Domestic tourism is set for another strong year, making it one of the few industry sectors to benefit from the recession.

The results of new research shows that 70% of people are likely to book a UK holiday in 2010.

The appeal of domestic holidays also appears to be strengthening with 31% feeling the UK is becoming more appealing as a destination, compared to 25% in 2009 and just 19% in the pre-economic downturn days of 2008.

As many as 39% now claim that they are seriously considering taking their main 2010 holiday in the UK – up 10 percentage points from the same time last year.

The continuing strength of the euro and a growing feeling of disillusion with air travel are at the root of this sustained appeal with holidaying at home, according to market research agency BDRC Continental which conducted the survey amongst 1,005 people earlier this month.

Families are once again at the heart of the ‘staycation’ boom and have been quick to commit to holidaying in the UK again in 2010.

Twenty one per cent of families surveyed had already booked a holiday in the UK for 2010 compared with 14% of those without children.

Families are also more likely than those without children to claim that they will stay in self-catering accommodation and take a seaside/beach holiday.

Findings from BDRC’s “Project Mars,” which has tracked the impact of the recession on the public’s discretionary spending since February 2009, demonstrates that whilst short haul holidays overseas continue to bear the brunt of the recession, visitors will still be placing high emphasis on value for their domestic holidays this year.

Twenty eight per cent of those likely to take a domestic short break and 30% of those likely to take a longer holiday in the UK expect to cut back further on their spending in these areas, providing further opportunities for good value self-catering operators to showcase their services.

But quality needs to be maintained to sustain this revival.

Perceived improvements in tourism service delivery have also been influential in persuading Brits to stay at home.

Among those surveyed who found the UK appealing:

*21% said that standards in hotel and accommodation were improving
*21% said they had seen an improvement in restaurants and catering.

The research company’s tourism“>tourism, travel and leisure team director Steve Mills said: “The UK holiday industry stumbled upon a huge opportunity in 2009 to demonstrate what it can offer to a lost generation of holidaymakers.

“The good news is more and more people are deciding to holiday at home again this year and are enjoying re-discovering what’s on their own doorstep.

“The acid test will be when sterling strengthens, particularly against the euro.

“The tourism“>UK tourism industry needs to continue to focus on delivering two key components to ensure it takes full advantage of this trend and makes Britain the destination of choice in the future – and they are value for money and quality of service.”

The BDRC Holiday Survey found that:

* 46% of all those considering Europe as a holiday destination have revised their plans on the basis of the current euro exchange rate
* 8% will not go to Europe at all
* A further 8% will shorten their trips
* 20% will reduce the number of trips
* 21% will still go but reduce expenditure whilst there
*41% of those who find the UK appealing said they prefer the UK as they are fed up with air travel. This is a significant increase on last year’s figure of 29%.

Self-catering and seaside holidays once again likely to prove popular in 2010.

* 25% of those who intend to take a UK holiday this year are likely to opt for self-catering accommodation, with 16% of us likely to take a camping/caravanning holiday

* Despite the weather, the British public is keen on the beach. 38% of all UK holidays already booked for 2010 are seaside/beach holidays

*Next are rural/countryside holidays (33%), city/town breaks (28%) and activity/
adventure holidays (13%).

Source: Phil Davies – TravelMole.com

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A rise in electronic travel booking volumes in December helped bring levels up to exceed the equivalent month in the previous two years, according to new data.

Travel technology company Pegasus Solutions reported that December GDS booking volumes, which predominantly represent business travel, increased by 15.35% over 2007 and +6.28% over 2008.

Alternative distribution system (ADS) booking volumes, which mainly represent leisure travel, jumped by 22.49% over 2007 and 17.18% over 2008.

The figures are based on the four billion transactions Pegasus processed during the month for more than 95,000 hotel distribution customers worldwide.

In light of this recovery in booking volumes, a Pegasus View booking report highlights the importance of raising rates lowered in 2009 to drive demand, drawing parallels to the post-2001 recovery.

CEO Mike Kistner said: “Following a year that started with booking volumes significantly down, the meteoric rise in the latter half of the year to levels in both channels that exceeded even 2007 serves as validation that the recovery evidenced in previous editions of The Pegasus View is in fact occurring.

“Many hoteliers find themselves again in the position of developing the most effective strategies to increase rates to a normalised level, which we address with observations and recommendations in this month’s report.”

