All-inclusive continues to be one of the great travel trends
An upward swing in last-minute bookings, along with anecdotal reports from ALTOUR’s U.S. travel agents, suggest that the affluent are responding to their financial stresses by indulging in a little spur-of-the-moment R&R.
One of the largest and most respected agencies catering to the high end of the market, ALTOUR reports a 14-point jump (from 8% to 22%) in travel booked just three to 14 days out. The majority of travelers, 39%, continue to book in the 30- to 90-day range. These are among the results of the March 2009 ALTOUR Travel Index, a bi-monthly survey of ALTOUR agents in the U.S., which has been tracking industry trends since June 2008.
“While sales are still down, our agents report that clients are coming to the conclusion that they need a vacation as a temporary escape from the pressures of this economy – and are increasingly willing to spend without feeling guilty,” comments ALTOUR founder Alexandre Chemla. “Target marketing is one strategy ALTOUR agents are using successfully to reach the right client with the right offer..”
Faring the best in this economy is the all-inclusive resort, which is the only market segment to show improvement since ALTOUR’s previous survey.
The percentage of agents reporting higher demand for all-inclusive resorts in 2009 is up from just 9% in December 2008 to 14% this month. Thirty-six percent report all-inclusive sales tracking the same as 2008 (up from 23% in December), and 50% say demand is tracking lower (down from 69%). By comparison, escorted tours are the hardest-hit segment, with no agents reporting high demand, 27% the same as 2008, and 73% low.
Europe (57%) is once again in the lead among favored destinations, replacing Mexico (48%), which returns to second place after four months in the #1 spot. South America and the Caribbean are ranked third at 43% each.
Among emerging markets, Eastern Europe (33%) joins the top three for the first time, in a third-place tie with South Africa. South America continues to lead at 71% and Southeast Asia holds onto its second-place ranking at 43%. Demand for India has dropped precipitously, from 25% in October 2008 to 5% this month, perhaps in response to the Mumbai attacks, and Dubai is also somewhat down, from 25% to 19%.
For more information, please visit www.ALTOUR.com .
Karen
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
All eyes on Qatar as Qatar Airways leads a season of global events