I still think that the way to set up a successful operation is to go upmarket, in both aircraft and punters, and teach people to go places.
Except for a few aero operations, nobody has done it, to my knowledge.
It will cost more than a bog standard PPL, but money is not scarce in the West.
I have flown quite a long way with passengers and without the slightest doubt the thing which would induce somebody with the required liquidity, say £5000/year budget (but usually not a huge amount of time!) into training is the ability to do an easy 4hr flight to some place which would be barely driveable - even if you actually like driving which today very few do.
This doesn't mean IFR/airways. Unless one lives in Scotland, "decent distances" means going south of the UK, which in turn means the full IR and suddenly the whole thing becomes very very hard; far too time consuming for most people with any money (and the corresponding shortage of leisure time). Plus N-reg planes which are of no use to a school.
It's taken me 5yrs to (nearly) get there, between running a business etc.
One can fly VFR to Europe pretty well. One just needs to
navigate as if one was doing it IFR and that is the key.
This means teaching the content of a PPL+IMCR as the basic unit. (which would give the pilot really useful UK privileges, and VMC on top privileges elsewhere) Plus serious planning methods, internet based weather, internet flight plan filing, flight planning on a laptop. With modern planes one could not avoid teaching the 3-letter navigation method
So, yes, more than 45hrs... But a LOT MORE FUN than the silly stupid useless CRAP-1 circular slide rule. Most people with more than 2 braincells, on seeing the slide rule promimently displayed for sale in the flying school reception glass cabinet, walk out politely smiling....
I do disagree with you on one point, SAS, and that is whether the PPL syllabus is adequate. A fresh PPL holder is left high and dry. It takes a LOT of determination to push oneself through to the next stage, and most never make it, keeping to short local flights on nice days, and giving up soon. I compare it to a windsurfing course on a little flat lake; very easy but the unavoidable next stage (the sea and having to do carve gybes) is awfully hard.