Travel Trends Articles

Speaking at the launch of the Regional Economic Outlook in October. Gilbert Terrier, IMF's senior advisor for the Western Hemisphere stated that,“Smaller islands in the region have experienced a sharper and more prolonged decline in arrivals than some of the larger islands. Destinations that significantly reduced hotel prices following the crisis experienced milder declines in arrivals.” read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - November 2, 2010) -- The 2010 Portrait of American Travelers - a recent study by Ypartnership/Harrison Group - indicates that irresistible travel offers are driving impulse demand, encouraging more Americans than ever before to take “last minute” vacations.  

One of the market forces accelerating the trend toward more impulsive vacation behavior on such short notice is the growing use of ‘flash sales’ by travel service suppliers. These impulsive offers, delivered through unsolicited Emails, have become more commonplace during the past 12 months as suppliers have tried to liquidate what would otherwise be unsold inventory. The study found that fully one out of seven recipients of these unsolicited Emails reported purchasing a travel service as a result. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - November 05, 2010) -- Speaking at the recent 18th World Travel Monitor Forum in Pisa, Rolf Freitag, President of the consultancy IPK International, said: "The world’s international travel industry is back and now even more dynamic, and this year has underlined its role as one of the mainstays of the global economy". According to Rolf Freitag,  after the worst losses in recent history due to the worldwide economic and financial crisis in 2009, the world’s travel industry is back on course for success, much faster than expected and defying the predictions of international industry analysts. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - August 6, 2010) -- According to new research with Survey Sampling International's (SSI) global online panels 60% of consumers around the world are planning to spend as much or more on their vacations this year as they did on their last getaways. The consumers most likely to increase their vacation spending are in the Pacific Rim. Americans and Japanese are the likeliest to skip their vacations.

The Chinese and Singaporeans are most likely to be increasing their vacation budgets, with almost half of respondents in those countries anticipating spending more on their upcoming vacations. In addition, about a third of New Zealanders and Australians are investing more this year in their vacation plans. In contrast, just 10 percent of American and Japanese consumers, 11 percent of French consumers and 12 percent of German consumers plan to boost their vacation spend. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - July 13, 2010) --  The BP oil spill off the coast of Louisana in April has caused Florida's hotels to ramp up the advertising of their white-sand beaches. And now hotels along the Gulf Coast are trying to ease the worries of travelers skittish about putting their vacation dollars down on a potentially greasy beach by offering an "Oil Free Guarantee".

Some hotels are easing booking policies by waiving cancellation charges if the property is subject to an "oil event', others are guaranteeing full refunds for prepaid reservations if the guests cannot use the beach and many are waiving early departure charges should the oil spill affect a guest's stay.

Check the fine print though. For instance, Marriott is offering refunds if there's "an official beach closure" by government authorities while Hilton Worldwide will give guests a full refund if their stay was "in any way affected by the Gulf oil spill." Hilton's offer includes those who are uneasy about coming regardless of whether oil has washed up on the beach. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - May 31, 2010) -- The April Travelhorizons Traveler Sentiment Index finds a significant increase in perceived “money available for travel” (82.4 in April 2010, up from 70.3 in April 2009), suggesting that consumers are now more confident about their personal finances and may be more inclined to make discretionary expenditures on travel services than they were one year ago.

Three of the six variables from which the index is derived (”interest in travel,” “time available to travel,” and the aforementioned “money available for travel”) are increasing, while the remaining three (”affordability of travel,” “perceived safety of travel,” and “quality of travel services”) are declining. The greatest decrease was observed in the “perceived affordability of travel” (down from 118.6 in April 2009 to 103.5 in April 2010), signaling that recent efforts by many travel service suppliers to increase fares and rates have not been lost on the traveling public. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - May 27, 2010) -- A recent survey by American Express indicates family travel is still strong despite current economic realities.

The American Express Spending & Saving Tracker, found that more than half (51%) are planning a vacation this summer -- even more so among affluents (73%) and young professionals (83%). The average family of four will spend $4000 on a summer vacation.  

The most popular trips after family outings:
• Couples trips (26 percent)
• Trips with friends such as “girlfriend getaways” and “mancations” (10 percent)
• A “staycation”—intending to enjoy time off and attractions near home (11 percent)
• Experiential or adventure vacations such as a culinary retreat or hiking trip (7 percent)
 • Educational vacations (4 percent)

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(Dive Travel Business News - May 10, 2010) -- The Adventure Collection, a consortium of ten industry-leading adventure travel companies, identified these five travel trends this year:

1. Bookings are solidly up over 2009 – as much as 35 percent.
2. The time between booking and travel has been reduced.
3. Travelers are booking based on value rather than price.
4. Pent-up demand is spurring trips with loved ones.
5. Prime travel inspirations are connection and renewal
 
As the financial markets are rebounding, consumer confidence is improving: “With more stability in the economy, we are seeing significant improvement in bookings,” said Dennis Pinto, chairman of the Adventure Collection and managing director of Micato Safaris.

