What’s new this month: May

Spruced up Sports Café

Sherwood Forest’s very own Sports Café has undergone a glamorous transformation in the last few months and is ready for you to catch up on the latest fixtures whilst tucking into something tasty.

Kick back and relax in the new booths styled around American football and with their own private flat screen TV. Or if that’s just not big enough, catch your favourite team on the giant screens from the comfort of our sofas. Whatever time of day, head down and don’t miss the action. Check out the new look here.

Ahoy there matey!

If you haven’t already heard, Elveden Forest is welcoming a brand new activity for your little sailors. Get up to speed with our behind the scenes story, on Mini Captains’ Adventure, which is dropping anchor at Elveden Forest in a few weeks. Your little ones can hop aboard our custom tiny trawlers and learn all there is to know about setting sail. The new fleet is being created as we speak, so it won’t be long until our mini captains can cast off on their first maritime adventure.

Off the beaten track

Also this month, we brought you the first look at Off-Road Explorers in action at Sherwood Forest. Sessions have been fully booked since it launched, with plenty of pint-sized drivers getting to grips with the miniature 4x4s. If you’re joining us soon and don’t want to miss out, we suggest booking early.

Wildlife at Whinfell Forest

Known for its stunning surroundings and mischievous red squirrels, Whinfell Forest has lots more hidden gems tucked away amongst its trees. Luckily for us, one of our Rangers, Jonathan Sibery, is rather handy with a camera, and has captured some stunning shots of his Village that we can share with you, including deer, pheasants and nesting blue tits.

Starbucks star’s success

Thinking about grabbing a coffee on your break at Woburn Forest? Perhaps knowing that the number one champion barista in the district may be brewing your Americano will convince you? Michael Farrer, of Woburn Forest Starbucks, has been crowned the best barista in the South East. His top place finish means he is now the highest level barista at Center Parcs, along with Suzanne Julian and Nicola Williams who both finished in the top five as well.

But Michael’s journey doesn’t stop there – he will now go on to compete against other regional champions to see if he can be crowned the best in the country. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for you, Michael!

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Center Parcs biedt inspiratie voor duurzamer leven

Vandaag (16 mei) presenteert de Raad van Kinderen ideeën naar aanleiding van de centrale vraag: ‘Hoe kunnen vakantieparken gezinnen helpen met een duurzaam leven’. Het vakantiepark wil gasten inspireren om duurzamer te leven, niet alleen tijdens de vakantie maar ook thuis.

Center Parcs overhandigt de Raad van Kinderen ook het eerste ‘duurzaamheidspaspoort’, welke is voortgekomen uit één van de adviezen van vorig jaar. Het paspoort bevat opdrachten met ‘groene daden’ voor het gezin om daarmee duurzaam gedrag op de parken te stimuleren en belonen. Dit jaar gaat de Raad van Kinderen een stapje verder en wordt niet alleen gekeken naar meer duurzaamheid op de parken, maar vooral hoe gasten een duurzamere leefstijl mee naar huis kunnen nemen.

Bron en hele artikel: Verkeersbureau

Geothermally Heated Villages Nature Paris Project on Track for 2017 Opening

Next spring, 14 years after being conceived by Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs and Euro Disney, Villages Nature Paris will open 20 miles east of Paris. The resort will be a showcase for green design, geothermal technology and will be based on harmony between man and nature. Villages Nature Paris will open with 916 dwellings, more than two-thirds of which will be cottages and one-third family suites. The dwellings will be owned by individual and other investors and managed by Villages Nature Paris. According to Dominique Cocquet, CEO of Villages Nature Paris, within five years the development is expected to include more than 1,700 dwellings.

Villages Nature Paris is expected to host more than 1 million visitors a year on its 444 acres. In addition to places to stay, there will be many attractions including the Aqualagoon covered water park and outdoor lagoon, shops and restaurants, farm, lake, spa and gardens. “We believe we will have mostly families,” Cocquet says.

The resort, which Cocquet describes as “cutting edge and in synch with what the next century will be,” will offer a more relaxing alternative to nearby Disneyland Paris. The priority market for Villages Nature Paris is France and the United Kingdom, Germany is a secondary market, and Belgium, Netherlands, Scandinavia and Middle East have been identified as opportunistic markets. “Our goal is that at least one visitor in three at Villages Nature Paris comes by public transport,” Cocquet says.

