All Entries Tagged With: "trends"

GBTA Forecasts Double Digit Percentage Increases in Brazilian Business Travel Spending

Strong five years tipped for Chinese travel despite slowdown in economic growth

 Shopping, internet booking and low-cost carriers will have the biggest influence on the Chinese travel market over the next five years, reveals exclusive research unveiled tomorrow (Thursday 10 May) at the inaugural WTM Vision Conference – Shanghai.

Senior industry delegates at the event, in association with China Business Network, will be told the strength of the Chinese economy will underpin the travel sector’s growth until 2016.

The Travel Industry Global Overview report, by Euromonitor International, reveals the Chinese economy will be the world’s strongest over the next five years, with GDP growing at around 8% per annum.

For the outbound sector, shopping is named as the Chinese travellers’ activity of choice. The report states by 2016 the Chinese will spend around $36bn while shopping overseas, double the amount recorded in 2011.

The research also tips the Chinese to double spending on accommodation (to $12bn), excursions (to $6bn) and getting around within the destination ($6bn).

The most popular international destinations for Chinese travellers in 2011 were Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Reed Travel Exhibition Director World Travel Market Simon Press, who will open the conference, said: “The Chinese outbound travel industry is growing at a phenomenal rate making it one of, if not the, most important market in the world.

“This growth alongside the ever-increasing amount of money the Chinese spend when on holiday, on either shopping or excursions, make the Chinese tourism market one of the most lucrative for destinations.”

Furthermore, Euromonitor International China Analyst Ray Li will say online travel retailing would double in value between 2011 and 2016, driven by a compound annual growth rate over the period of more than 16%. These figures are for intermediaries only and do not include supplier direct bookings.

Low cost carriers will also have a big say in how the market develops over the next five years. The value of low-cost carrier sales will double from 2011’s levels to around $6bn in 2016. This will put pressure on pricing and distribution across the travel sector.

“The growing importance of the Chinese travel industry is why World Travel Market has expanded its WTM Vision Series in to China with WTM Vision Conference – Shanghai,” Press added.

“The WTM Vision series is designed to bring the latest research, statistics and opinion to senior industry leaders to help them run their businesses. The Chinese market is moving at such a fast pace that country’s travel and tourism industry will really benefit from what WTM Vision Conference – Shanghai will bring.”

The 2011 WTM Vision Conference series has taken place in Moscow, London and Dubai (at fellow Reed Travel Exhibitions event Arabian Travel Market). The final event of this year’s series takes place in Florence on May 18.

International tourism receipts surpass US$ 1 trillion in 2011

In 2011, international tourism receipts exceeded US$ 1 trillion for the first time, up from US$ 928 billion in 2010. In real terms, receipts grew by 3.8%, following a 4.6% increase in international tourist arrivals. An additional US$ 196 billion in receipts from international passenger transport brought total exports generated by international tourism in 2011 to US$ 1.2 trillion.

According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourism receipts continued to recover from the losses of crisis year 2009 and hit new records in most destinations, reaching an estimated US$ 1,030 billion (euro 740 billion) worldwide, up from US$ 928 billion (euro 700 billion) in 2010. In real terms (adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations and inflation), international tourism receipts grew by 3.8%, while international tourist arrivals increased by 4.6% in 2011 to 982 million. This confirms the close correlation between both indicators, with growth of receipts tending to lag slightly behind growth of arrivals in times of economic constraints.

“These are encouraging results,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “The past two years have shown healthy demand for international tourism out of many markets, even though economic recovery has been uneven. This is particularly important news for countries facing fiscal pressure and weak domestic consumption, where international tourism, a key export and a labour intensive activity, is increasingly strategic to balancing external deficits and stimulating employment.”

“We trust that governments worldwide will progressively recognize this and engage in measures that support tourism including fairer tax policies and the facilitation of visas and travellers’ movements, as these have proven to stimulate economic growth and job creation,” he added.

By regions, the Americas (+5.7%) recorded the largest increase in receipts in 2011, followed byEurope (+5.2%), Asia and the Pacific (+4.3%) and Africa (+2.2%). The Middle East was the only region posting negative growth (-14%).

Europe holds the largest share of international tourism receipts in absolute numbers (45% share), reaching US$ 463 billion (euro 333 bn) in 2011, followed by Asia and the Pacific (28% share or US$ 289 billion/euro 208 bn), and the Americas (19% share or US$ 199 billion/euro 143 bn). The Middle East (4% share) earned US$ 46 billion (euro 33 bn) and Africa (3% share) US$ 33 billion (euro 23 bn) (see table below).

Asides from international tourism receipts (the travel item of the Balance of Payment), tourism also generates export earnings through international passenger transport. The latter amounted to an estimated US$ 196 billion in 2011, bringing total receipts generated by international tourism to US$ 1.2 trillion, or US$ 3.4 billion a day on average.

As a result, international tourism (travel and passenger transport) currently accounts for 30% of the world’s exports of services and 6% of overall exports of goods and services. As a worldwide export category, tourism ranks fourth after fuels, chemicals and food, while ranking first in many developing countries.

Strong growth in international tourism expenditure from the BRIC countries

Many source markets generated strong demand in 2011. However, it was the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) that continued to stand out. China’s expenditure on international tourism increased by US$ 18 billion to US$ 73 billion, the Russian Federation increased by US$ 6 billion to US$ 32 billion, Brazil by US$ 5 billion to US$ 21 billion and India by US$ 3 billion to US$ 14 billion. Together, their increases accounted for an additional US$ 32 billion, a value equivalent to the eighth largest source market by expenditure. Of the advanced economy source markets, Germany, Australia, Norway, Belgium and Canada reported the biggest absolute growth (see table 1).

Increases in receipts in emerging and advanced economy destinations alike

Both advanced and emerging economy destinations benefited from the 2011 growth in arrivals and receipts. Destinations where international tourism receipts grew by US$ 5 billion or more in absolute terms include the United States (increasing by US$ 13 bn to US$ 116 bn), Spain (by US$ 7 bn to US$ 60 bn), France (by US$ 7 bn to US$ 54 bn), Thailand (by US$ 6 bn to US$ 26 bn) and Hong Kong (China) (by US$ 5 bn to US$ 27 bn). Furthermore, significant increases on lower base value destinations were reported by Singapore, the Russian Federation, Sweden, India, the Republic of Korea and Turkey (see table 2).

Relevant links:

Table 1: World’s Top Source Markets by International Tourism Expenditure

Table 2: World´s Top Destinations by International Tourism receipts

UNWTO World Tourism Barometer

European Tourism in 2012 – Trends & Prospects (Q1/2012)

Brussels, 4 May 2012.

The European Travel Commission (ETC) has just published its first quarterly report on European Tourism in 2012 - Trends & Prospects. The full report can be downloaded from ETC’s corporate website by clicking here.

