AITO chairman on Brexit: ‘Sit tight and don’t worry’
Holiday bookings will pick up after the March 29 Brexit deadline no matter what the outcome.
That is the prediction of AITO chairman Derek Moore, who is confident that Brits will still book holidays irrespective of what the politicians decide, but will book ‘smarter and leaner’.
Talking to TravelMole this week, his advice to travel professionals, therefore, was to ‘sit tight and don’t worry’.
"I think there will be a pause in January and February. That’s always the case when there’s an election or political turbulence. Nobody knows what is going to happen and when there’s uncertainty that stops people booking. But I believe that once we know what’s happening – irrespective of what is decided – people will still want to go on holiday."
Of the current possible Brexit scenarios, Moore believes the most beneficial for the industry would be for the Government to abandon Brexit and ask to ‘come back in again thank you’.
But he said even the alternatives – Theresa May’s exit plan, a Canada-plus deal or a no-deal – will see bookings rise after the March 29 deadline.
"The only ones who might not book are those perhaps at the lower end of the market who might sacrifice their two-week beach holiday, but for the majority a holiday is no longer a luxury," he said.
"If Mom and Pops sit down and say they need a new three-piece suite but it means the family can’t go to Turkey for some sunshine, the three-piece suite is going to be parked."
He said while Brits will still travel, they might cut down the length of their holidays, downgrade their accommodation or opt for an all-inclusive trip.
They will also choose cheaper destinations like Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt over more expensive western Med destinations like Spain and Portugal, he said.
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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