One Planet Living Principles

Ten years ago Villages Nature Paris was one of the first projects to embrace the One Planet Living principles and to embed them into its concept, design and vision. One Planet Living is a global initiative based on 10 principles of sustainability developed by BioRegional and WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature). One Planet Living projects aim for zero carbon. Villages Nature Paris partners are aiming for net zero carbon impact from all energy use by 2020. One Planet Living projects also have the goals of zero waste, sustainable transport, local and sustainable materials, local and sustainable food, sustainable water, land use and wildlife, culture and community, equity and local economy, and health and happiness.

Bron: Hotel News Resource

Beautygloss Vriendinnenweekend 2016

Ook dit jaar gaan we weer een fantastische editie van het Beautygloss Vriendinnenweekend geven in Center Parcs de Kempervennen tijdens het laatste weekend van September! Dit weekend gaan we samen allerlei leuke Beautygloss-achtige activiteiten doen! Het volledige weekend staat geheel in het teken van beauty, shoppen en gezelligheid. Voor meer info en boeken kijk op: www.centerparcs.nl/beautygloss

Het Beautygloss Vriendinnenweekend vindt plaats van vrijdag 23 t/m zondag 25 september in het vakantiepark De Kempervennen van Center Parcs.

Tijdens het vriendinnenweekend zijn er allerlei leuke Beautygloss-achtige activiteiten te doen o.a;

• Meet & Greet met Mascha
• Beauty Workshops
• Lekker eten en drinken
• Gezelligheid
• Gezondheidsworkshops
• Zwemmen
• Thema Parties
• Shoppen

Beste pretparkvakanties van Nederland: Plopsa/Huttenheugte en Toverland/Meerdal

Kids Vakantiegids heeft de tien meest kindvriendelijke pretparkvakanties van Nederland en Europa onderscheiden met het Kids PretparkTip! Keurmerk 2016. Uniek aan dit keurmerk is dat zowel het pretpark zelf, als het eigen vakantieadresje of de accommodatie in de buurt, wordt beoordeeld op de aanwezige (kids)faciliteiten.

De Europese toplijst wordt aangevoerd door het Legoland Billund Resort in Denemarken. In eigen land vier je de beste pretparkvakantie in Attractie- en Vakantiepark Slagharen.

Top 10 pretparkvakanties van Nederland
1. Attractiepark Slagharen & Vakantiepark Slagharen (Slagharen, Overijssel)
2. Efteling & Efteling Bosrijk (Kaatsheuvel, Noord-Brabant)
3. Plopsa Indoor Coevorden & Center Parcs De Huttenheugte (Dalen, Drenthe)
4. Toverland & Center Parcs Het Meerdal (Sevenum/America, Limburg)
5. Speellland Beekse Bergen & Vakantiepark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, Noord-Brabant)
6. Duinrell & Vakantiepark Duinrell (Wassenaar, Zuid-Holland)
7. Walibi & Walibi Village (Biddinghuizen, Flevoland)
8. Pretpark Julianatoren & Camping De Wije Werelt (Apeldoorn/Otterlo, Gelderland)
9. Drouwenerzand & Vakantiepark Drouwenerzand (Drouwen, Drenthe)
10. Wildlands Adventure Zoo & Center Parcs Sandur (Emmen, Drenthe)

Bron: Verkeersbureau

First look at Off-Road Explorers in action

Off-Road Explorers is up and running at Sherwood Forest. If this is the first time you’ve heard about our newest activity (where have you been?), then you can get the full low-down here.

Here are the cliff notes

• Off-Road Explorers is a new and unique activity for three- to six-year-olds
• It’s available at Sherwood Forest but will be rolling out to Woburn Forest and Longleat Forest later in the year
• You’ll find it at the Outdoor Activity Centre

So, what’s involved?

With mum or dad cheering from the sidelines, little ones hop into the driving seat and are shown how to safely steer and operate their very own miniature off-roader. After a few laps of our training track, they’ll complete laps of our bespoke off-road course, tackling obstacles like rumble strips and bumpy ground, collecting puzzle pieces along the way to solve a jigsaw in the back of their car.

Parents are equipped with a fob that will instantly but gently stop the car moving – so if your little ones turn out to be real petrol heads, you’re still in control. Once they’re sitting comfortably and have donned their tiny tweed flat cap, they’ll do a few laps of our training track, getting used to the pedal and the steering wheel.

Then it’s time to get down to business on our specially built, bespoke off-road track, complete with splashy puddles, hillocks, bumps and rumble strips.

Along the way, they’ll need to keep their eye out for woodland creatures hiding amongst the trees. Each one has a little bag of puzzle pieces that they need to collect in order to complete the forest scene in the back of their 4×4.