The following gives a brief overview of the report for the first quarter of 2012. 

• European travel has exhibited resiliency in the early part of 2012 based on visitor data for the first few

months of the year.

• Air travel demand has also been encouraging, with European airline passenger growth exceeding 5%

through mid-April.

• However, there are signs of mixed performance and slowing throughout Europe.

• While Central and Eastern European destinations have been performing well, quite a number of

Western European destinations have posted declines in hotel occupancy in the first two months of

the year. Overall, a slowdown is evident in hotel occupancy rates in most European sub-regions.

• The global economy is being restrained by a mix of government austerity, household deleveraging,

corporate caution, and high commodity prices.  Meanwhile, data on economic activity indicate that the

Eurozone is in mild recession and concerns are mounting regarding government debt.

• Although only two months of data are available for 2012, relative strength is evident in major European

source markets – implying greater internalising of travel in the region.

• Russia remains a star performer in the early stages of the year. Struggles for the US market are

continuing into this year, while Japan continues its resurgence.

• As a new reference for destination strategy, this report includes a series of market share analyses

for ten of Europe’s largest source markets. These market profiles reveal trends in total outbound travel,

Europe’s share of the market over the past decade, and growth forecasts for each market. For example,

Central and Eastern Europe have gained share of American long haul travel over the past decade, while

Western Europe’s share has declined. However, the opposite shift has been observed for Russian

travellers, with Western Europe destinations gaining share over the past decade.

• Chinese tourist arrivals to Europe reached 4.3 million in 2011, representing 29.7% of the Chinese long

haul outbound market. By 2015, Tourism Economics expects Chinese tourist arrivals to reach 5.7 million,

representing cumulative growth of more than 30% over a four-year period. 

The full report can be downloaded from ETC’s corporate website under the following link:

http://www.etc-corporate.org/market-intelligence/reports-and-studies.html

Optimistic Outlook for Greek Holidays in 2012, say Holiday Hypermarket

-According to leading online travel retailer, Holiday Hypermarket, Greek holidays will see moderate growth this summer-

Greek tourism is tipped to see moderate growth in 2012 due to lower airfares and attractive rates in island destinations like Crete, Mykonos and Corfu, say leading online travel retailer, Holiday Hypermarket. This follows statements from Taleb Rifai, secretary general of the U.N. World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), who affirmed Greece’s popularity as a tourism destination.

In 2011, around 10 per cent more travellers booked Greek holidays, and with tourism accounting for 15 per cent of the economy as well as one in five jobs, it is a crucial aspect of the Greek way of life. As a result, both the mainland and surrounding islands boast a large number of holiday resorts with great facilities.

Greek tourism bodies have launched campaigns to promote tourism abroad. For example, UP Greek Tourism is an initiative that employs outdoor advertising, traditional and social media to promote inbound tourism, particularly among German and British travellers who are eager visitors to Greece’s coastal and island resorts.

Calum MacDonald, Online Marketing Manager at Holiday Hypermarket, comments, “Greece is slowly climbing into the top 10 tourist destinations in the world with plenty to offer families, honeymooning couples and young friends looking for a party destination.

“Tourism resorts on the coast are continuing to provide excellent package holidays to visitors from abroad no matter the political situation. As one of the most attractive countries in southern Europe, Greece is a great place to book a beach holiday this summer.”

Turkey is at risk of losing title of most popular destination for Siberians

Increased number of flights to Thailand, Crete, Vietnam and Majorca.

Tour operators have agreed with airlines to decline the number of flights twice from Novosibirsk to Turkey in the summer program of flights. The title of the most popular resort for Siberians gradually moves to Thailand, the Chairman of the Board of Novosibirsk Association of Tour Operators, Igor Solovyev said.

“Number of flights to Turkey has been reduced. From my point of view, this shows that the market is finally becoming more balanced and tour operators are beginning to bring demand and supply into correlation to make it beneficial to all parties,” – he said.

In summer 2011 we had 20-22 flights from Novosibirsk to Antalya per week. This year, according to current data, there will be only about 12-13 flights. “But the holy place is never empty. The number of flights to Thailand has increased. Previously only one airline was flying there, and now three companies have began to fly to this destination. In addition, we’ve got an increase in number of flights to Crete and first summer flights to Vietnam. We also plan to launch direct flights from Novosibirsk to Majorca, “- Solovyev said.

Chairman of the Regional Committee of Foreign Economic Cooperation, Dmitry Mikitchenko called redirection of tourist flow from Turkey to Thailand logical due to last actions of Turkish party towards Russians and other visitors.

Solovyev said that tour costs this year increased by about 10% for all destinations compared to last year. He believes that price dumping should not affect the tourist industry. The expert also informed that S7 Airlines, the basic airline of the Tolmachevo Airport in Novosibirsk, gradually leaves the West Siberian market. www.atorus.ru

Fierce competition predicted if companies are to beat a stagnant market

Travel firms are preparing for a fierce battle in a bid to secure growth over the next five years; it was predicted at WTM Vision Conference –London. 

Euromonitor International Head of Travel and Tourism Research Caroline Bremner told senior industry delegates, at the event organised by Reed Travel Exhibition’s event World Travel Market, that growth in the travel sector would be flat for the next five years. 

She said this would be part of a global trend which will see a combination of price pressure and falling and stagnating incomes combine to depress growth in the sector. 

Instead, Expedia Managing Director UK and Ireland Andy Washington said if companies wanted to continue to grow, they would have to do so at each others’ expense. 

He added the online travel agency saw double digit growth last year and he is intent on filing similar results for 2012. 

He said: “For Expedia we look for growth across the global markets and we intend to do that. 

“10% growth should continue online and it is going to be from taking market share of competitors by being better, smarter and fulfilling the consumers’ demands.” 

Tui Travel UK and Ireland Managing Director David Burling said the “most dramatic” growth the operator has recently seen has been in the all-inclusive sector, largely thanks to families. 

While refusing to predict figures for this year he said the operator would continue to focus on investing in technology and product exclusivity. 

He added: “The key thing for us is the quality of our business.” 

easyJet Director UK Market Paul Simmons admitted growth would be reduced compared to last year, but still predicted the airline would see a single-digit increase. 

He said: “The trading environment is difficult but not impossible; we need to make sure people are stimulated and want to travel.” 

The Hoseasons Group Managing Director Geoff Cowley said the challenge for the UK market would be to continue re-educating UK travellers on the improvements made in the domestic market as well as benefit from the feel-good factor generated by both the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee. 

He added: “Part of the challenge now is to continue educating the customers about how the quality of the accommodation has improved.” 

Reed Travel Exhibitions Director World Travel Market Simon Press said: “It was great to hear not only the in-depth analysis that Euromonitor International provided but also the conversations it triggered. 