Value is a key to bookings, agreed those in the survey. Travelers are more value conscious than ever – even at the highest levels. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - May 3, 2010) -- In a recent AOL online survey 67% of the 1000 respondents said they planned on spending more than $1000 on a holiday - up 5% from 2009.  Travelers are ready to travel more and stay longer, but they are also ready haggle for bargains, ask for discounts and extras and do their homework before booking.

According to Beth Caulfield, the editor-in-chief of AOL Travel,"They are indicating that they will spend more but they are doing more and putting more effort to make sure they get the most for their money. "They are still very focused on value."

Nearly 55 percent in the poll hope to take more than one vacation, an increase of four percent from a year ago. Fewer people are also planning shorter trips.

Almost half of those surveyed said they plan to cash in their air miles this year, compared to 31 percent in 2009.

More people also suggested they would be flexible with their departure and return dates and more were willing to fly during non-peak times and to take connecting flights to save money. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - April 23, 2010) -- A November 2009 DTBN article, "Unlicensed Tour Operators Thrive on the Internet" discussed a trend in travel where the internet is now being used to persuate to buy from illegal agents by offering ridiculously cheap rates and empty promises. Now tourists to Malaysia are being advised not to buy tours from unlicensed operator or so-call "free lance agents" to avoid being conned.

Chairman of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) KL Tan reminded travelers that only bona fide tour operators licensed by the Tourism Ministry and registered with Matta are allowed to provide tour excursion packages read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - February 4, 2010) -- The Pacific Region is regaining some lost ground as travel demand continued to pick up in the last few months of 2009. Visitor Arrivals were up according to preliminary figures from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) that showed International  visitors to the Asia Pacific region grew by 3% year-on-year in November 2009.

All the sub-regions, with the exception of the Americas, recorded growth in arrivals for the month. Southeast Asia led the Asia Pacific region’s recovery with a 15 percent increase in arrivals:  Malaysia grew 11%; Singapore was up 8%; Thailand was boosted by 26%; and Vietnam was up 37%.

Growth in international arrivals to Northeast Asia (China, Taipe, Korea, Hong Kong, Macau and Japan), averaged 2% for the month of November.  

In South Asia, overall growth was up 2% for the month of November with boosts in arrivals to the Maldives (up 7%), Nepal (up 8%) and Sri Lanka (up 20%) while India fell by 1 %. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - January 20, 2010) -- A new study by Forrester Research indicates that 15% fewer travelers will make online bookings in 2010. A recent article on CNN.com talks about this trend and includes 7 trips not to book online: Adventure travel, exotic travel and international travel in general are just three of the types of trips best booked through a travel specialist. This trend bodes well for those of us in Dive Travel - if you are developing your niche you won't be in competition with the big online travel companies for clients.

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(DiveTravelBusinessNews.com - Nov 21, 2009) -- While many industry watchers conjecture that the Internet will take over the traditional travel industry with online booking engine companies, more than 75% of the 2700+ travel industry respondents to a new travel industry study believe travelers want personal service and won't all be booking online.

According to the new research, conducted by Amadeus, what the Internet is doing is producing increasingly well-informed travelers who do significant online research before they book a trip. These travelers also share their personal travel expertise through blogs, discussion forums, social networking sites like Facebook and personal travel reviews found at sites like TripAdvisor. Some report their experiences on-the-fly via their Blackberry or nearby Internet Cafe. This emerging segment, dubbed the "Amateur-Expert Traveler," is more knowledgeable, more adventurous and more likely to thrive in an emerging economy than ever before, Amadeus says. read more »

(Travel Agent - Nov 6, 2009) -- Good news may be just around the corner for those of us in dive travel and tourism. The United Nations World Tourism Oragnizations's (UNWTO) recent World Tourism Barometer survey reports that the world's tourism decline may be poised for a rebound with expectations of moderate growth for 2010. 

The recent report points out that while the overall decline in international tourist arrivals was 7% between January and August 2009, the high season months of July and August saw only a 3% decline in arrivals. These statistics, combined with recent economic data point to a bottoming out of the downward spiral. More than 330 industry experts who responded to the survey concur that confidence is picking up.    

While PricewaterhouseCoopers has downgraded its US lodging industry expectations, its survey of overall industry performance indicates that we are in the initial stages of economic and lodging demand recovery.  read more »

 ( USA TODAY - May 28, 2009) -- There's no question the travel industry is hurting big time. As if enduring the most severe recession in generations weren't enough, the H1N1 crisis further dampened advance bookings. So the threat of rising unemployment is taken as much more than a threat by many travel executives.

Thus the emergence of a term you might not have encountered very much in the past: Job Loss Protection. It's why so many travel companies are reassuring you it's okay to book that vacation, even if you're worried about losing a steady paycheck, because your booking will be covered.

In some cases, you can purchase such protection as part of a travel insurance policy. In other cases, travel suppliers—including those that sail as well as fly—are pledging to offer assistance if you suddenly find yourself unemployed. read more »

(May 6, 2008 - Modern Agent) -- This is an excerpt from an editorial by James Ruggia of Modern Agent:

The Cayman Islands famous dive market is going through unusual times as PADI is reporting a decrease in the number of people taking the course for scuba certification.