After a couple more laps – just for fun – there’s time to squeeze in a quick photo opportunity (you’ll definitely want to bring this one out in a few years when they’re learning to drive for real!).

If you think your little one would have a wheel-y good time at Off-Road Explorers, it’s available to book now.

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Nederlander meer op vakantie; In eigen land vooral kampeer- en bungalowvakanties

Deze zomer wil twee derde van de Nederlandse bevolking op vakantie, dat zijn ruim 10,7 miljoen Nederlanders. Zo’n 7,6 miljoen Nederlanders willen deze zomer naar het buitenland gaan (gelijk aan vorig jaar) en 2,6 miljoen Nederlanders kiezen voor eigen land (+5%). Ruim een half miljoen Nederlanders heeft wel plannen om deze zomer weg te gaan, maar weet nog niet of dat een binnen- of buitenlandse vakantie wordt. Dit blijkt uit grootschalig onderzoek dat NBTC-NIPO Research in april heeft uitgevoerd naar de vakantieplannen van de Nederlandse bevolking.

In eigen land vooral kampeer- en bungalowvakanties

Ongeveer een kwart van alle zomervakanties wordt in Nederland doorgebracht. Dit jaar vieren zo’n 2,6 miljoen Nederlanders zomervakantie in eigen land; dat zijn er ruim 100.000 meer dan het jaar ervoor (+5%). Tijdens de lange zomervakantie in eigen land zijn de bungalow of de camping de meest populaire accommodaties; dit jaar is het de verwachting dat er zo’n 1,1 miljoen vakanties worden doorgebracht in een bungalow en circa 900.000 op de camping.

Bron en hele artikel: NRIT

Nature caught on camera at Whinfell Forest

Click on one of the photos below to open up a gallery of the weird and wonderful woodland creatures who make Whinfell Forest their home.

A blue tit building its nest. This nest is in one of the boxes in Lake Beck Woods. Nest-building. This was taken on the small pond in moorland view. Female is brown and male is white and black. Two male wood pigeons squabbling on the kayaks. A robin singing in Meadow View - most likely a male. Taken at moorland view pond. At least 6 eggs in the nest. Should hatch soon! A doe. A deer. A female deer. Taken in Lake Beck woods. A greater spotted woodpecker pecking into the deadwood in search of insects. A female pheasant strolling through lake beck woods.

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Your summer 2016 inspiration starts here

It’s coming up to that time of year again. The time to set your out-of-office, hang up the school bags until September (just remember to check for old lunch boxes and apple cores first), and load up the car for your family summer break.

This year, why bother with the hassle of passports and the pain of the airport, when everything you could possibly want is waiting for you at Center Parcs? With the sun shining and the lake glistening, you’re a world away from home with plenty to keep the whole family occupied.

It’s time to swap your ‘to do’ list for our ‘must do’ list.

Saddle up

So where to begin? First things first – swing by the Cycle Centre to pick up your family fleet. Hit the trails in comfort with top-of-the-line premium mountain bikes at Sherwood and Woburn Forest, or cruise with ease on one of our assisted electric bikes. There are trailers, child seats, balance bikes and stabilisers for our littlest cyclists too.

Then you’re off, exploring the forest on two wheels, soaking up the sun as the squirrels scamper alongside you.

Make a splash

But what’s a family summer break without a dip in the pool? It’s next up on your ‘must do’ list. Grab your swimming costume (or pop to Aquatique to treat yourself to something new), and step into the Subtropical Swimming Paradise. The little ones can splash around in our toddler and children’s pools, while older ones play in the waves and you relax with a Starbucks or a cocktail from The Canopy Café and Bar. Of course, watching from the sidelines only lasts so long before it’s time to corral the whole family for a ride down the Wild Water Rapids.

Row your boat

If you’re still not in the mood for dry land, it’s time to take to the lake. Try Stand Up Paddle Boarding or, if you’re staying at Elveden Forest, have a go at Water Cable Skiing – tick something off your summer 2016 bucket list! And if there are little ones in your party, you can hire a Pedalo together, or sit back and relax in an Electric Boat.

Drop in at The Pancake House to refuel after all that hard work. A fluffy American stack and an ice cold gourmet milkshake always go down a treat after a swim.

Take to the treetops

And you’ll need a good meal before you tackle Action Challenge… Head up into the treetops and find your head for heights with Aerial Adventure, where you navigate our course in the canopy. Of course, heights aren’t for everyone, so if you prefer to stay more grounded you can make a beeline for the Outdoor Activity Centre and hop on a Quadbike, zoom around the Village with Segway Experience, or see who comes out on top at Paintballing.