The year started with average daily rate (ADR) down in both channels, leading to a fall in net revenue. ADR climbed close to 2008 levels in the GDS as the year continued, leading to positive revenue movement of 5.34% for the second straight month year-on-year.

But a “colossal” increase in bargain-hunting and online shopping through the ADS left 2009 net revenue for the channel 21.92% below the 2008 year-end.

Look-to-book ratios for the ADS continued to climb, growing 17.8% in December 2009 versus December 2008, and 54.7% over October 2008.

This indicator relates directly to the rise in ADS booking volumes, as well as the channels’ depressed ADR, according to Pegasus.

“Current indications are that look-to-books will continue to rise as travellers become increasingly rate conscious and savvy,” the company said.

“We’re enthused to see positive movement in booking volumes and ADR, but the rising look-to-books portends more pressure on technology infrastructure for travel suppliers,” said Kistner.

“Not only does this competitive shopping environment require an aggressive dynamic rate strategy, but the ability to also handle the immense number of rate and availability requests to your system.

“Rate and technology providers will need to ensure they are capable of returning the high volume of requests in the expected time, which some studies say is as little as two seconds.”

The Pegasus View for December 2009 is available in its entirety online and by free subscription at www.pegs.com.

Source: Phil Davies – TravelMole.com

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A Twitter campaign to win a preview of new ship Celebrity Eclipse is to be run by Celebrity Cruises.

UK and Ireland Twitter users can enter the competition by saying in 140 characters why they want the chance to sail on the 26 mile journey from the Papenberg ship yard in Germany along the River Ems to Eemshaven in Holland.

Entrants have the normal twitter posting limit to tell the @CelebrityUK twitter profile why they should be given the chance to be one of the first to see the new vessel and what it would mean to them.

The River Ems trip takes place in mid-March 2010, more than a month before the vessel arrives in the UK for its inaugural celebrations and naming ceremony in Southampton.

The sailing takes place backwards, and the new ship must navigate locks in the River Ems where there are only a few meters to spare either side.

Celebrity Eclipse is scheduled to arrive in Southampton on April 20 with the naming taking place on April 24.

The competition closes on February 14 at 23.59.

Tweets will be judged by the line’s UK and Ireland head of marketing Jo Briody, tweeters from the @CruiseCriticUK twitter feed, and cruise tweeter and blogger @CaptGreybeard.

Briody said:“We’re offering avid cruise fans online the chance to extend their social media interaction to the ultimate cruise lover’s experience.

“Anyone using twitter can tell the @CelebrityUK Twitter feed why they should get the chance to see new ship, Celebrity Eclipse, before anyone else.

“We’re looking for succinct creativity, recognition of the innovations onboard the ship, and to engage with the biggest fans of Celebrity Cruises. It really is the chance to tweet your way to the trip of a lifetime.”

Source: Phil Davies – TravelMole.com

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First Choice is to donate £150,000-worth of free holidays to armed forces families who have suffered the loss or injury of a loved one.

The operator will cover the cost of air fares, accommodation and international transfers for bereaved families and the families of injured service men and women.

One holiday for every 20 bookings will be provided to families of service personnel.

Holidaymakers need to log on to www.firstchoice.co.uk/heroes, call 0800 916 5164 or buy a copy of The Sun newspaper and take it into a First Choice shop when booking their holiday by February 20.

People booking through the campaign will be entered into a draw for a chance to win an all inclusive summer holiday in 2011 for two adults and two children.

Christian Cull, communications director of First Choice parent company TUI UK and Ireland, said: “By taking part in Holidays for Heroes the public will be giving holidays to those that deserve it most. It is our way of saying thank you.’’

The campaign has won the backing of the Ministry of Defence.

Armed Forces minister Bill Rammell said: “We always welcome any gestures of support for our brave personnel.

“We know they value greatly any recognition of the sacrifice they make on behalf of this country. This offer of free holidays is generous and will be warmly received.”

Actress Tamzin Outhwaite, who starred as an army sergeant in the BBC drama series Red Cap, is supporting the campaign.

“I’m really thrilled to be supporting the First Choice Holidays for Heroes campaign,” she said.

“With the help of the British public, First Choice will give away up to £150,000 worth of free holidays to those service men or women who have been injured or families who have suffered a bereavement.

“Our troops put themselves in harms way to protect us on a daily basis and through this campaign we can go some way to giving something back, a gift of precious holiday time together with their loved ones.’’

Source: Phil Davies – TravelMole.com

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Scottish agents have reinforced a call for an all-encompassing review of the “defective” consumer financial protection system for UK travellers.

