History

Acorne Plc is a company specialising in the sales and marketing of leisure activities and experiences. The company and its founders have their roots in the operation and management of aviation and motor sports, so a strong ethos of customer service, safety and practicality runs through everything we do – tempered by the knowledge that above all our experiences must be enjoyable and fun to both give and receive.

We pioneered the technique of using gift vouchers on a national scale for participation in an experience such as an introductory flying lesson. For Christmas 1988 we launched 'Nationwide Flying Gift Tokens': this innovation was extremely successful and Acorne was launched in 1989. Soon after, we were selling flying, gliding and parachuting gift vouchers via advertisements in national media. By 1990 we were already serving the staff incentives and sales promotions market and started exhibiting regularly at the Incentive shows from the early 1990s. Our range expanded again to include motor sports, health spas and relaxation days. After development of the revolutionary concept of a retail gift box in 1992 we achieved the first High Street sales via Whiteleys and Harrods. National distribution followed in 1993 via major mail-order and retail catalogue chains.

Acorne's association with Virgin began in 1995 when we were the first non-Virgin company approved to redeem the newly-launched Virgin Voucher. We worked closely with Virgin before they set up their own experiences division in 2000. In 2003 we took over this business from Virgin, rebranded it as Virgin Experience Days and secured its future growth. At the same time we took on the management of the cash-denominated Virgin Voucher, which is accepted widely throughout Virgin group companies and others in exchange for goods and services as diverse as Limobikes, holidays and DVDs. We turned this business around and in 2007 we acquired the 'Leisure Vouchers' business from Whitbread PLC, together with management of the TGI Fridays gift voucher scheme. This enabled us to enter new leisure markets centred on hospitality, food and drink.

In 2008 we bought the business of eXhilaration, another established 'experiences' specialist from internet leader lastminute.com, who now rely on Acorne's expertise to supply their experience customers with the value, fun and excitement for which their brand stands.