Come dine with us

At the end of the day, race back to your Lodge and collapse en-masse onto the comfy sofas. And when stomachs start rumbling, there’s a world of possibilities to choose from – head to Café Rouge and take a table on the terrace to enjoy a family meal as the sun goes down. Or you could fire up the barbecue on your private terrace – everything you could need, from steaks to giant marshmallows, can be found at the ParcMarket. Or if you’re simply too tuckered out, treat yourselves and order Dining In – we’ll deliver freshly prepared, restaurant-quality food to your Lodge.

Summer holidays should be about escaping the daily grind and revelling in each other’s company. This year, why not do it at Center Parcs?

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Wavegarden de Eemhof - We Want Waves - Help het mogelijk maken!

Als alles volgens plan verloopt, kunnen we binnenkort dagelijks genieten van perfecte golven in Wavegarden de Eemhof!!!

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Na ruim 2 jaar onderzoek, heel veel praten, plannen en lobbyen, zijn de voorbereidingswerkzaamheden inmiddels in volle gang. We hebben de juiste partners, de steun van de omliggende gemeenten en het team van Wavegarden S.L. is superstoked over onze spot.

Om onze investeerders het laatste zetje te geven, willen we aantonen dat surfend Nederland snakt naar een wavegarden. Dus wil jij ook altijd kunnen surfen op perfecte golven? Klik hier en sluit je bij ons aan: http://www.wewantwaves.nl/. Zo zorgen we samen voor de komst van Wavegarden de Eemhof!

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Wavegarden de Eemhof!

Naast Center Parcs de Eemhof ligt midden in Nederland, op slechts 30 minuten rijden van Amsterdam en Utrecht, Marina de Eemhof. Op het naastgelegen Eemmeer kun je bij Eemhof Watersport & Beachclub leren wakeboarden, wakesurfen, waterskiën, flyboarden, zeilen, suppen en windsurfen. En wat een luxe… we hebben ook nog ruimte voor onze wavegarden, een camping en superchille beachcottages!

Waarom een Wavegarden?

Sinds de release van Kelly Slater's perfecte man-made-wave is de markt voor wavepools booming. Alleen al in ons kleine kikkerlandje met slechts 15.000 'echte surfers' zijn er meerdere initiatieven. Hoe gaaf is dat! Er is echter maar één partij die wavepools voor het grote publiek maakt die daadwerkelijk werken. En hoe… wij hebben op de golven van de wavegarden gesurft en oh oh oh… wat was dat genieten!!! De wavegardens die binnenkort in Texas en Melbourne openen, worden zelfs nog beter. Dat willen wij hier dus ook!

Hoe ver zijn we?

Uit ons haalbaarheidsonderzoek blijkt Nederland klaar te zijn voor een wavegarden. We hebben inmiddels dé perfecte locatie in Midden Nederland in bezit, we hebben de juiste partners, we hebben de steun van de omliggende gemeenten en last but not least: het team van Wavegarden S.L. is superstoked‬ over onze spot en doet er alles aan om ook de Nederlandse surfers binnenkort van perfecte golven te kunnen laten genieten! Het is onze doelstelling om in het voorjaar van 2018 de eerste golven te laten rollen.

Wat hebben we nog nodig?

Naast de praktische voorbereidingswerkzaamheden zijn we nog bezig met de financiering. Daarbij kunnen we jouw steun goed gebruiken. Om onze investeerders het laatste zetje te geven, willen we aantonen dat surfend Nederland snakt naar een wavegarden.

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Bron: http://www.wewantwaves.nl/ en Facebook Eemhof Marina

Behind the scenes: Mini Captains’ Adventure

It’s not long now until we cast off and launch our new activity, Mini Captains’ Adventure, at Elveden Forest. Your little ones will become Mini Captains, learning all the tricks of the trade as they go along – saluting, talking on a radio and the parts of a boat. As their trusty First Mate, you’ll accompany them onto the water as they steer one of our specially designed boats around the lake. Then it’s all down to them– follow your map and find the buoys to solve a maritime puzzle.

Developing the first ever watersport activity for our youngest guests meant we needed a new fleet of boats – ones designed especially for little ones. We thought we’d bring you a behind-the-scenes sneak peek of how our Creative Artworker, Sam, took the dinky new boats from sketches to substance.

A logo and a ‘look’

“As soon as I found out about this activity, I could picture how it would look straight away,” says Sam. “Some jobs are more fun than others, and this is one of my favourites that I’ve worked on.”

