A\u00a0canal boat tour\u00a0business has gone up for sale despite\u00a0just winning a tourism award for the second year on the run. Wandering Duck which offers multi-day tours\u00a0on the canals between Manchester and the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals has recently won Tourism Experience of the Year for the second year at the Manchester Tourism Awards 2015.<\/p>\n
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Competing against formidable competition from the major tourist attractions in the area, the judges were again impressed by the innovative and highly original experience on offer and the customer service. With an untarnished record of 5* Trip Advisor reviews and growing sales every year it therefore begs the questions \u201cwhy now?\u201d as Wandering Duck is on the market for sale.<\/p>\n
\u201cWandering Duck has been a fantastic success\u201d says Mark Bratt, owner of Wandering Duck. \u201cBut the problem with a lifestyle business is that it only works for you when you want that lifestyle.\u00a0 We\u2019re now at the stage where we\u2019d like to settle and have a family.\u00a0 We really want the concept to continue but we need other adventurous couples to follow in our footsteps\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe set up Wandering Duck with no experience of the canals.\u00a0 We did it because we\u2019re passionate about travel & tourism, we love meeting people and we wanted to work for ourselves\u201d.\u00a0 Whilst this may sound like a dream lifestyle, Mark is keen to emphasise that it\u2019s not something to go into half-heartedly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe work 6 days a week from March to October. You really have to be jack of all trades.\u00a0 I love the hosting, but I also service the engine, clean the toilets, go to networking meetings and update the website!\u201d<\/p>\n
Mark is flexible as to his approach in assisting the new owners.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe priority for us is finding the right people for the job.\u00a0 So the model would be tailored to their needs. Somebody with less money to invest may prefer to lease a boat from us. Someone with limited marketing experience may prefer a franchise so that we continue to assist with the SEO and social media.\u00a0 It\u2019s whatever works for the individuals\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve done our bit in setting up the concept and creating a market for our tours.\u00a0 That was always our goal.\u00a0 Now it\u2019s time to hand over our knowledge and experience to others.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s a great opportunity for a couple who want to live on the canals from March to October and perhaps go travelling over the winter\u201d.<\/p>\n
Learning of the sale, David Baldacchino, waterway manager said \u201cWe\u2019ve enjoyed having Wandering Duck on the Waterway. The holiday experience they offer has international appeal and is targeted at a different audience, which complements the activities of our other boating businesses.\u00a0 We hope that it\u2019s able to continue. Anyone interested in operating a boating business on CRT waters will find useful information on the Canal & River Trust website<\/a>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
If you\u2019d like to find out more about this opportunity then contact Mark Bratt at Wandering Duck: mark@wanderingduck.co.uk or phone 07584 122609.<\/p>\n