade distribution partnerships.
Acting fairly between members
The Board is committed to acting fairly as between the members of the company. The shareholders of the ultimate parent company comprise institutional investors and members of the management team, and the Board ensures that both groups are kept appropriately informed and that their interests are considered in all material decisions.
Community and environment
The Board is mindful of the impact of the company’s operations on the communities in which it operates and on the wider environment. The company seeks to support the local communities and economies of its destination regions through its touring programmes, and to work with suppliers who share its commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism. The company has developed an ESG reporting framework and continues to identify opportunities for beneficial engagement with the communities it serves.
Business conduct
The Board places great importance on maintaining a reputation for high standards of business conduct. The company is committed to operating with integrity and transparency in all its dealings with customers, suppliers, employees and regulatory bodies. The company holds ATOL, ABTA, and ABTOT memberships and complies with all applicable consumer protection and package travel regulations.
We engage with our customers through various channels (retail, call centre and online). The focus is on customer satisfaction, with continual innovation to our service delivery at all customer touch points. We maintain open and regular communication with our key suppliers as well as holding training days for both our employees and our suppliers’ employees as appropriate. In addition, we engage constructively to set clear and balanced expectations of our supplier relationships through contracts, agreements and service levels.
Our employees are key to the success of the company and future growth. The Board aims to be a responsible employer, ensuring that pay and benefits are fair, consistent and competitive. The health, safety and well-being of employees is a primary focus of the Board and is supported by quarterly employee surveys. After each survey, appropriate actions are taken to improve employee engagement and address areas of employee concern. Each month a town hall is held for all employees, where business updates, new products and employee awards are shared.
The Board considers trading performance from across the company’s operations, discussing performance from both a booking and departure perspective, along with a review of margins by product type. Working capital and the liquidity position are reviewed to ensure they are sufficient for both the company’s operational and regulatory requirements.
At the year ended 31 December 2025, the company’s financial position is healthy, having net assets of £4.5m. The Group’s staff and management are committed and expert. The company’s partners are long-standing and loyal. On these foundations the directors believe there is considerable scope for further development of the business.
On behalf of the board
The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025.
The results for the year are set out on page 9.
No ordinary dividends were paid. The directors do not recommend payment of a final dividend.
The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:
As the company has not consumed more than 40,000 kWh of energy in this reporting period, it qualifies as a low energy user under these regulations and is not required to report on its emissions, energy consumption or energy efficiency activities.
Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law, the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
We have audited the financial statements of Newmarket Holidays Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 31 December 2025 which comprise the statement of comprehensive income, the statement of financial position, the statement of changes in equity and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Basis for opinion
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
the strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.
We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non compliance with all laws and regulations - this responsibility lies with management with the oversight of the directors.
The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
We identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the financial statements from our sector experience through discussion with management (as required by auditing standards).
We had regard to laws and regulations in areas that directly affect the financial statements including financial reporting and taxation legislation. We considered that extent of compliance with those laws and regulations as part of our procedures on the related financial statement items.
With the exception of any known or possible non-compliance, and as required by auditing standards, our work in respect of these included enquiry of management about the company's policies, procedures and related controls regarding compliance with laws and regulations and if there are any known instances of non-compliance.
There is a presumed risk that revenue may be misstated due to the improper recognition of revenue. To address this risk, we obtained an understanding of the company’s revenue recognition policies and compared these to the accounting standard, performed a walkthrough to confirm our understanding of the processes and controls through which the business initiates, records, processes and reports revenue transactions. We tested a sample of revenue transactions to supporting evidence and tested, on a sample basis, revenue related balances in the balance sheet.
We tested the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments; assessing whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias; and evaluated the business rationale of any significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.
We performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships.
We examined supporting documents for all material balances, transactions and disclosures.
We evaluated the selection and application of accounting policies related to subjective measurements and complex transactions.
We reviewed the Board of directors minutes.
Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that some material misstatements of the financial statements may not be detected, even though the audit is properly planned and performed in accordance with the ISAs (UK).
The potential effects of inherent limitations are particularly significant in the case of misstatement resulting from fraud because fraud may involve sophisticated and organized schemes designed to conceal it, including deliberate failure to record transactions, collusion or intentional misrepresentations being made to us.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The income statement has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.