But dive operators here are seeing a possible return to the Caribbean by divers as more exotic dive locales are priced out of the market. “Such exotic destinations as Fiji, Tahiti and Palau were doing well until about six months ago,” says Yvonne Oyler, a dive travel specialist with Cape Coral, Fla.-based Aqua Dreams Travel. “As the fear of a slowing economy took roost we’ve seen those travelers come back to the Caribbean. The Cayman Islands has great beaches, solid infrastructure, shopping, easy air access and really great diving. So it appeals to divers and their non-diving spouses.”

The Cayman Islands dive market, which is naturally attracted to the superb reefs and the far ranging visibility under water, is also trending away from strictly diving towards soft adventure activities ranging from deep-sea fishing to sea-kayaking. read more »

(May 15, 2008 - Travel Daily News.com) -- In a first-ever summer forecast for foreign travel, AAA expects 25.1 million Americans will be travelling internationally this summer, an increase of 2.6 percent over the 24.5 million who were estimated to have traveled overseas last summer. The report includes all travel outside of the United States, including Canada and Mexico. According to the report, which was produced by Global Insight, American travelers will be spending $30.7 billion while traveling internationally during the months of June, July and August. American spending overseas will increase by 5.7 percent, primarily due to inflation and the weakness of the U.S. dollar compared to several major currencies.

“Americans are working harder and longer than ever, and they feel their vacation is a benefit that they have earned,” said Betsy Sell, Managing Director of Travel for AAA. “Foreign travel is still the ideal trip for many Americans, and summer is the prime season to go. So, Americans will rearrange their budgets and postpone some trips, but they are still interested in traveling abroad.” read more »

(May 20, 2008 - Modern Agent) -- Last month PhoCusWright released the Travel Agency Distribution Landscape report, which describes agents today as a large, dynamic opportunity in the market. And that comes from an organization which has, until now, mostly focused on online travel.

PhoCusWright says that while the Internet has been a significant area of growth and central driver of change in travel distribution over the past decade, the traditional travel agency segment remains significant, compelling, and deserving of careful study and consideration. According to the report, U.S. travel agents sold $110 billion in 2006, representing 41 percent of the total $266 billion travel market. The report says agents sold $107 billion, or 38 percent of the market in 2007, and projects that agency sales will be 33 percent of the total market by 2009. Yes, that’s a drop, but the report notes specifically that the rate of share loss has slowed. read more »

(January 11, 2008 - PATA) -- PATA is warning that rising oil prices, the spread of the sub-prime credit issue in international markets and the slow down in the U.S. economy are all taking their toll on world consumer confidence.

According to the latest Global Consumer Confidence Study conducted by The Nielsen Company, more than a quarter of global consumers expect a global recession in 2008, resulting in a dip in confidence in 21 of the 48 markets surveyed. Globally, more than 50 percent of people are concerned that a recession will lead to unemployment and inflation.

Thai, Chinese Taipei and Italian consumers are most pessimistic about a global recession in the next 12 months. However, 40 percent of the world’s consumers do not believe there will be a global recession next year. For more information, visit www.pata.org.

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(March 7, 2008 - DTN) -_ World travel and tourism is expected to generate close to $8 trillion in 2008, rising to approximately $15 trillion over the next 10 years, according to the latest Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) research released by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and its strategic partner Accenture. Overall, the new TSA results reveal a moderate impact on the travel and tourism industry as a result of the global economic downturn, with its annual growth rate experiencing a slowdown in 2008, to 3 percent, in comparison to 3.9 percent in 2007. The long-term forecasts point to a mature but steady phase of growth for world travel and tourism between 2009 and 2018, averaging a growth rate of 4.4 percent per annum, supporting 297 million jobs and 10.5 percent of global GDP by 2018. read more »

(February 26, 2008 - DTN) -- Papua New Guinea (PNG) has surpassed the 100,000 mark in inbound visitors, recording more than 102,000 international visitor arrivals in 2007, a 32 percent increase. The PNG government made $15 million available to implement a 10-year National Tourism Master Plan and establish a national task force on tourism. The plan replaced the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority with an industry dominated body, “Tourism PNG,” comprised of key industry bodies including hotels, airlines, tour operators and niche associations. The overall goal is to double the number of tourists on holiday in PNG every five years. Visit: pngtourism.org.

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November 14, 2008 (Travelex.com) -- Although the recent setbacks in the world economy have impacted the travel industry, some reports show that Americans are still planning international travel. However, in this new economy controlling costs is a key trend for most travelers. Americans are planning the trip well in advance to shop for discounts and monitor currency fluctuations for the most favorable exchange rates.

They are using prepaid foreign currency travel cards. A recent industry study suggests that more and more travelers are turning to electronic forms of payment such as MasterCard-branded Cash Passports. They are using planning tools to estimate the cost of vacation basics such as the price of meals, drinks, accommodation, public transportation and attraction entrance fees in more than 50 popular destinations worldwide. read more »