“With growth predicted to flatline for the next five years, travel companies will not only have to compete but innovate if they are to grow successfully. 

“I was also delighted to see so many senior industry delegates attend WTM Vision Conference – London and see them so involved in the event too.”

Holiday Hypermarket’s Best Beach Destinations for Londoners

-London travellers know where to go to soak up the sun, say Holiday Hypermarket-

Leading online travel retailer, Holiday Hypermarket, has named its top beach destinations for Londoners based on the number of bookings and departures from London Airports at the start of 2012.

Topping the list is Tenerife, the largest island in the Canaries, and a destination that has seen a spike in the number of Britons travelling there over the past three years. Palma, the port city of Majorca and capital of the Balearic Islands, is another hot island destination for London travellers, with Cancún in southern Mexico following close behind.

Calum MacDonald, Marketing Manager at Holiday Hypermarket, comments: “Part of the appeal is that these islands have adapted to Londoners’ tastes – whether it comes in the form of boutique hotels, adventure sports or cheap and cheerful two-star hotels. We offer cheap holidays to popular resorts on these islands – for example, Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos in Tenerife – making it quick and convenient to book holidays there.

“Beach destinations came up trumps this winter with Londoners booking Egypt holidays in Sharm el Sheikh on the Red Sea Riviera as well. This implies that people are eager to visit warm beaches serviced by short, direct flights that are affordable. This gives holidaymakers the chance to escape the city and be on the beach before sunset.

“Many of these destinations are as pleasant in winter as they are in summer, when the weather can get incredibly hot. Cooler temperatures mean visitors can enjoy outdoor activities like walking, hiking and cycling, and because the seas remain warm, tourists can swim, snorkel, scuba dive and generally enjoy the sunshine all-year-round.”

Russia in with a Sporting Chance

The hosting of major sporting events will lead to an inbound tourism boom 

Russia is set to see a 20% increase in visitor arrivals over the next four years fuelled by the hosting of major sporting events, reveals research unveiled today at WTM Vision Conference – Moscow.

Russia is hosting an array of sporting events over the next six years climaxing with the FIFA World Cup in 2018. The sporting schedule starts next year with Moscow’s hosting of the World Athletic Championships and the Rugby Sevens World Cup. Also in 2013 is the Universiade (University games) in Kazan, while 2014 sees Sochi have the Winter Olympics.

These events will bring an increased focus to the Russian inbound tourism industry which will help visitors peak at more than 28.3 million – up 20% on 2012’s inbound tourists figure of 23.7 million, delegates at WTM Vision Conference – Moscow at the Moscow Marriot Grand will hear this morning.

The Euromonitor International report reveals this increase will be mainly fuelled by European destinations with Finish visitors increasing by 16% to nearly 1.3 million visitors in 2016. Polish visitors will increase by 25% to 857,000 in 2016, visitors from the UK will increase by 17% to 250,000, with Turkish visitors rising by 19% to 243,000.

Visitors from the US will also increase by 15% to 301,000 in 2016.

Currently, Russia’s largest inbound markets are the former Soviet republics of Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan mainly due to the close connections and similar linguistic and historical links, enabling tourists to meet easily with friends and family.

Inbound visitors are also expected to increase from China due to the simplification in visa regulations between Russia and China.

However, the report – The Travel Industry Global Overview – states that visa barriers are currently a major restriction for inbound tourism to Russia. Visitors from most countries require a visa to enter which must be obtained in advance. There are on-going talks with the EU regarding changes to the visa process.

Another restriction highlighted are hotel prices in the main tourist destinations; these are extremely expensive and should be reduced in order to attract more tourists.

Furthermore, Russia outbound tourism spend is expected to rise an average 8% a year until 2016.

Russian outbound distribution is swiftly shifting online with a 50% increase in online spend predicted over the next four years. Growing internet penetration, combined with the recession has encouraged online searches as travellers seek bargains, mainly seen within transportation.

Reed Travel Exhibitions Director World Travel Market Simon Press said: “The findings are very positive for the Russian market. As long as the visa restrictions are minimized, Russia will see its tourism industry grow substantially over the next few years.”

“Russia will be showcased to the world with the hosting of all the major sporting events taking place, this being the perfect opportunity to highlight Russia as a tourism destination”.

The Euromonitor International report – The Travel Industry Global Overview – worth 46,971.35 Rubles (£1000), is given to all attendees of the WTM Vision Conference – Moscow.

WTM Vision Conference – Moscow, organised in association with Tour Business is the first WTM Vision Conference in Moscow, following successful events in London, Dubai and Milan last year. This year WTM Vision Conference will also take place in London and Shanghai with the conference in Italy moving to Florence.

The full programme of WTM Vision conferences is;

April 19: London
May 1: Dubai
May 10: Shanghai
May 18: Florence
The WTM Vision Conference series is aimed at the industry senior leaders, giving them the latest research, analysis, comment and opinion to help them shape and run their businesses.

February Sets Records for Average North American Hotel Rates

Distribution Channels Realize Rate Increases as Leap Year Drives Global Booking Volumes

DALLAS (March 26, 2012) – Rates paid for North American hotel rooms in February led to record increases over prior year for both business and leisure bookings, according to the latest data from Pegasus Solutions reported today in The Pegasus View . Corporate rates edged past previous record margins of +7.0% from January 2012 and July 2011 to a new high of +7.1%, while leisure rates rose +7.3%, almost a full percentage point more than June 2011’s previous high of +6.4%.

Bookings, which had fallen off inflated prior-year levels in January, enjoyed a bump from Leap Year as the extra day in the month drove global booking volumes up for both channels. Globally, corporate bookings rose +5.1% over prior year, and would still have risen +0.5% without the extra day. Leisure bookings, which rose +2.5%, would have returned a slight drop of -1.6% without the 29th.

“By the numbers, February was a good month worldwide,” said Mike Kistner chief executive officer of Pegasus Solutions. “No doubt, business and consumer reservation volumes were bolstered by the extra day of bookings, but it wasn’t Leap Year that drove rates up – demand did. And it did so in an utterly convincing manner for both channels, setting records in North America and still rising elsewhere.”

Reservation growth in North America did not match the rate gains for business or leisure travel, but still improved from January. Corporate bookings in the region grew +3.5% over prior year, compared to +7.0% for all other global regions combined, while leisure volumes realized an increase of +1.8%, far shy of the +6.8% gain realized outside of North America.

While North America continues to lead the rate recovery as a region, corporate rates grew +3.7% globally, and increased a slight +0.3% for all other regions in total. Leisure rates outpaced North America globally at +7.6% over 2011, returning gains of +3.6% outside North America.

