Hard-hit hurricane areas could also lose tourism

Sunday, 16 Nov, 2005 0

Reduced travel to hurricane prone states could cause a decline in overall travel volume this year, says a new study.

The study of the impact of the hurricanes and higher gas prices found that about 21% less travelers were interested in going to states affected by hurricanes.

But the potential negative impact of the hurricane season on tourism can be mitigated.

“The research shows that only 6% of those were in the process of planning a trip to a state in the region have already cancelled their trip, and 39% still haven’t decided what to do,” said Dr Lisa Araj of Cunningham Research.

The study by Cunningham Research and DataPath Systems was previewed by Dr Suzanne Cook at the Travel Industry of America (TIA) conference in Seattle, Wash.

Measures Dr Araj suggested to help mitigate the loss included ensuring travelers get provisions for refunds for inclement weather. Travelers also can be reassured that there will be no charge penalties on airfare or accommodation changes. Significantly discounted prices could also lure visitors.

The study also found that nearly one-quarter of travelers will take fewer trips by car or RV this year mainly because of rising gasoline costs.

Report by David Wilkening



 

profileimage

David



Most Read

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
TRAINING & COMPETITION
Skip to toolbar
Clearing CSS/JS assets' cache... Please wait until this notice disappears...
Updating... Please wait...