EDP top 100 firm Hoseasons is refocusing its attention on the Norfolk Broads with a new television advert specifically devoted to the waterways.

The £200,000 commercial, to be launched to millions next week on on-demand television and Youtube, is the first to focus purely on the Broads since its iconic 1970s advert set to the tune of Messing about on the Water.

The commercial, which asks families, 'Looking for a new adventure? Try something new with a boating holiday on the Norfolk Broads,' will target audiences in the Midlands, London and South-East.

The advert responds to market research carried out by the Lowestoft-based firm last year which showed the Broads boating experience had skipped two generations and a significant number of people were even unaware it was possible to take a holiday on a boat.

Hoseasons managing-director Simon Altham said: 'The advert is a direct response to boatyard owners who have been calling for us to give more emphasis to the Broads.'

He said the yards were also keen for Hoseasons to target a national audience and the advantage of advertising on on-demand channels was that it was possible to target specific geographic areas more accurately.

Mr Altham said: 'When we broadcast our main Hoseasons commercial on on-demand television we found that 87pc of the traffic that came to us was new.

'That is why we are using it for the Broads commercial which uses footage taken from shooting our main advert of a family on a boat in Horning and on the river between Horning and Wroxham. It is about attracting a new boating audience of younger, reasonably affluent families.'

He said it was possible that the Broads advert, in 20 and 30 second versions, might also later be broadcast on national television.

Mr Altham said it was hoped the advert would build on a positive start to the year in terms of bookings.

He said: 'Following the sunny weekend, bookings for Broads holidays on Monday were more than 30pc up on the same day last year.

'Boating is outperforming all other areas of the Hoseasons portfolio and the Norfolk Broads is our flagship product.'

He said the resurgence in public interest in the Broads seemed partly the result of major investment by the yards, including, notably, the widespread introduction of free wi-fi.

Hoseasons was also responding to the technological age by launching a new Norfolk Broads app this week giving holidaymakers information to make the most of their break.

Broads Tourism chairman Barbara Greasley, a director of hire boat firm Norfolk Broads Direct, said 'I am delighted to hear that Hoseasons have committed to produce the first television advertisement for boating holidays on the Broads for many years.

'Hopefully this advert will reach that reported missing generation who would never consider or even realise that a Broads boating holiday is a great fun and active holiday option.'