The Pegasus View reporting on February 2012 bookings is available online and by free subscription at www.pegs.com. Data reported in The Pegasus View comes from billions of transactions processed monthly by Pegasus Solutions, the world’s single largest global processor of hotel transactions. It is the only industry report to reflect data drawn from both GDS and ADS transactions, representing the business and leisure markets respectively for approximately 90,000 hotels worldwide

Global Meetings Industry Research report indicates buyers looking at organising more events and increasing budgets for the region

The latest Global Meetings Industry Research report for the Gulf, Middle East and North African region, which was launched today at the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings exhibition (www.gibtm.com), pointed to buyers and event organisers looking at increasing the volume of events, with a large number also looking at increasing their budgets for the region.

Presented by Sally Greenhill from The Right Solution and Rob Nicholas of meetme, the results of the research indicated that 48.2 percent of Middle East buyers and 47.2 percent of Global buyers said that they organised more events in the last 12 months as compared with the previous year, 64.5 percent and 56.4 percent respectively said that they are even looking at further increasing that volume. Supporting such an increase in the volume of events are 53.7 percent of Middle East buyers and another 46.4 percent of Global buyers indicating an increase in their budgets in the next 12 months.

With the survey results showing that the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai) continues to top the list of ten countries that both Middle East and Global buyers hold such events, factors such as competitive rates, added value, intelligent pricing, innovative products, new destinations, wow factor, economic recovery, political stability, regional security, visas, airlift and airport taxes, are seen to have the most impact in increasing meetings and events business in a specific destination.

The results of the report were drawn out of a survey of 1,063 buyer-respondents, 143 of whom are based in the Middle East. Out of the total respondents, 364 have held events in the region.  

Report at-a-glance summary

Buyers

·               In 2011, 58.5% of events organised by buyers were the conventions and congresses– reflecting a significant increase in this category

·               The top ten countries for Middle East buyers during the past 12 months were the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Thailand, Jordan, India, and Malaysia

·               In the next 12 months, Middle East buyers see growth in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, France, Japan, and the UK

·               The top ten countries for Global buyers during the past 12 months were UAE, the USA, China, Italy, France, the UK, Spain, India, and Germany

·               In the next 12 months, Global buyers see growth in India, the USA, Singapore, Thailand, Italy, the UK, France, China, Germany, and Macao

·               Top ten industry sectors for MENA events are Oil and gas, Pharmaceutical, Finance and Banking, Training and Education, Electronics and Communications, Construction and Engineering, Hospitality, Food and Tobacco, IT and Computing, Manufacturing, and transport/retail/automotive/cosmetics

·               The top five markets for MENA region are the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and Kuwait

·               In terms of the number of delegates, 46.8% of Global buyers and 52.9% of Middle East buyers said that there were more during the previous 12 months

Suppliers

·               The top client types in the Middle East are Corporate, Government-owned enterprise, NGO’s, Government/not-for-profit, Associations, Agencies, and Consultants

View the full report online at www.gibtm.com

Held under the patronage of Chairman, HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, GIBTM 2012’s distinguished industry partners include Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, ADNEC, AskAli.com, Etihad Airways and The Vision Destination Management Company. Meetme, published by NPI, is a global media partner and publisher of the official show daily publication.

GIBTM 2012 takes place on the 26^th-28^th March 2012

Hotel.info Price Barometer

Hotels in the capital city of the United Kingdom are amongst the three most expensive in Europe according to the latest hotel.info Price Barometer

Nuremberg,  March 2012 – Hotel overnight prices in many international cities have increased since the start of the year. Where hotel guests have to dig deeper in their pockets and in which cities rates have decreased year on year is demonstrated by hotel.info, the free online hotel reservation service with more than 210,000 hotels worldwide. The result:

• Room prices in London have risen by an average of 6.58 %
• Rio de Janeiro has considerably higher accommodation costs during the carnival

The results of the hotel.info Hotel Price Barometer for European capital cities (prices in GBP)* 

Moscow is once more the most expensive of all the European capital cities for hotel accommodation. In comparison with the previous year the average hotel cost per night decreased slightly by 2 % to 153.61 GBP. The Norwegian capital Oslo is in second place with134.63 GBP. In London hotel room prices increased by 6.58 % to 132.54 GBP. It is possible that various events such as exhibitions and concerts could have had a positive influence on demand during February. In Warsaw the average increase of more than 3 % could be a precursor of the European Football Championship which will take place in Poland in a few months time.

The results of the hotel.info Hotel Price Barometer comparing other capital and major cities (prices in GBP)

During February hotel guests in Sydney had to really dig deep. Overnight costs increased by an average of 19 % to 159.60 GBP. Rio de Janeiro with an average price of 157.59 GBP and an increase of more than 20 % is in second place. This is not surprising as the city by Sugar Loaf mountain had carnival whereas in 2011 this took place in March. The event attracts over a million visitors each year. However the room prices also increased in other international cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong or Buenos Aires.

* European capital cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants. Currency conversions are based on the average rates for the relevant month.

IAPCO: 2011 Annual Survey Results

Presented at Annual Meeting in Paris, February 2012 

The latest figures from IAPCO confirm a slight downturn in overall attendees, but globally, IAPCO continues to grow.

There are two elements to consider:

-the growth in the number of meetings managed in total by IAPCO members during 2011
-the actual number of meetings managed by the same IAPCO members when comparing 2011 figures with 2010

Total Meetings Managed in 2011

The total number of participants managed by IAPCO members during 2011 increased from just under 2,250,000 to over 2,285,000; similarly, growth was experienced with the amount of exhibition m2 handled, from 546,000 to 632,000.

2010 : 2011 comparison

When comparing the equivalent 2010 and 2011 returns, excluding the new members/growth in membership, the figures paint a different picture. There was 4.49% drop with the total number of participants reaching just under 2,219,000 as compared to 2,245,994 in 2010. However, considering the economic climate this small percentage drop is far less than might have been expected.

Comparing like with like, the number of corporate meetings organised fell by (-)8.45%, the number of association meetings rose by a mere (+)3.72%, but the number of governmental meetings increased by a staggering (+)22.69% reflecting the shorter lead times, and the continual need for politicians to meet!

Drop in Numbers per Meeting

The drop in attendance size continues to fall, from 486 participants per event in 2006 to 345 in 2011. Exhibition space remains reasonably consistent at between 80-100 m2 average per event over the past 5 years, currently at 95 m2 for 2011.

Economic Impact

Taking the total number of meetings managed by IAPCO members during 2011, and utilising the same benchmark figure of €1620 spend per participant, the economic impact of the 6621 meetings organised represents some 3.71 billion euros to local economies, and continues to grow year on year.