The Scottish Passenger Agents Association re-iterated its long-held view that all airlines should be required by law to be part of any new financial protection system.

This is in recognition of the fact that no airline – whether low-cost or full-service – can now be considered to be beyond the risk of financial failure, the organisation said in its response to the European Commission’s consultation on the 20-year old Package Travel Directive.

The SPAA called for any review to lead to the introduction of a new, coherent and transparent system of travel consumer financial protection covering all air-based travel arrangements, whether or not they fit the traditional ‘pre-packaged’ model which increasingly does not reflect actual booking and purchasing habits in the UK.

All travel booking channels – airlines, traditional tour operators and online travel services providers, telephone and web-based contact centres – should come under any new system.

This would ensure that every air-based travel purchase – whether or not it includes additional products and services – is 100% financially secure for the consumer, the SPAA argues.
Travel associations in the UK are in general agreement on how a new system should be organised and operated.

The SPAA, ABTA and other interested parties continue to discuss and co-ordinate their lobbying efforts.

Representatives of the two associations will be meeting with the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and Department for Transport, to further clarify and explain their views and objectives.

SPAA president Brian Potter said: “We are clear and unequivocal in our position that the current system of consumer financial protection is broken beyond repair, and that the EU and the UK must develop, as a matter of urgency, a new regime in which all consumers can buy travel products and services via the channel which best meets their needs, absolutely secure in the knowledge that their money is protected.

“The ongoing consultations in Europe and the UK give us the opportunity to help get this right for the future.”

Source: Phil Davies – TravelMole.com

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More than a quarter of business travel buyers said they had more money to spend in 2010 and more than a third will book more trips, according to a new survey.

Some 1400 business travel managers recently surveyed by the Business Travel and Meetings Show revealed an optimistic outlook for the start of the new decade, with 76% of those polled saying they thought the recession would end by the end of the year.

Figures showed 27% of budgets will be boosted for 2010 and 35% of buyers will arrange more trips. Four in ten buyers will manage the same amount of trips in 2010 and just a quarter will make fewer bookings.
However, there was still a feeling that belts would continue to be tightened. A whopping 81% said they had little choice but to adopt stricter pricing policies, with 44% saying they will book lower class airline tickets and 22% lower quality accommodation. Meanwhile 46% plan to increase their use of video conferencing.

Business Travel & Meetings Show events director David Chapple said: “The business travel industry has been through a very bumpy ride over the last 18 months, so these survey results are a much needed glimmer of optimism as we enter a new decade: a sign that things are back on track and we are heading in the right direction.

“But what the survey also makes clear is that, while budgets and travel plans are stabilising and in some instances growing, managers are still facing huge pressure from the board room to get more for their money.”

Source: Dinah Hatch – TravelMole.com

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Package holidaymakers to the Dominican Republic are being asked to donate unused items at the end of their breaks to help earthquake survivors in neighbouring Haiti.

The call has gone out from TUI UK operators Thomson and First Choice.

Through regular fundraising events in resort, more than $10,000 has been sourced, which will go to help local initiatives such as convoys of essential, basic supplies over to people in Haiti.

A number of staff in the hotels are from Haiti or have family there, so in the first instance money will go towards helping their families and communities in this time of need, the companies said.

Communications director Christian Cull said: “Thomson and First Choice are committed to helping those affected by the disaster in anyway possible and we will continue to look for ways that we can offer support.

“Staff and customers in neighbouring Dominican Republic are particularly well placed to help and customers are being encouraged to donate toiletries and clothing, at the end of their holiday to convoys going over to Haiti, where they will be gratefully received.”

The sister operators’ in-house airline Thomson Airways has been liaising with the Department for International Development to offer free cargo space for aid supplies to Haiti via flights to the Dominican Republic.

Additionally, 40 free seats on flights over the next few days have been offered to the Disasters’ Emergency Committee to give to aid workers to reach the disaster zone as quickly as possible.

The operators’ staff and holidaymakers in the Dominican Republic are supporting a number of different aid initiatives.

Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic is flying aid along with key medical personnel, aid agency workers and rescue teams to the region.

The aid and personnel is being flown on a number of flights from the UK to Miami, Orlando and Jamaica.

From there aid agencies will arrange for essential supplies to be transferred to Haiti.

The airline has already committed to flying a minimum of 55 tonnes of cargo.

