UK share of world tourism declines
The UK’s standing as a global tourist destination took a knock last year, according to new figures.
Statistics for the first eight months of 2005 for long haul travel to Europe show the UK’s share dropping to 7% from 10% the previous year. France and Italy also suffered declines, from 5% to 4% as Europe’s share of world tourism stagnated at a level of 30%.
The figures from IPK International’s World Travel Trend Report show that US outbound travel for 2005 is expected to end up around 7% but the growth trend to Europe was a more modest 5%.
Overall international arrivals increased by between 5-6% over 2004 as the industry experienced a year of “sustained recovery”, according to the IPK report which monitors outbound travel in 52 source markets.
The best growth in Europe was city breaks – up 15% in the first eight months of 2005 following a 12% increase in 2004 – fuelled by the boom in low fare airline travel, described as the “major factor dictating how European countries perform as tourist destinations”.
IPK president Rolf Freitag, who is to present the full findings on March 10 at the ITB trade show in Berlin, said: “A number of long haul destinations recorded double-digit increases out of Europe from January through August, among which China, Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam.
But the report shows that leisure travel is the only sector showing growth in the US market. Concerns about terrorism, the Iraq war, economic challenges and the impact of oil prices on household spending are among concerns plaguing potential American travellers, according to the findings.
“Baby boomers, on whom expectations were so high a few years ago, have actually recorded a decline in international room nights – due to a case of ‘American Angst’,” the report states.
The so-called ‘Generation X’ age group, those born between 1965 and 1980, are responsible for the growth in US leisure demand.
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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