Rise in International Travel Necessitates Tighter Border Control, Observes Frost & Sullivan

- Mandatory Implementation of e-Passports for ICAO Member Countries by 2015 to Boost Adoption of e-Gate Systems

Travel documents are for terrorists just as important as weapons, according to the key finding from the 9/11 Commission Report. This is the reason border control systems based on biometric applications have become the solution of choice in identifying potential threats. There is also considerable emphasis on the identification of immigrants using e-Passports and e-Visas to channel biometric data to destination countries to reduce illegal immigration.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.aerospace.frost.com), Global Border Control Market Assessment, estimates that the market will earn revenues of $8.74 billion by 2019, comparing to $1.97 billion in 2010. As the growing mobility of people necessitates the use of e-Passports, e-Visas, e-Gates and infrastructure to support the systems, the border control market is expected to earn a double digit CAGR of 17.6 per cent from 2011 to 2019.

The universal penetration of e-Passport, e-Visas and e-Gate systems is in response to the efforts of biometrics associations, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, governments and border control application vendors to develop international standards for the adoption of biometric technologies.

“The mandatory implementation of e-Passports for ICAO member countries by 2015 and rising passenger throughput will trigger wider adoption of e-Gate systems,” says Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Dominik Kimla. “The e-Gate system adoption will partially be an outcome of the successful implementation of e-Passports and e-Visas and it is vital for managing passenger flows more efficiently at border check points.”

Although the e-Passport segment is likely to remain the largest in the total border control market, the e-Gate segment will be the fastest growing between 2011 and 2019. While the e-Gate segment’s total share is anticipated to increase from 14.2 per cent in 2010 to 37.7 per cent in 2019, e-Passport’s is expected to decrease from 69.2 per cent to 51.6 per cent during the same period.

With international arrivals expected to reach nearly 1.6 billion by 2020, end users are appreciative of the need for border control. However, the complexity and cost of border control systems implementation and privacy concerns could deter several users from deploying this solution.

The negative association of fingerprint identification with criminal investigations have slowed down the adoption of this form of identification. Further, they have indicated a reluctance to adopt the technology due to privacy and civil liberties concerns regarding data storage, the vulnerability of the data to theft and abuse and the implications of false positives and false negatives.

It is essential for the market participants to not only identify and assuage privacy concerns in the public and private sectors but they should also present attractive return on investment.

“Suppliers must demonstrate how their border control solution can reduce operator costs in the long term,” notes Kimla. “This is an important factor since in the current post downturn environment; operators are looking for ways to maintain a high standard of security at low costs.”

The One Business Resolution Companies Can’t Afford To Break: UPDATING TRAVEL POLICY

Brits Browse Holidays to Banish Winter Blues

Thomson website enjoys busiest January ever as consumers look to escape the reality of the British winter

It seems Brits just can’t wait to get away from it all this year, with more consumers then ever going online to book or get inspiration for their holidays. Thomson.co.uk reported its biggest ever January with page views up 11% year on year.

Traditionally it has been the third weekend in January that’s been the biggest weekend for bookings. However, this year consumers were straight off the mark after Christmas and the 8th January was the biggest ever day for the Thomson website in terms of searches and bookings.

This January consumers were not only researching their summer holidays, but also looking to get some winter sunshine. The page for Thomson holidays departing in the next six weeks had the biggest number of views of all the pages, with 1,023,306 impressions, up 26% for the same period last year. The most popular winter sun destinations for Thomson customers were Tenerife, Sharm el Sheikh and Mexico.

The Canary Islands and the Balearics were our most popular destinations for summer as consumers look to go back to destinations they know and love. Thanks to the falling rate of the Euro, Spain will be more affordable for our customers once they are there. Thanks to the success of the January sale many web users were also looking to book their annual summer holiday and were searching for Thomson’s £200 off deals and free child places.

Whilst the traditional Costa destinations proved most popular with consumers up and coming destinations also fared well. Cape Verde was the seventh most searched for destination for Thomson, and as predicted searches for Croatia were up 55% year-on-year for Thomson.

“It seems that British consumers are keener than ever to get away this year,” says Nick Longman, Distribution and Online Director for Thomson. “While customers are of course looking for value, quality is more important to them as they want to ensure that their hard earned cash is spent on a holiday that will wow them.

“We are also seeing a multi-channel trend across retail and online, customers are coming into our shops having already researched their holidays through our website or on TripAdvisor.

“Our top searched and viewed hotels were our flagship Sensatori resorts. These hotels are all 5* and offer customers either full-board or all-inclusive stays, top class entertainment and childcare and gourmet food as standard.”

Eurobookings Survey Reveals Valentine’s Scandal

- 67% of those who cheat in hotels on Valentine’s day are women

- Stingy Brits scrimp on romantic Valentine’s hotel stays

- Men three times more likely than women to associate Valentine’s Day with hotel-room sex

- Valentine’s Day: Men think sex, women think romance

A recent poll by Eurobookings has revealed that women are twice as likely as men to book a hotel room on Valentine’s Day to cheat on their partner.

A shocking 8.4% answered ‘Yes‘ to the question, ‘Have you ever used a hotel to cheat on your partner on Valentine’s Day?’, with a whopping 67% being women, and just 32% being men – all of those being 35+ years old.

Another poll conducted by the travel site, “How much would you spend on a hotel room for Valentine’s day?”, also found that a whopping two-thirds said that they wouldn’t book a hotel room for a romantic Valentine’s break.

Furthermore, the majority of those who said that they would book a hotel room (19.2%) would spend just £51-£100, while 11.5% of respondents said that they would spend a miserly £25-£50, and 0% would spend over £200.

Eurobookings also found that 50% of those who said they wouldn’t pay for a hotel room for Valentine’s Day were women, against a mere 15.3% of men.

But while this might appear spell the death of romance in UK women, the poll found that 30.8% of women wouldn’t book a hotel room for Valentine’s Day, they’d celebrate in another way.

Just 11.5% of men, however, said they would woo their partner with something other than a hotel room stay, indicating that men are three times more likely than women to associate Valentine’s Day with hotel-room sexcapades.

Chad Conlon, Eurobookings’ Business Development Manager, said of the results: “We thought it might be interesting to pose a few questions and see what we got, but we weren’t really expecting results like these.

“We were pretty astounded when we saw that our female respondents were far more likely to cheat, and that men seemed to be the most romantic when it comes to splashing out on a hotel for Valentine’s Day - but perhaps they’ve got more on their mind than just romance when they’re booking a hotel room!”

Information taken from four polls advertised on Toluna.com – results are as follows:

Have you ever used a hotel to cheat on your partner on Valentine’s Day?

          Answer       General (%)     Age (%)          Sex (%)
                                   16-34 35-54 55+    M      F
           Yes             8.4       0    5.6   2.8   2.7    5.6
            No            91.6     36.1  19.4  36.1  27.8   63.9

How much would you spend on a hotel room for Valentine’s Day?

