Capitalise on domestic holiday boom or lose customers, agents warned
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UK travel agents who don’t capitalise on the current domestic tourism boom will lose customers to direct channels.
That was the message from a panel of UK tour operators speaking at this week’s 2015 ABTA Convention in Costa Navarino where media were told more Brits than ever were choosing to holiday at home.
“If the trade doesn’t get onto this [trend towards more domestic holidays] customers will go direct,” said SuperBreak sales director Jane Atkins.
“Although I do think the travel trade has improved immensely and is more engaged with the domestic product than it used to be.”
Shearings Holidays commercial director Caroline Brown told agents it was not a case of domestic versus overseas breaks.
“Customers are holidaying at home and abroad so it’s not an either/or situation,” she said.
“The domestic holiday is a supplementary trip,” confirmed Hoseasons sales director Sally Henry. “It could be customers’ second, third or fourth holiday of the year.”
The panellists were speaking after VisitEngland revealed Brits took 47 million domestic trips from January to June this year, up 14% on the same period last year. The number of bed nights during this period also increased 15% year on year.
“Businesses are feeling confident about the summer period too plus advanced bookings for 2016 are looking strong,” said VisitEngland head of marketing partnerships Stuart Heath.
“Our latest research shows consumer satisfaction levels are high because they are discovering the wide range of wonderful destinations England has to offer. The industry now needs to invest in new consumer experiences [in order to keep u this momentum].”
All panellists reported a “strong summer” in 2015 and agreed that forward bookings for 2016 domestic breaks were robust.
Bourne Leisure head of travel trade Neil Davies said “occupancies, volumes and [therefore] pricing” were high during the summer months.
“We are giving the consumer a better experience so they are willing to pay more,” he said.
Forward bookings for 2016 were up 25% year on year to date, he revealed.
The panel revealed a bevy of new product developments designed to further boost domestic break appeal, with Bourne Leisure set to open a new park in Yorkshire and Hoseasons tapping into increased demand for back-to-nature holidays with a new specialist range called Wanderwood.
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