Newmarket Holidays Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Cantium House, Railway Approach, Wallington, Surrey, SM6 0BP.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
This company is a qualifying entity for the purposes of FRS 102, being a member of a group where the parent of that group prepares publicly available consolidated financial statements, including this company, which are intended to give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the group. The company has therefore taken advantage of exemptions from the following disclosure requirements:
- Section 7 ‘Statement of Cash Flows’: Presentation of a statement of cash flow and related notes and disclosures;
- Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instrument Issues’: Interest income/expense and net gains/losses for each category of financial instrument; basis of determining fair values; details of collateral, loan defaults or breaches, details of hedges, hedging fair value changes recognised in profit or loss and in other comprehensive income;
- Section 26 ‘Share based Payment’: Share-based payment expense charged to profit or loss, reconciliation of opening and closing number and weighted average exercise price of share options, how the fair value of options granted was measured, measurement and carrying amount of liabilities for cash-settled share-based payments, explanation of modifications to arrangements;
- Section 33 ‘Related Party Disclosures’: Compensation for key management personnel.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Other financial assets, including investments in equity instruments which are not subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures, are initially measured at fair value, which is normally the transaction price. Such assets are subsequently carried at fair value and the changes in fair value are recognised in profit or loss, except that investments in equity instruments that are not publicly traded and whose fair values cannot be measured reliably are measured at cost less impairment.
Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the company transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank loans, loans from fellow group companies and preference shares that are classified as debt, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Derivatives, including interest rate swaps and forward foreign exchange contracts, are not basic financial instruments. Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently re-measured at their fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognised in profit or loss in finance costs or finance income as appropriate, unless hedge accounting is applied and the hedge is a cash flow hedge.
Debt instruments that do not meet the conditions in FRS 102 paragraph 11.9 are subsequently measured at fair value through profit or loss. Debt instruments may be designated as being measured at fair value through profit or loss to eliminate or reduce an accounting mismatch or if the instruments are measured and their performance evaluated on a fair value basis in accordance with a documented risk management or investment strategy.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.
The company designates certain hedging instruments, including derivatives, embedded derivatives and non-derivatives, as either fair value hedges or cash flow hedges.
At the inception of the hedge relationship, the company documents the relationship between the hedging instrument and the hedged item along with risk management objectives and strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions. At the inception of the hedge and on an ongoing basis, the company documents whether the hedging instrument is highly effective in offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows of the hedged item.
Fair value hedges
Changes in the fair value of derivatives that are designated and qualify as fair value hedges are recognised in profit or loss immediately, together with any changes in the fair value of the hedged asset or liability that are attributable to the hedged risk.
Cash flow hedges
The effective portion of changes in the fair value of derivatives that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges is recognised in other comprehensive income.
The gain or loss relating to the ineffective portion is recognised immediately in profit or loss, and is included in the 'other gains and losses' line in this item.
Amounts previously recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity are reclassified to profit or loss in the periods when the hedged item is recognised in the profit or loss in the same line as of the income statement as the recognised hedged item. However when the forecast transaction that is hedged results in the recognition of a non-financial asset or liability, the gains and losses previously accumulated in equity are transferred from equity and included in the initial measurement of the cost of the asset or liability concerned.
The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each reporting end date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to allow all or part of the asset to be recovered. Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the period when the liability is settled or the asset is realised. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the income statement, except when it relates to items charged or credited directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when the company has a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities and the deferred tax assets and liabilities relate to taxes levied by the same tax authority.
Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions for administrative expenses, and at rates published in the Newmarket Holidays brochures for the departure year to which they relate in accordance of the requirements of HMRC’s Tour Operators Margin Scheme legislation. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation are included in the income statement for the period.
In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Accounts and transactions that include key estimates are amortisation of intangible fixed assets (requiring an estimate of the useful life of the asset), the cashflow hedging reserve (requiring an estimate of foreign currency requirements in respect of future transactions) and a cancellations provision against commission accrued in respect of bookings for holidays that have not departed as at the Balance Sheet date (requiring an estimate of cancellation rates which is based on cancellation levels in prior years).
The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:
All directors/employees are seconded directors/employees whose contract of employment is with another group company and are disclosed in that entity.
The actual charge for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:
Details of the company's subsidiaries at 31 December 2025 are as follows:
The principal activity of Newmarket Transport Limited was that of the provision of transport services to group companies.
The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the company:
Profit and loss reserve records retained earnings and accumulated losses.
Hedging reserve relates to the amount of gain or loss recognised on forward contracts and derivatives that are cash flow hedges for committed foreign exchange transactions occurring in the 12 month period after the year end.
Along with other companies in the group, certain assets of the company are subject to a fixed and floating charge to guarantee the borrowings of a fellow group company, the value of which at the Balance Sheet date, stood at £19,549,584.