            Answer          General (%)     Age (%)         Sex (%)
                                        16-34 35-54 55+    M      F
    Nothing, I'd do
    something else             42.3     11.5   7.7 23.1  11.5   30.8
    Nothing, Valentine's
    Day is a load of
    rubbish                      23     11.5   7.7  3.8   3.8   19.2
    GBP25-GBP50                11.5        0   7.7  3.8   3.8    7.7
    GBP51-GBP100               19.2      7.7   7.7  3.8  11.5    7.7
    GBP101-GBP200               3.8      3.8     0    0   3.8      0
    GBP201-GBP300                 0        0     0    0     0      0
    GBP301-GBP500                 0        0     0    0     0      0
    GBP501+                       0        0     0    0     0      0

How much in total (including gifts, travel and hotel rooms etc.) do you spend on average on Valentine’s Day every year?

            Answer          General (%)     Age (%)         Sex (%)
                                        16-34 35-54 55+    M      F
    Nothing, Valentine's
    Day is just another
    Hallmark holiday           51.7     20.7  10.3 20.7  10.3   41.4
    GBP1-GBP50                 37.7      6.7  13.8 17.2  17.2   20.7
    GBP51-GBP100               10.1      6.7   3.4    0   3.4    6.7
    GBP101-GBP200                 0        0     0    0     0      0
    GBP201-GBP300                 0        0     0    0     0      0
    GBP301-GBP500                 0        0     0    0     0      0
    GBP500+                       0        0     0    0     0      0

What additional extras have you asked hotel staff to provide you with on romantic hotel room bookings?

            Answer          General (%)     Age (%)         Sex (%)
                                        16-34 35-54 55+    M       F
    Nothing - I've never
    booked
    a hotel for Valentine's
    Day                     52.7        21.1  18.4 13.2    7.9      17
    Champagne               18.4        13.2   2.6  2.6   15.8     2.6
    Chocolates               7.9         5.3   2.6    0    5.3     2.6
    Rose petals              7.8         2.6   2.6  2.6    5.3     2.6
    Breakfast in bed         2.6           0     0  2.6    2.6       0
    Room upgrade            10.5           0   2.6  7.9    7.9     2.6

SOURCE Eurobookings.com

STR Global: MEA pipeline for December

Positive RevPAR growth for Regional UK, London

LONDON—London and Regional U.K. reported positive revenue-per-available-room (RevPAR) growth in 2011, according to data from STR Global, the leading provider of market data to the hotel industry. Despite its challenges throughout the year, demand grew in the majority of U.K. destinations. For 2012, STR Global forecasts a slight RevPAR increase for London and Regional U.K.

“Overall 2011 has been a good year for U.K. hoteliers thanks to positive demand growth”, commented Elizabeth Randall, managing director at STR Global. “However, to reflect the uncertainty in the economy, our latest forecast for 2012 was downgraded, expecting RevPAR growth in London to reach 1.9 percent and 0.6 percent across Regional U.K.”

London saw RevPAR increase by 8.4 percent in 2011. Hotel performance showed that the events taking place in London and around the country, such as the royal wedding, the street protests and the riots in August had no significant impact on hotel performance. The royal wedding week in April 2011 saw actual RevPAR decline by 19.4 percent. Across all segments in the capital, RevPAR growth benefited from increasing average daily rate (ADR) between 5.7 percent (Midscale and Economy) and 10.4 percent (Upscale and Upper Midscale).

Source: STR Global

Regional U.K. RevPAR increased by 1.5 percent in 2011. In the regions, RevPAR growth resulted from improving occupancy, which increased modestly across all market classes, from 1.2 percent (Luxury and Upper Upscale) to 3.5 percent (Midscale and Economy). The Economy and Midscale class was the only segment in 2011 experiencing ADR decline (-2.1 percent).

Looking at regional cities, RevPAR growth was the result of a mixed growth between rate and occupancy. Amongst the best performers in 2011, Reading and Harrogate reported increases in occupancy, 7.6 percent and 6.0 percent, respectively, compared to the previous year. Oxford and Brighton, with ADR increases of 4.9 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively, were also the markets with the strongest ADR growth in the regions. Harrogate, with new supply growth in 2011 (+3.5 percent), gained from increased demand (+9.7 percent) supporting its RevPAR growth.

Across Regional U.K., the highest occupancy was achieved at Heathrow Airport (82.7 percent) followed by Edinburgh and York, both reaching 80.1 percent. In ADR terms, Bath, which reported the highest ADR in 2010, ended 2011 with the highest ADR in Regional U.K. at £87.33. Preston and Hull, on the other hand, saw double-digit RevPAR declines. In Preston, the decline was led by additional supply (+10.0 percent) whereas Hull’s RevPAR was led by a declining ADR of 9.0 percent to £44.84.

Source: STR Global

Source: STR Global

STR Global reports on 51 cities across the U.K., collecting performance data from more than 2,700 hotels.

Kuoni Reveals its Travel Trends Report 2012

The Maldives has once again topped Kuoni’s annual poll of where UK customers want to spend their holidays. In the company’s top ten selling destinations for 2012, the Indian Ocean archipelago has held on to the top slot since 2005.

Where holidaymakers want to go is just part of leading tour operator Kuoni’s annual Travel Trends Report. The 20-page report also tracks hot travel trends and the top destinations for weddings and honeymoons, for families, for solo travellers, for pampering spa holidays, for the most exciting adventures and authentic experiences as well as the best destinations for those that care about the planet.

The report also highlights changes in holiday behaviour and includes trends in holiday booking behaviour, such as the importance of social media in driving holiday choices.

The top five destinations for 2012 are Maldives holidays, Thailand, Sri Lanka, The United Arab Emirates and the USA, including New York holidays. Kuoni predicts that South Africa will witness huge growth over the next 12 months, helped by the exposure from the football World Cup last year and the weakened currency against sterling. The only mid-haul destination in the 2012 Top Ten selling destinations is the United Arab Emirates, mostly due to the popularity of Dubai holidays.

The Maldives also retained its top slot for honeymoon destinations and topped the wish list for digital natives, better known as Generation X, Y and Z. Sri Lanka holidays retained ‘Number one Destination for Weddings’, Kuramathi Island Resort in the Maldives kept the top slot for ‘Family Destinations’, as did Thailand holidays for solo travelling.

The winner of the Top 10 Adventure Holiday is the 11-day tour of culture-rich Sri Lanka on the Ceylon Tour, while those looking for the best ‘Planet Friendly Holiday’ voted for Governors Main Camp in the wildlife safari heaven of Kenya.

Aside from favourite and new destinations, there are changes in the type of holiday the customer wants. More destination-savvy and discerning holidaymakers are looking for different types of holiday, with four specific trends emerging:

- a thirst for discovery.

- authenticity of experience.

- social responsibility.

- face to face contact with a travel expert when booking.

