Strengthening Pound drives Brits to Europe
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Brits are flocking to Europe as the Pound continues to strengthen against the Euro, a travel barometer released by GoEuro has revealed.
Instead, Europeans are travelling to more affordable locations such as Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin, according to the barometer’s findings.
Here GoEuro founder and CEO Naren Shaam, reveals more trends unveiled by the study
TDUK: What are the most popular UK domestic bus, train and flight routes and why?
NS: To/from London:
Bus: London-Manchester
Train: London-Edinburgh
Flight: London-Edinburgh
Not from London:
Bus: Manchester-Liverpool
Train: Glasgow-Liverpool
Flight: Manchester-Edinburgh
Long-distance South-North journeys are generally popular by train and flight in the UK, largely due to the short time involved in making them when compared with the bus. However for a journey such as London-Manchester bus travel is the most attractive method to passengers. The shorter journey time (which not only takes the time on the road into account, but also time saved not waiting to board a plane in an airport) and competitive pricing means this is often the most efficient way to travel.
The high volume of Manchester to Edinburgh flights are most popular with business travellers, however, the other cities listed for the bus and train journeys are well known for their student populations which is one likely reason for these routes to witness high demand.
What impact is the strengthening Pound against the Euro having on outbound travel and is this negatively affecting domestic travel?
The strengthening of the Pound against the Euro is making European holidays much more affordable for British travellers, and we have seen international bookings departing from the UK increase relative to international bookings arriving in the UK. However, our numbers do not show a significant negative effect on domestic travel. There are several factors that could account for this; the recent drop in oil price is driving down the cost of transport in general, and so both domestic and international travellers are relatively wealthier. It is likely then that both domestic and international travel from the UK is increasing.
What’s the long-term impact of this scenario on both domestic and inbound travel?
If the Pound continues to strengthen and oil prices remain low, then travel and tourism will continue to boom within the UK, and UK travellers will continue to enjoy affordable European holidays.
What European destinations are on the most-searched-for list and why? Which destinations are rising through the ranks and why?
The top five most searched European destinations by UK users are Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Rome and Barcelona. Rising through ranks are Nice, Madrid, Budapest, Malaga and Mons. In the wake of the long Easter weekend it is unsurprising that cities such as Amsterdam, Rome and Paris were our most searched destinations, whilst Barcelona is a quintessential get away much of the year for UK tourists.
As people look forward to their spring and summer getaways we see increased interest in classically warm and sunny destinations such as Madrid, Nice and Malaga. At first glance, Mons may be deemed an unusual destination to be rising through the ranks alongside destinations such as Madrid, however considering its status as European Capital of Culture 2015 it is understandable why it may be seeing increased interest this season.
Which UK destinations are on the most-searched-for list and why?
London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow are the most searched for by UK users and Brighton, Newcastle, Cardiff and Newquay are rising through the ranks. Some of the most popular search destinations are unsurprisingly some of the major centres for UK leisure, commerce and tourism. Similarly with popular European destinations several of these cities had a peak in interest around the Easter long weekend. As travellers look forward to warmer weather, destinations such as Newquay, Brighton and Cardiff rise through the ranks as interest turns towards possible long weekends away within the UK.
In terms of non-UK users, Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham are the most searched for destinations. These cities are often constantly popular with tourists and are some of the most recognised UK cities in the world. In the colder winter months these cities are known for their warming markets and festive decorations, as well as their excellent indoor activities such as shopping or theatre performances. Northern cities such as Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh often see increased interest in warmer months, which explains the increase in their search volumes.
What trends are you noticing in terms of the mode of transport people are taking on certain routes?
In mainland Europe where countries like Germany, Spain, and soon France are deregulating their bus markets, we are seeing a huge increase in bus bookings on long haul routes. The UK transport market, which has been deregulated for quite some time already, is relatively more stable, but low cost bus and air carriers continue to woo travellers for trips from the UK to Europe.
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