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2011 has seen the major global economies continue to struggle, putting pressure on the demand for travel and tourism products.
The World Travel Market survey of UK consumers reveals a massive 38% didn’t take a holiday – seven nights away either overseas or in the UK – in 2011. WTM had to ask 1,611 people to find 1,006 holidaymakers to answer its survey. Of those UK consumers that did holiday in 2011 almost six out of ten (59%) only took one holiday.
The squeeze in household budgets in the UK has also seen those people that can afford to holiday set themselves strict budgets. This has meant the all-inclusive holiday has increased in popularity as well as staycations – holidaying in the UK.
Furthermore, last year’s increase in Air Passenger Duty has also had an impact. More than a quarter of holidaymakers (26%) said the increase in costs of travelling due to taxes is a major issue, although they will still travel on a budget. A further three out of ten (31%) will travel less often, while for 5% 2011 was the first year they didn’t travel abroad because of the increase in the cost of holidaying overseas because of taxes.
These findings may paint a worrying picture for the travel and tourism industry.
However, there is still room for optimism. The World Travel Market 2011 Industry Report also highlights opportunities such as the London 2012 Olympics, the wider growing role of sports tourism and the emerging tourism potential of the BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The report highlights China as the most important of the BRICS markets from an inbound tourism perspective. It also reveals the five countries hot-on-the heels of the BRICS as the next markets the industry should focus its attention on.
TravelDailyNews Asia-Pacific editorial team has an experience of over 35 years in B2B travel journalism as well as in tourism & hospitality marketing and communications.
