BTA forecast gloomy for package holidays in 2003
The British Tourist Authority has made some positive predictions for UK tourism in 2003, but anticipates visitor numbers and spend will not return to 2000 levels.
The BTA predicts visitor numbers to the UK will increase by three percent in 2003 and visitor spend by four percent, year-on-year, but a spokesperson told TravelMole that this would still fall short of 2000 figures.
In 2000 the BTA reported 25.2 million visitors, and £12.8 billion visitor spend. It’s predictions for 2003 will see these figures drop to between 23.5 and 23.7 million visitors and between £11.6 and £11.7 billion spend.
The BTA predicts that the growth will be boosted by a continued increase in business tourism.
According to the BTA, visits to the UK from business tourists increased 22 percent between 1995 and 2001. It predicts that the corporate meetings and incentives market will remain shaken by the economic conditions in the US, but says Britain should remain strong in 2003 and 2004.
The BTA supports this view by citing a number of conference dates secured recently, such as the Meeting Professionals International Conference in Edinburgh in 2004, and the International Confederation of Midwives, which will be held in Glasgow in 2008.
The BTA has a gloomy forecast for package holiday operators, predicting that the nature of travel will continue to shift towards independent, or non-package breaks. It says that independent travel increased five percent between 1995 and 2001, compared to a 40 percent decrease in non-independent travel over the same period.
The BTA says destinations will need to adapt to the changing nature of tourism, as consumers become more discerning and sophisticated, and demand variety and authenticity from their holidays.
The BTA has based its figures on the assumption that there will be no further significant acts of terrorism or military action, and no incidences such as foot and mouth, to damage tourism.
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