High-value bookings to the rescue in 2008?
January 7, 2008
A new post from regular guest contributor Brian Hordon of Silversea Cruises UK...
Travel industry predictions for the coming year always make interesting reading, and I admire the people who put their thoughts in the public domain. Get it right and nobody notices; get it wrong and you will be castigated!
The credit crunch, alongside several other negative economic factors, will contribute enormously towards a difficult trading year for the travel industry, but neither trade nor consumer publications appear to be focusing on the top end of the market, which can often be less susceptible to changing conditions - a market segment which has come to see travel as a necessity.
The Travel Weekly top 10 New Year Destinations for 2007 was led by Tenerife, New York, Bangkok, Sydney and Johannesburg (the next five include Cape Town, Melbourne and more) - one volume destination followed by four "big ticket" destinations. And high value product is further endorsed in bullish style by Passenger Shipping Association director Bill Gibbons in his 2008 cruise predictions.
The volume market may well take time to deliver satisfactory results, but luxury travel and other high revenue business could well be the trading salvation for those creative and aggressive travel agents prepared to have a go.
The UK travel industry has consistenly demonstrated its resilience during difficult trading periods, and I have no doubt that 2008 will see a repeat of this attitude; this is possibly best endorsed by Travelcare of Tamworth who achieved a spectacular score of 99% for a Caribbean holiday enquiry in a recent Mystery Shopper (Travel Weekly 4th January 2008). This should be the pacesetter for 2008 for every UK travel agent.
Brian Hordon, director of training development, Silversea Cruises (UK)Ltd
Nathan Midgley
