118118 figures show slump in cruise enquiries
The latest figures from directory enquiries service, 118118, showed a 33% drop in calls for passport and visa services and a 57% fall in calls for cruise holidays in the first quarter of 2009.
Calls for travel agents declined by 21% across the period, while calls for travel insurance fell by 42%.
An analysis of over 30 million British calls between January to March showed a steady growth in UK interest holidays, particularly UK camping and caravanning – up 92%.
Calls for caravan and camping supplies rose 103% during the same period.
Calls for mobile home dealers also increased by 138%, with caravan transport and towing also rising 10%.
Calls for bed and breakfasts rose by 15% over the period – despite an initial dip in January. Calls for UK holidays parks increased by 47% at the same time.
Bureaux de changes also fell by 18% as the British need for foreign currency decreased.
Calls for coach and bus operators rose 16%, and coach hire was up slightly at 5%.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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