To meet the needs of a changing holidaymaker, Kuoni launched the Discover brochure for 2012, packed with experiences and tours to help get under the skin of a destination. The company has also launched ananea, a sustainable brand that stands for socially responsible holidays that empower people to protect the natural environment and local population. Kuoni has also strengthened its retail presence across the UK over the last 12 months, with more retail stores for holidaymakers to access all-important first-hand expertise and knowledge.

About the 2012 Travel Trends Report:

Figures in Kuoni’s 2012 Travel Trends Report are based on multiple sources, namely statistics from booking patterns made between January to December 2011 for holidays during 2011 and 2012, actual passenger numbers, customer behaviour and feedback.

European Tourism in 2011 – Trends & Prospects (Q4/2011)

Brussels, 30 January 2012. The European Travel Commission (ETC) has just published its fourth quarterly report on European Tourism in 2011 - Trends & Prospects.

The following gives a brief overview of the report for the fourth quarter of 2011.

The full report can be downloaded from ETC’s corporate website by clicking here.

• · Travel to European destinations in 2011 has exceeded the prior peak set in 2008
• · Impressively, 22 of 23 reporting countries show international visitor growth in 2011, ranging from 3% in the UK to more than 20% in Latvia and Lithuania. And 24 of 26 countries show gains in hotel occupancy in 2011
• · Total international visits are estimated to have surged 6% last year, while hotel occupancy rates rose 3.2%, indicating that domestic demand lagged behind international demand.
• · While the travel recovery has been quite robust, signs of eroding gains began to appear, as expected, in the second half of 2011.
• · Data on visitation and nights from TourMIS (http://www.tourmis.info/index_e.html) as well as hotel and airline industry data provide a consistent picture of the pullback on growth in recent months.
• · Three forces converged to bring about this late-year trend: reversion to the mean from the ash cloud rebound in the first half of the year; the second half of 2010 was relatively stronger than the first half so comparisons in 2011 were to a higher base; and the Eurozone debt crisis began to affect both consumer and business behaviour.
• · The financial crisis in the Eurozone has continued to worsen in recent months. Problems in sovereign debt markets have spread from Greece, Ireland and Portugal to Spain and Italy – posing a much more severe threat of global financial contagion.
• · If the Eurozone authorities fail to arrest the alarming slide in financial and business confidence, the consequences would be severe. In the event of a Eurozone break-up, GDP could initially fall by around 10% in the exiting countries and the attendant financial disruption would plunge much of the world, including the United States, back into recession.

The full report can be downloaded from ETC’s corporate website under the following link: http://www.etc-corporate.org/market-intelligence/reports-and-studies.html

Travel Managers Continue To Focus on Cost Control

CWT Reveals Trends and Priorities for 2012: Travel Managers Continue To Focus on Cost Control

Helping Customers Better Understand the Business Travel Landscape 

AMSTERDAM – January, 2012 - Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), a global leader specialized in managing business travel and meetings and events, today published its Travel Management Priorities for 2012 report, based on an international survey of 290 travel managers. The report highlights the main changes likely to affect travel programs and looks at global trends and differences between regions.

Travel managers’ top four priorities focus on cost control
The top four priorities for travel managers in 2012 concentrate on driving air and ground transport savings, improving travel compliance, optimizing hotel spend and online adoption. In an evolving market, these areas represent opportunities even for the most mature travel programs. To achieve these objectives, travel managers use a wide range of measures, including improving communications on travel policy and compliance (previous CWT research shows that only 50% of travelers are familiar with their company’s travel policy), helping employees to better understand online booking processes, and mandating the use of preferred suppliers. Communication on preferred suppliers and booking channels will be particularly important as travelers use mobile applications more and more.

Travel managers’ priorities and planned measures vary according to region 

CWT research pinpointed some variations in results, depending on the region in which travel managers are based. For example, travel managers in Asia Pacific place a greater focus on optimizing hotel spend compared to other regions, reflecting the challenges they face with particularly high occupancy rates in this market. With the number one priority for Europe, Middle East and Africa being air and ground transport savings, one of the measures travel managers are planning is managing the trade-offs between air and rail as high-speed rail networks expand. Travel managers in Latin America also accord the highest importance to driving air and ground savings. Meanwhile, North American travel managers cite traveler compliance -an ongoing challenge- as the number one priority.
In an uncertain economic environment, travel managers need to monitor changes closely to ensure they are getting the best deals from suppliers and the right performance from their travel program. The CWT report also highlights key market trends affecting travel programs worldwide in the coming year, such as the continued growth in travel spend for Asia Pacific, the increasing use of mobile solutions in business travel and the sharp uptake in a strategic approach to meetings management.

Quotes regarding Travel Management Priorities for 2012 attributable to Christophe Renard, VP CWT Strategic Marketing and Business Intelligence

• “CWT is helping travel managers navigate through a difficult year by giving them access to recommendations on how to manage priorities such as cost control.”
• “Top priorities vary slightly depending on the region covered by travel managers. Those responsible for North America, for example, accord more importance to helping travelers adhere to travel policy. Meanwhile, those responsible for Europe, Middle East and Asia or Latin America identify the same priorities as the total sample with a greater focus on driving air and ground savings.”
• “Global travel managers tend to identify and implement more measures to drive consolidation and standardization of the travel program, given their role as orchestrator of the travel program across the different regions.”
• “In 2012, moderate price increases are expected on the whole, with some stronger variations between countries and travel categories. This cautious market context is reflected in travel managers’ priorities, which focus largely on cost control in all regions.”

Quotes regarding 2012 Business Travel Trends attributable to Nick Vournakis, VP Global CWT Solutions Group

• “I’m in touch with global clients on a daily basis – this study reflects their concerns and explains why we are seeing an increasing number of companies coming to us, across all practice areas, for advice on how to best organize their travel program and push their travel spend even lower.”
• “We are expecting the travel spend to be even more complex in 2012 – additional fees, surcharges and credit card booking fees charged by airlines and other suppliers are making it very difficult for buyers to efficiently and accurately compare the full cost of travel between suppliers.”

ABTA Reveals Brits’ Summer Holiday Plans During the Olympics

2.5 million planning to take time off to go to events

With only 6 months to go until London 2012, ABTA – The Travel Association today reveals approximately 2.5 million people are expected to take time off work to attend events in or around the Games in London and other Olympic venues around the UK. According to research commissioned by ABTA, a further five million are expected to take time off to watch the Games on TV in the comfort of their own homes. Overall 40% of the British public are expected to take time off whether at home or abroad during the Games, which run from 27 July to 12 August, one of the busiest times of the year for travel.

The excitement factor
Excitement or apathy about the Games is split fairly equally, with 31% saying that although they will not take time off during the Olympics they are excited about them, while a further 30% say they plan to ignore them. Research shows the generations are split when it comes to feeling excited about the Games. The most fervent Olympics fans are the youngest with 38% of 15-24 year olds saying they are excited about the Games, compared to 28% of over 55s.