The first job for Sam was logo development – creating a visual identity that would make the activity stand out and also communicate straight away what it was about. “I pulled together lots of ideas around the nautical theme – boats, buoys, anchors, seagulls. I had once concept that was like looking through the end of a telescope.”

The jaunty trawler that makes up the body of the logo was hand drawn, scanned and then transformed into a digital illustration. Then Sam added finishing touches, like a captain’s hat resting on the lettering. “This is an activity for three- to seven-year-olds, so it should look playful and whimsical,” she explains.

Boats and blueprints

The next job was making the boats themselves come to life. We worked with an overseas supplier who could create bespoke miniature trawlers to our own designs. Sam received complex diagrams showing all the different parts and elements of the boats, and she set about creating a colour scheme.

“All the colours for Mini Captains Adventure are based around our Boathouse motif,” says Sam. “So I picked the blues that you’d expect, then reds and whites that are also nautical.” She played around with different colours on each element, before settling on a finished design. Each part was assigned a RAL colour – a special colour format that applies to paint manufacturing.

“Then I designed big stickers to decorate the hulls, using design elements from the logo,” says Sam. “Lastly I added a flag to each – because it’s a bit jaunty!” Now Sam’s designs and colour schemes go back to our supplier in Amsterdam to execute, before they are all shipped over (on a ship that ships tiny ships) to their final destination in Elveden Forest.

Meanwhile, Sam is still busy creating other pieces of artwork for Mini Captains’ Adventure, including certificates (to make those mini captainhoods official), posters, puzzle sheets and photo opportunity boards. “I can’t wait to see the finished activity – especially the little boats! The best part is that there’s room for an adult in them, so I’ll have to take my little niece for a ride so I can try it out myself!”

Keep an eye on Under the Treetops and our Facebook page for the official launch date of Mini Captains’ Adventure and the chance to name one of our trusty new fleet.

Anchors away!

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Center Parcs biedt inspiratie voor duurzamer leven

Vandaag presenteert de Raad van Kinderen ideeën naar aanleiding van de centrale vraag: ‘Hoe kunnen vakantieparken gezinnen helpen met een duurzaam leven’. Het vakantiepark wil gasten inspireren om duurzamer te leven, niet alleen tijdens de vakantie maar ook thuis. Center Parcs overhandigt de Raad van Kinderen ook het eerste ‘duurzaamheidspaspoort’, welke is voortgekomen uit één van de adviezen van vorig jaar. Het paspoort bevat opdrachten met ‘groene daden’ voor het gezin om daarmee duurzaam gedrag op de parken te stimuleren en belonen. Dit jaar gaat de Raad van Kinderen een stapje verder en wordt niet alleen gekeken naar meer duurzaamheid op de parken, maar vooral hoe gasten een duurzamere leefstijl mee naar huis kunnen nemen.

Naar aanleiding van het onderzoek ‘‘Wat kan Center Parcs doen om haar werknemers en gasten te stimuleren om minder te verspillen’’ van vorig jaar heeft de Raad van Kinderen een aantal duurzame acties bedacht. Zoals het duurzaamheidspaspoort, waarbij het gezin wordt beloond bij het behalen van alle opdrachten. Denk bijvoorbeeld aan afval scheiden, een douchetimer en verlichting en verwarming uitzetten bij het verlaten van de cottage. Naast het duurzaamheidspaspoort worden er diverse ‘groene’ workshops georganiseerd, waarbij gerecycled materiaal wordt ingezet en leuke dingen worden gemaakt met afvalproducten. Daarnaast is het activiteitenprogramma ‘Wannabe een Tuinder’ ontwikkeld, waarbij kinderen uitleg krijgen over de natuur. Op de parken De Kempervennen en De Huttenheugte wordt een moestuin aangelegd en tijdens het verblijf worden kinderen gemotiveerd om zorg te dragen voor de moestuintjes. Ze krijgen zelf een eigen moestuinplantje na afloop met verzorgingsadvies. Het belangrijkste advies van vorig jaar was het afdekken van de buitenbaden, om daarmee energie te besparen. De implementatie van dit idee is begonnen. Voor alle parken in Nederland scheelt dit bijna € 100.000 per jaar aan energiekosten.

Vakantiepark als inspiratiebron voor thuis

Om gezinnen te informeren over de groene en social projecten van Center Parcs, is ‘Our Naturall Plan’opgesteld. Ook staan er op het online platform onder andere tips & tricks om thuis groen aan de slag te gaan. Mede door de Raad van Kinderen komen er jaarlijks nieuwe groene acties bij. De Raad van Kinderen is een initiatief van de Missing Chapter Foundation en UNICEF Nederland. Het doel van de Raad van Kinderen is dat besluitvormers van bedrijven en organisaties de belangen van de toekomstige generaties integreren in de besluitvorming van vandaag.

