The cold weather is coming, so plan a luxurious break with the family
with expert advice from Solihull-based travel guru Mark Connolly-Dowson.
They say if you want something done, ask a busy person. Well, that old adage has perhaps never
been better illustrated than by the energetic Mark Connolly-Dowson, owner of boutique travel agency Hello Gorgeous Holidays – who also manages to pack in parenting three children under eight and several community leadership roles into each extraordinarily busy week.
Hello Gorgeous Holidays creates bespoke four and five-star holiday packages tailored to the specific needs of each client, from inspiring city breaks and touring trips to luxurious resort holidays, adventure experiences and champagne cruises. Mark also specialises in creating five-star family holidays, bringing together his personal and professional experience to support clients travelling with young children and Solihull Times caught up with him to talk about travelling in style with the little ones and his best picks for winter fun in the sun.
“My background and passion has always been in travel,” says Mark. “I was at TUI for 18 years, on the tour operator side, in a variety of roles – from the contact centre, to managing the crisis team looking after clients if something went wrong. I have also always been an avid traveller, with a penchant for the more luxurious ways to explore the world. No backpacking for me!
“My last role at Tui in 2015 was as a project manager before I left because my husband Ross and I wanted to start a family. Initially, I thought I would be taking 12 months of adoption leave to settle our son in, but then we had the opportunity to add two more children to our family in quick succession and somehow one year turned into seven because I wanted to be at home with them until our youngest started school, which she did in September.
“About a year ago, I started really getting itchy feet and spent time thinking what I might want to do. I wanted to be able to work from home on a part-time basis and my passion is travel both from a personal and professional perspective. I understand how holidays are built and packaged together and I have that 360° experience of how to make a holiday really work.
“I set up Hello Gorgeous Holidays in February this year and it’s flown ever since. People buy from people and if you are trusting the arrangement of the highlight event of your year to someone, what you are looking for is somebody who is trustworthy, transparent, and capable. It is a high-value spend and so the person you are dealing with needs to have your best interest at heart.
“And that’s me. All of my clients know that I will get the best deal for them, just as I would do for myself or a member of my family. My expertise is in listening to what my clients really need from their holiday, researching all the options, and challenging multiple tour operators to offer the best options with outstanding levels of customer care – and the best price.”
As if setting up a busy travel agency and parenting a family of three wasn’t enough, for the past year or more Mark has also packed in not one, but two community roles into his schedule.
“Since May 2022, I have also been an elected counsellor for Dickens Heath Parish Council. It’s a massive commitment but I absolutely love it and it makes me feel good to do something to support the community and to represent the younger families in the village.
“There is so much work behind the scenes, it can really take over your life. I chair the Communications and Events Committee, so I am involved in all of our social media channels, website, and e-newsletters, and I have led the village celebrations for both the Commonwealth Games and the King’s Coronation.
“I understand how holidays are built and packaged together and my expertise is in listening to what my clients really need from their holiday…”
“For the last year, I have also been an independent panel member for Adoption Central England adoption service, which covers Solihull, Coventry, Warwickshire, Worcestershire. Our role is to assess prospective adopters and approve matches between adoptive parents and children. It is such a rewarding thing to do, and something that is close to my heart. The panel involves a wide mix of people. It can be challenging, but an amazing feeling when you find the perfect match and you know you are helping to create a family. For me, adoption is a lifelong journey and being on the panel feeds me information and understanding to help me be a great adoptive parent.
“Of course, it can be stressful – but I work well under pressure. I am a resource-driven person, and I am never happier than when work, family life and my community roles are all busy!”
Travelling with young children: the golden rule
We asked Mark what the most important thing to remember would be when planning travel with children.
“Never, ever compromise on the detail. Little things matter and they can become huge things if you get them wrong,” he said firmly.
“All of the cheap lead-in holiday prices you see advertised are based on the least convenient flight times and room types. If you’re travelling without children, it’s easy to go for them – it doesn’t matter if you have an early flight – you can sleep on the sunbed! Now we have three children under eight, things like flight times and transfers are really important to us. A 6 am flight means a 2 am get up and a coach transfer means lots of stops before you reach your chosen resort. Not ideal if your child is tired or travel sick.
“I also focus on how the tour operator or airline will treat clients if something goes wrong, and we saw this with the flight cancellations this summer due to the Greece fires and the Air Traffic Control system failure. You need to know what level of client care you are buying. Customer care from a tour operator and airline is paramount.
“People don’t always look past the headline prices and that’s where my experience can be hugely beneficial. My fact-finding calls with customers will often reveal tiny details that can make all the difference. Are grandparents coming along too? Okay, I will find a luxury resort, with a great waterpark for the kids, but also one that has step-free access throughout and an accessible room so that Grandpa can have as great a time as the children.”
Mark’s best picks for family winter sun destinations
For families in search of winter sun, Mark recommends the Canary Islands, Caribbean, or Indian Ocean for their flight and transfer times, the balance of beach and activities for children of all ages – and some well-deserved luxury for parents and grandparents.
Dubai
Dubai is a fantastic option for families looking for an active, sunny half-term holiday later this month. The heights of the summer temperatures have calmed down to a cooler range between October and April.
Dubai was once an expensive destination to reach, but with direct Emirates flights from Birmingham, and more hotels on offer, family holidays are much more accessible now.
In addition to Dubai’s large resorts with their huge swimming pools and slides, there is a host of excursions that children will love: Dubai Aquarium, Legoland, Water parks, Dune drives and sandboarding and more… something for all ages!
Mauritius
For some winter sun, December to February sees the hottest temperatures in beautiful Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean with its white sand beaches, turquoise waters and stunning national parks.
There are plenty of child-friendly luxury hotels and resorts in Mauritius – and many also cater for teens too. The sheer range of activities on offer makes Mauritius a fantastic location for those with older kids. From diving and dolphin spotting trips, at Casela Nature Park you can zip line, ride quad bikes, walk with lions, or ride a camel.
Lanzarote
Lanzarote is a perfect spot for a winter sun family holiday. It is a year-round destination due to its climate. Temperatures will hover around 20C in February half-term, maybe a touch higher.
It is a hugely family orientated destination, with hotels really geared up for children, their activities, food variety and children’s pools and clubs. Many hotels offer all-inclusive and combined with a children’s entertainment programme and numerous restaurants, it is a perfect destination to ‘fly & flop’ and not leave the hotel.
Look at resorts like Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise, or Playa Blanca with its beautiful beachfront promenade Five Star luxury hotels and marina. A day trip to the volcano at Timafaya National Park is a must.
For more info call us now on 07875 349063 or see our website https://www.hellogorgeousholidays.com.
ABTA NUMBER: P8520