Holidays - Attitudes and the Impact of Recession - UK - January 2010
In 2009, the number of overseas holidays taken fell by an estimated 14.5% year-on-year to 38.9 million, returning to 2001 levels.
24.5 million adults now see holidays as a ‘luxury’, up from 19 million in 2007. 9-10 million see holidays as a ‘necessary spend’ or a ‘right’.
By demographics, older ABC1 consumers take the most holidays (both in the UK and overseas) – their travel behaviour has been least affected by the recession, especially the pre-retirement 55-64 group.
In 2009, the number of overseas holidays taken fell by an estimated 14.5% year-on-year to 38.9 million, returning to 2001 levels.
24.5 million adults now see holidays as a ‘luxury’, up from 19 million in 2007. 9-10 million see holidays as a ‘necessary spend’ or a ‘right’.
By demographics, older ABC1 consumers take the most holidays (both in the UK and overseas) – their travel behaviour has been least affected by the recession, especially the pre-retirement 55-64 group.
Holiday intentions for 2010 reveals potential growth for most holiday types, with 12 million adults intending to take a family holiday (up from nine million who went in 2009), 10 million a beach holiday (up from seven million), six million a city break (up from four million) and five million an all-inclusive holiday (up from three million).
Of the near-32 million who went on holiday in 2009, over 8 million say that they would travel less if it became more expensive.
Spain is still the UK’s favourite destination; however it was hit hard in 2009, undergoing a 15% drop in British visitors. France fared better, with only a 5% reduction occurring as more UK families opted for budget self-catering breaks closer to home.
“Leisure venue catering remains particularly vulnerable to cut backs in consumer spending as it is often seen only as a refuelling exercise. Operators therefore need to enhance the ‘experiential’ element of their catering offer eg by offering highly customisable service formats which add a sense of occasion/’theatre’ as well as help to stem menu fatigue.”