Bron: center parcs

Extra hoge kortingen tijdens de (Zomer) Vakantie Voordeeldagen Vakantie

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De Meivakantie is inmiddels zo goed alweer voorbij. Tijd om te kijken naar de Zomervakantie.

Voordeel-fanatiekelingen opgelet! Kom deze zomer bij Center Parcs zeilen op het meer, waterskiën, of ponyrijden. Alleen tijdens de Vakantie Voordeeldagen boekt u al een zomervakantie, inclusief verplichte kosten, vanaf 299 euro voor 4 personen. Dus word één met je eigen natuur en boek vandaag nog uw zomervakantie!

Een Super Opkikkerdag vol leuke belevenissen voor langdurig zieke Kevin(15)

Even vergeten dat je ziek bent en genieten van een dag vol ontspanning en plezier. Kevin en de rest van zijn gezin uit Barneveld stond zaterdag een Super Opkikkerdag te wachten! Ruim 55 gezinnen werden deze dag in het zonnetje gezet in een tot Opkikkerland omgetoverd Center Parcs de Eemhof in Zeewolde, waar zij activiteiten zullen beleven die zij leuk vinden. Zo’n Opkikkerdag is een welkome afleiding in het dagelijks bestaan vol met doorlopende ziekenhuisbezoeken, spanningen en onzekerheden.
De pedagogisch en maatschappelijk medewerk(st)ers van het ziekenhuis waar Kevin onder behandeling is, vonden dat hij én de rest van zijn gezin wel een ‘Opkikker’ kunnen gebruiken. Op basis van een leuk en persoonlijk gesprek met het gezin weet Stichting Opkikker precies wat hun interesses en hobby’s zijn. Aan de hand hiervan zijn er bijzondere verrassingsactiviteiten vastgesteld voor het hele gezin!

Het gezin beleefde de activiteiten: Reptielen aaien, Roofvogels vasthouden, een vlucht met een helikopter maken, een professionele fotoshoot, meerijden in Amerikaanse politiewagens, klimmen met Korps Mariniers en spannende games spelen. Tot slot werd er gezamenlijk afgesloten met optredens van diverse artiesten en een spectaculaire lasershow.

Bron: Barneveld Vandaag

Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs Group: Turnover for the First Half of 2015/2016

• Turnover1 from tourism business up 9.6%, driven by faster growth in the second quarter of the year (+12.6%)
• Evolution of property development turnover in line with provisional phasing
• Property reservations higher than in the first half of 2014/2015

1] Main events during the first half

Group refinancing

On 14 March 2016, the Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs Group signed a new revolving credit line of €200 million with its banking partners refinancing ahead of schedule the syndicated credit line maturing in 2019.

As such, the Group has a confirmed credit line, repayable in fine, of a higher amount than the residual of the previous amortisable syndicated loan (€142.5 million on 30 September 2016) and at a lower interest rate. Maturity is extended to 2021, later than that of the ORNANE bond in 2019.

Strategic partnership with Chinese group HNA Tourism

On 30 March 2016, Chinese group HNA Tourism subscribed to a reserved capital increase representing 10.00% of the capital of Pierre et Vacances SA post-operation, representing 980,172 new shares at a unit price of €25.18. Following this operation, the individual stake of the S.I.T.I. holding company controlled by Gérard Brémond, stands at 39.83% of capital and 56.42% of voting rights in Pierre et Vacances SA2.

The acquisition of a stake in Pierre et Vacances by HNA Tourism is part of the partnership agreements signed on 6 November, aimed at developing tourism destinations in China inspired by the Center Parcs and Pierre & Vacances concepts.

Financing of the extension of the sixth German Center Parcs in Allgau (Baden Württemberg).

On 11 March 2016, under the framework of the European diversification of these Property investment companies (SCPI), the “La Française” group acquired 250 cottages and a commercial building including the accompanying leisure facilities as an extension to the future German Center Parcs in Allgäu.

This acquisition rounds out that made by Eurosic group concerning 750 cottages and the Domain's central recreational facilities.

The opening is planned for end-2018.

Extension of Center Parcs des Trois Forêts in Moselle-Lorraine

On 24 March 2016, the Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs Group sold a block of 141 cottages representing the last tranche of the Domain des Trois Forêts, off-plan.

