27 March 2009

More planning UK breaks - VisitEngland

VisitEngland has given a further breakdown of research which claims that one in five of people who holidayed aboard last year would switch to the UK in 2009 to save money.

The domestic tourism agency suggests that the strength of the euro against the pound is putting people off travelling overseas.

And the proportion of consumers saying they would holiday abroad has dropped since last autumn.

VisitEngland is embarking on a £3 million pre-Easter advertising and marketing campaign designed to encourage people to take domestic holidays this year (see previous TravelMole story).

Head of marketing Amanda Smyth revealed that this would include 1,000 ‘good value’ offers such as two-for-one entrance to attractions.

The campaign would be supported by a public relations push designed to produce £20 million-worth of equivalent advertising value, she told an audience at the Best of Britain and Ireland exhibition at ExCel in London yesterday.

The aim was to "generate debate about holidaying at home beyond the travel pages," she said.

VisitEngland research and insight manager Sharon Orrell revealed how its research was showing how tourism is being affected by the current economic climate.

"It highlights that Brits continue to be concerned about the credit crunch but spending on holidays is more protected than many other purchases," she said.

"While 48% of us are, or intend to, cut back on holiday spending, far more of us are cutting back in other areas - such as food (77%), fuel (69%), clothes (64%) and entertaining/little luxuries (65%) - all low value, high frequency purchases.

"Holidays seem to increasingly be seen as a necessary rather than a luxury," she said.

""The research has also highlighted that the strength of the euro is definitely a barrier to overseas travel - 60% said that the exchange rate currently puts them off taking holidays and breaks abroad.

"This is impacting travel plans - one in five who travelled abroad last year would consider switching to the UK this year to save money.

"The number saying that they will definitely or probably take a holiday abroad in the next 12 months has fallen since October, from 49% to 44%".

"We have also seen an increase since October in the percentage of Brits expecting to take a UK short break in the next year, up from 40% to 46%."

by Phil Davies

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Your Comments (1)

Not much sign of it yet.

They don't seem to be booking yet. There seems to be acres of availability still.

By Helen Blamey, Friday, March 27, 2009