Virgin Atlantic president Sir Richard Branson said: “Everyone who has seen the sheer destruction in Haiti over the last few days will have been moved to help in any way they can.

“Virgin Atlantic and our foundation Virgin Unite, have been liaising with organisations working on the relief effort with the Disasters Emergency Committee to help deliver much-needed aid to the region.

“We will fly in as much aid as possible so that the agencies on the ground can respond to the needs of everyone in Haiti whose lives have been devastated by this tragedy.”

Amongst the aid being flown to the region is hundreds of ShelterBoxes which will help to meet the pressing need of providing shelter for thousands on the island.

Each ShelterBox contains a disaster relief tent for up to 10 people, a stove, blankets and other items essential for survival.

The boxes will be distributed through international volunteer ShelterBox Response Team members who work with local aid agencies on the ground to deliver emergency shelter to those in greatest need.

ShelterBox Founder Tom Henderson said: “Our team around the world are doing all they can to ensure aid reaches the people of Haiti as soon as possible. With each day the need grows and we’re doing everything to get help to the thousands of families affected by this tragedy.

“The response from our volunteers and supporters has once again been sensational. We can’t do this without the public’s compassion and generosity. Virgin Atlantic has really pulled out all the stops for us and we’re incredibly grateful for their support.”

The carrier is also working with a number of other charities, including Save the Children and Oxfam, to assist them in their efforts to get crucial aid supplies and personnel to the region.

Save the Children senior emergencies advisor Matthew Wingate said: “The people of Haiti have experienced a huge crisis. Around three million affected people urgently need relief, otherwise they will face even greater suffering through lack of shelter, food shortages, and disease outbreak in the coming weeks.

“Save the Children knows that children are the worst affected – and we’re especially worried about those young children who are separated from their families with no one to care for them.”

Source: TravelMole.com

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Price, transparency and innovation are expected to drive growth in the use of travel websites in 2010, according to a new study.

The poll of more than 1,200 people found that 15.1% more are likely to use the internet to book holidays this year over 2009.

Consumers are being attracted online by independent product reviews and reduced prices.

The research by accommodation network Crashpadder.com revealed that 8.8% more people are likely to go on ‘staycation’ in the UK.

With an increasing number of families feeling the pinch in the UK it is hardly a surprise that people are spending longer looking for the best deals and making sure that their holidays deliver exactly what they are looking for, the company said.

“The internet is a powerful tool when it comes to big purchases like holidays,” said company founder Stephen Rapoport

“Aside from generally lower prices people can read hundreds of impartial reviews on locations, hotels and airlines, as well as compare packages directly. It’s a level of transparency which traditional travel agents simply can’t offer.”

“Already we’re seeing strong growth for bookings in 2010. Most of our customers are leisure travellers booking staycations in the UK, but we’re seeing growth in international bookings also.

“We put this not only down to the recession but also environmental factors. Domestic holidays usually mean no air travel and a greatly reduced carbon footprint.”

Source: Phil Davies – TravelMole.com

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TUI Travel has finalised a deal with one of Canada’s leading operators.

Europe’s biggest travel group has established a strategic venture with Sunwing Travel Group.

The partnership was first unveiled last September.

TUI said it had now received all necessary regulatory approvals and the transaction has been completed.

The group said last month that the deal would strengthen TUI’s position in the Canadian travel market and has a number of “strategic and financial benefits”.

Source: Phil Davies – TravelMole.com

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A surge in bookings is being claimed by European ski accommodation specialist Pierre & Vacances on the back of the cold snap in the UK.

Lesser-known ski resorts across the Alps and Pyrenees have seen sales increase on average by 17%, according to the company.

Pierre & Vacances believes that the recent snowfall across Britain has encouraged families to book a trip to the slopes, with self-catering accommodation over February half term week in particular demand.

Business over the past two weeks has been “particularly strong” with January trading now on a par with last winter.

Recent sales have been recorded for holidays later in the season, when rates are lower.

Sales for the end of March are already strong, with ski trips booked for the week before Easter – commencing March 27 – being particularly popular.

This week is classed as ‘off peak’ in France, but is a school holiday for much of the UK.

British customers are taking advantage of being able to get a low season price for a holiday in a high season week.

“Snow conditions are currently excellent across the Alps with lots of fresh snow and cold temperatures reported, particularly in the Southern Alps in resorts such as Alpe d’Duez and Vars, where snowfall of up to 14cm per day is expected this week,” the company said.

Source: Phil Davies – TravelMole.com

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