Delivery is planned for summer 2017.

2] First half turnover

The turnover and financial indicators commented hereafter stem from operating reporting, with the presentation of joint-companies under proportional consolidation.

Euro millions   2015/2016 2014/2015  Evolutions (Evolutions on a  like- for-like basis(*)

Tourism   291.2 258.6 +12.6%

- Pierre & Vacances Tourisme Europe 161.2 154.5 +4.4%

- Center Parcs Europe   129.9 104.1 +24.8%

   

o/w accommodation turnover   186.9 165.5 +12.9% +5.1%

- Pierre & Vacances Tourisme Europe 103.5 101.4 +2.1% +4.5%

- Center Parcs Europe 83.3 64.1 +30.0% +5.9%  

Property development 27.3 85.3 -68.0%

 

Total Q2   318.5 343.9 -7.4%

Tourism 521.8 476.2 +9.6% - Pierre & Vacances Tourisme Europe 251.4 243.8 +3.1%

- Center Parcs Europe 270.4 232.4 +16.3%

   

o/w accommodation turnover   339.1 311.2 +9.0% +2.4%

- Pierre & Vacances Tourisme Europe 164.5 163.8 +0.4% +1.8%

- Center Parcs Europe 174.6 147.4 +18.5% +2.9%

 

Property development 63.8 174.5 -63.5%

 

Total H1 585.5 650.7 -10.0%

Meer informatie: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160414006068/en/Pierre-Vacances-Center-Parcs-Group-Turnover-20152016

Inspiration for your May half term break at Center Parcs

Forget those months of endless gloomy weather: say hello to sunshine pouring through the forest canopy, sparkling on the surface of the lake and warming your back while you explore the trails. Here’s why we think sunny May half term is the perfect way to see Center Parcs and enjoy some quality family time in the heart of the forest:

1 Al fresco dining

If anything screams ‘summer is here!’ more than enjoying good food and chilled drinks outdoors, we don’t know about it. Whether it’s a fluffy American stack outside The Pancake House in the morning or a frosty beer and a steak on the Café Rouge terrace – be sure to dine in the elements this half term.

2 Make a splash

When the sun is shining, hit the outdoor pools at the Subtropical Swimming Paradise. Best of all, if the weather turns, you can head inside to keep your slice of 29.5° summer. Sip a cocktail or a Starbucks iced Frappuccino on a sun lounger, brave the Rapids or play in the wave pool to your heart’s content.

3 Go explore

The Cycle Centre has bike options for everyone, from trailers and stabilisers to all-terrain mountain bikes, so you can hire your own family fleet and take in the forest on two wheels. Discover miles of woodland trails, looking out for red squirrels at Whinfell Forest, the cheeky muntjac deer at Elveden Forest, or the magnificent Giant Redwoods at Longleat Forest.

4 Take to the lake

The Watersports Lake is open once again, and some of the best views of our forests are reserved for those who take to the water. You can go easy with an Electric Boat, learn something new with Canoeing tuition or put your balance to the test with Stand Up Paddle Boarding. And when you’re finished, you can enjoy a well-earned ice cream on the picturesque sandy beach.

5 Outdoor action

Our outdoor activities are great fun whatever the weather, though we won’t deny that zipping around our track on a Quad Bike or ducking and dodging through Paintballing is even more perfect on a gloriously sunny day! Take advantage of the weather by trying it all – find your head for heights at Action Challenge, get competitive with a round of Adventure Golf and earn your survivor stripes at Den Building and Decorating.

What have we missed? Tell us your family’s not-to-be-missed summer break traditions in the comments.

The post Inspiration for your May half term break at Center Parcs appeared first on Under the Treetops.

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​Center Parcs' bid to expand Sherwood Forest Aqua Sana spa

Center Parcs, one of Nottinghamshire's biggest companies, has applied for planning permission to update the spa facilities at its Sherwood Forest holiday village.

The company, which employs 200 staff at its headquarters in Ollerton and 1,500 staff at the Sherwood Forest site, has submitted plans to Newark and Sherwood District Council to extend and alter the Aqua Sana building.

The application seeks approval to create a number of new openings to the existing Aqua Sana building, along with creating a single storey "hideaway" extension, detached warming room, feature panoramic treetop sauna and the relocation of the existing Japanese foot spa.

Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/8203-Center-Parcs-bid-expand-Sherwood-Forest-Aqua/story-29071067-detail/story.html

Reisorganisaties tonen duurzaamheidsscore van vakanties

Verschillende Nederlandse reisorganisaties laten hun klanten vanaf komend najaar zien wat de voetafdruk van hun vakantie is. Een nieuw rekenmodel moet het klimaateffect van vakantiereizen in kaart brengen.

