August UK visitor numbers nearly at 2001 levels
August was the second best month for UK visitor numbers in 2002.
Figures released by BITOA show that August 2002 was just 1.45% behind the same month last year, second to June 2002, which lagged 1.33% year-on-year.
Forward bookings for August were up 1.91% from August 2001, but still down 9.21% on the same month in 2000. BITOA chief executive Richard Tobias told TravelMole that he thought forward bookings would increase later in the year.
He also said that lead-in times were getting shorter. “Due to uncertainties in the political situation, particularly with regard to Iraq, the lead-in times are shorter for both out-bound and in-bound tourism. Most consumers know they no longer have to commit six or nine months ahead.”
Visitor numbers in August were still 18.76% behind 2000 figures, considered to be the last normal year.
Read our previous stories:
24-Sep-02 Interview: BITOA chief executive Richard Tobias
10-Sep-02 Holidaymakers not afraid to fly
12-Aug-02 Visitor numbers show steady improvement, but still down on last year
28-June-02 UK visitor numbers slip back
27-May-02 BITOA figures show visitors trickling back
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