2006.05.08 The Guardian
'Having no tan lines is another aspect.'Peter Englert has long fostered a naked ambition: to give Britain's naturists the best choice of nudist holiday locations based on the "unrivalled experience" of his team.
But after 35 years in the business, the founder of niche holiday operator Peng Travel is
selling up, and has netted a cheeky £1.8m from buyer Travelzest.
"I'm 70 years old and normally people retire at 65. I enjoyed my job so much I put retirement off," he explains. "We have bumper stickers which say: Naturism is contagious, let's start an epidemic!"
Englert says the appeal of his holidays pares down to "a sense of freedom that you do not normally experience - particularly swimming without clothes". "Having no tan lines is another aspect."
Though he admits that stripping off "takes courage for the first two minutes"; from then on, he insists, "you wonder what the fuss is about".
Founded in 1971, Peng Travel has grown into the UK's largest naturist operator, with a turnover of £2.6m last year and operating profits of £235,000. But buyer Travelzest insists it can give the company greater exposure while maintaining its personal touch with clients.
The new owner will retain Peng Travel's staff - a pairing of professional travel agents and practising naturists - for at least 12 months, and will act as a holding agent. What remains to be seen is whether this proves to be too many balls to juggle alongside the firm's other interests: VFB Holidays, Holiday Express and Best of Morocco.
Englert insists not: "After 35 years it's my baby, and I will make sure it will continue to prosper."
