Company History
Mark Hammerton Travel Ltd was launched in 1999. The directors, including Mark Hammerton himself, had years of experience working for established camping holiday operators and the first tour operating programme featured pre-sited tents and mobile homes in France and a pitch and ferry reservation service for readers of the (then) independent Alan Rogers guides.
A year later, the company became the exclusive UK agent for Camping Cheque, the UK's leading low season holiday product for independent campers and caravanners and in October 2001 the newly named, Mark Hammerton Group, acquired the company behind the Alan Rogers campsite guides. First published in 1968, the guides were already established as the leader in the UK campsite guide market.
In September 2002 the Group formed a Dutch subsidiary and opened a small office near Amersfoort in the Netherlands to promote sales of the Alan Rogers campsite guides in the Dutch language.
A month later followed the acquisition of another tour operator, the cycling and walking holiday specialist Belle France.
In October 2004, following another year of rapid growth in Camping Cheque sales, the Group acquired a minority stake in French campsite organisation, Kawan Group.
2005 saw the launch of Alan Rogers Marketing in the Netherlands with this office becoming focused on only sales of promotional products and marketing services to European campsites.
In 2006, the Group introduced websites aimed at direct ferry sales and direct holiday insurance sales for campers and caravanners. The company also launched the UnityPlus card, a discount scheme for holidaymakers owning a tent, caravan or motorhome.
2007 has seen the companies busiest year ever for camping cheque sales.
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