Dat zegt reisbrancheorganisatie ANVR tegen de Volkskrant. De organisatie onderzoekt de komende maanden hoe reisbedrijven de consument het best kunnen informeren over de informatie die beschikbaar is.

“Het ideaal is dat consumenten hun vakantievoetadruk zelf kunnen uitrekenen op een app of website”, zegt Gerben Hardeman van de ANVR tegen de Volkskrant. “Maar zover zijn we helaas nog lang niet.”

Het is de bedoeling dat de calculator vanaf komend najaar beschikbaar komt in brochures en op websites van de reisaanbieders. Zo willen de organisaties tonen in hoeverre de ecologische voetafdruk van vergelijkbare vakantiereizen van elkaar kunnen verschillen.

Bron en hele artikel: Duurzaam bedrijfsleven

Sports Cafe’s edgy new look revealed

What’s new this month: April

Peanut’s big break

If you’ve missed the story of Peanut the hedgehog – where have you been? She’s one of the newest residents at Woburn Forest, which is now a designated hedgehog release site thanks to the work of some of our superstar staff. Watch the video – complete with adorable snuffling hedgehogs – here.

Going off road

Our newest Sherwood Forest activity puts your little ones behind the wheel of a pint-sized off-roader. Yes, it’s exactly as adorable as it sounds…

Hitting new heights

Indoor Climbing Adventure has arrived at Woburn Forest, and will be opening at Sherwood Forest – its fifth and final Village – this summer. Find out everything you need to know about this challenging and competitive activity.

The Inside Track

If you’re a fan of speed and space-age technology, then The Track will be your new favourite spot in Elveden Forest, home to Woodland Wheelers and Street Karts.

Ciao, Bella!

Pasta, pizza, drinks and desserts – the new menu at Bella Italia has got us craving a taste of the Mediterranean. Find out what they’ve been cooking up and check out photos of the amazing new dishes.

A taste of spring

If you’re visiting us soon, make sure you check out the new spring/summer specials that you can snap up in our restaurants. Strawberries and cream pancakes, anyone?

Coming soon…

Next month we’ll be telling you about a new pre-school activity arriving at Elveden Forest this summer. If you thought Off Road Explorers was cute, you haven’t seen anything yet. Anchors away…

The post What’s new this month: April appeared first on Under the Treetops.

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Nottinghamshire run Center Parcs is a giant of the lesiure and tourism industries

t's a giant of the leisure and tourism industries and it's run from right here in Nottinghamshire. Gemma Toulson finds out more from Center Parcs' long-serving CEO Martin Dalby.

IT was in 1987 that the "villa in the forest" concept, which originated in the Netherlands, was imported to the UK with the opening of Center Parcs' first UK holiday village in Sherwood Forest.Today, it's one of the UK's largest leisure industry businesses with five holiday villages across the country and a turnover in the region of £420m.

It's also is one of Nottinghamshire's largest companies. In 2015, it was ranked in the Nottingham Post's Top 200 Companies magazine as the company with the 12th largest turnover in the county.

With 200 staff at its headquarters in New Ollerton and 1,500 at the Sherwood Forest holiday village, it's a significant private sector employer locally and a company upon which many from the local supply chain relies.

With more than two million visitors each year, it's Center Parcs' popularity among young families which ensures guests continue to return year after year.

Seventy five percent of visitors are families, while the other 25 percent are mostly couples.

"This is a family holiday offer," says CEO Martin Dalby. "We cater very much for pre-school families with children under five. They are a big part of our overall guest base – because they are not impacted by school term restrictions and equally it's a safe, great place for them to come.

"The children learn to swim and ride their bikes here. It's an easy holiday when you have young children."

Martin is surely one of the longest serving in the leisure industry. With 16 years service as chief executive under his belt, his name is very much synonymous with the Center Parcs brand.

So much so that he is now even the subject of school examinations.

Mid-way through this interview a waiter at the restaurant in which we met explains that he had recently answered a 15 mark question on Martin in his A-level business studies test, specifically about him being a "culture carrier".

"I wouldn't mind a copy of that," Martin joked.

But overseeing the company's five holiday villages at Sherwood Forest, Elveden Forest in Suffolk, Longleat Forest in Wiltshire, Whinfell Forest near Penrith and Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire, continues to keep him busy.

Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Center-Parcs-invests-future-employees/story-29171716-detail/story.html