Escaping the crowds
Clearly we are not all sports lovers, 12% of Brits say they are intending to go abroad specifically to avoid the Games and 9% are looking to go on holiday somewhere in the UK free from Olympics fever. The older generation appears to be the least keen on staying in the UK; with 22% of the over 65s intending to head overseas to avoid the Games and 18% of 55-64 year olds.

Londoners most likely to change plans
Perhaps unsurprisingly, over a quarter (28%) of Londoners are considering changing their holiday plans due to the Olympics. Nearly 50% say they will take time off throughout the games and 77% say they will be staying in the Capital during the two weeks.

Victoria Bacon, Head of Communications, ABTA said: “With only six months to go until one of the biggest sporting events in our country’s history, it’s clear that hundreds of thousands, especially the young, will be taking time off to enjoy London 2012.  However, for those who don’t love sports or want to escape the crowds, going abroad will provide a welcome alternative.”

Consumer research was conducted by Arkenford Ltd (www.arkenford.co.uk) who specialise in tourism and leisure market research. The ABTA Consumer Trends survey generated response from a nationally representative sample of 2018 consumers using an online research methodology and related to holiday booking habits in the 12 months to September 2011. Fieldwork was conducted in September 2011.

With improved occupancy, focus turns to pricing in 2012, according to PwC US Lodging Industry forecast

NEW YORK, January, 2012 - Reflecting year-end 2011 results, an updated lodging forecast released by PwC US anticipates pricing recovery to be the key driver of revenue per available room (“RevPAR”) growth in 2012. Despite a year that was marked by macroeconomic uncertainty, and resulting shaky consumer and business confidence, hotels in the US ended 2011 on a strong note. Lodging performance exceeded expectations in the fourth quarter, in part due to a short-term uptick in economic activity. Hotels across the spectrum of price segments experienced occupancy and average daily rate (“ADR”) gains in 2011, reflecting the breadth of the recovery.

Overall, hotel occupancy in 2011 recovered to 60.1 percent, slightly ahead of its ten-year average of 60.0 percent. Despite a still-uncertain economic environment, improved occupancy levels and a recovery in travel are expected to give hotels the confidence to increase prices in 2012. PwC’s latest lodging industry forecast expects RevPAR growth of 6.5 percent in 2012, heavily driven by ADR increases.

PwC’s updated quarterly lodging forecast reflects an updated macroeconomic forecast released earlier this month from Macroeconomic Advisers, LLC, which expects economic growth in the US to continue to be weighed down by spillover effects from the sovereign debt crisis in Europe. Macroeconomic Advisers’ outlook expects slow real gross domestic product (“GDP”) growth during the first half of 2012, followed by a gradual acceleration in economic activity, reaching an above-trend pace of 2.9 percent annualized growth by the fourth quarter.

In the face of a still-uncertain economic environment, the outlook for improved pricing in the lodging sector reflects the ongoing recovery of business travel, as well as gains in corporate events and other group business. As a result, lodging demand in 2012 is expected to increase 1.8 percent, which combined with restrained supply growth of 0.5 percent, is expected to boost occupancy levels to 60.9 percent, the highest since 2007. Increased confidence from occupancy gains, particularly in the higher-priced segments of the industry, is expected to allow hotels to achieve valuable increases in room rates. As a result, ADR is expected to increase by 5.1 percent in 2012, driving a RevPAR increase of 6.5 percent.

“It will have been a five-year detour, but continued recovery in 2012 is expected to lift industry RevPAR very close to its 2007 peak,” said Scott D. Berman, principal and U.S. industry leader, hospitality & leisure, PwC. “The steepest portion of the demand recovery is behind us with operators’ focus on room rate becoming increasingly more important.”

A full copy of PwC’s US Lodging Forecast can be accessed by visiting:http://www.pwc.com/us/en/asset-management/hospitality-leisure/publications/index.jhtml

A New “Golden Age of Travel” Will Create Jobs Worldwide and Boost the Global Economy

Exclusive Study of Global Opinion Leaders Reveals that Travel Breaks Down Cultural Barriers and Promotes Soft Diplomacy.

DAVOS-KLOSTERS, SWITZERLAND – In a global study released today at the World Economic Forum, it was revealed that international travel is considered even more important than the Internet, TV/movies, or political diplomacy at stimulating the economy and breaking down cultural barriers. The independent study was conducted by Penn Schoen Berland on behalf of Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) and included the views of 1,100 global travelers and opinion leaders from eight countries, including Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Ninety-six percent of respondents, who ranged in age from under 35 to over 50 years old, believed that travel and tourism stimulates the economy, while 77 percent felt that “the more people experience other countries and cultures, the more peace will spread.”

“I believe we are entering a “Golden Age of Travel,” where opportunities to do business and travel abroad are opening up like never before,” said Arne Sorenson, Marriott International’s CEO-elect and current president, pointing to the number of international arrivals, which have doubled in the last 10 years and will reach 1 billion in 2012 (UN World Tourism Organization). “Travel opens up your mind, your heart and your wallet. This survey shows it is also a powerful form of soft diplomacy in the world today.”

“Bringing down barriers to travel creates jobs and prosperity and we applaud President Obama’s announcement to reform U.S. visa and entry systems to welcome more international visitors. We look forward to even more progress in the U.S. and around the world to develop multi-national solutions that will grow the travel industry and benefit economies and people worldwide.”

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the industry is predicted to account for an extra 69 million net jobs by 2021, including direct, indirect and induced employ¬ment– almost 80 percent of which will be in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. Put another way, one American job is created for every 35 international visitors to the U.S., according to the U.S. Travel Association. Marriott plans to fill about 60,000 jobs in 2012 alone, with two-thirds of those being in countries outside the U.S., where more than 50 percent of its hotel pipeline resides.

WTTC estimates that total contributions of Travel & Tourism to the global gross domestic product (GDP) are forecast to rise by 4.2 percent annually to US $9.226 trillion by 2021. Visitor exports—or the amount visitors spend in a given foreign country—will increase 6.6 percent annually through 2021, rising to US $1.789 billion by 2021.

As an example, in New York City alone, Brazilians spent a total of $1.63 billion, topping the $1.42 billion spent by travelers from the U.K., the $1.27 billion spent by Canadians and the $1.1 billion spent by Italians, according to NYC & Co., the city’s tourism board.

“We already knew that travel and tourism have a major impact on the economy, but now we also know that it can change people’s views worldwide,” says Mark Penn, CEO of Penn Schoen Berland and CEO of Burson-Marsteller. “International travelers advance people’s understanding of different cultures and reinforce all that we as humans have in common with each other.”

American Express Reports Fourth Quarter EPS of $1.01, Up 15% from a Year Ago; Cardmember Spending at Record Levels; Expense Growth Slows(Millions, except per share amounts)

International Visitors Up Two Percent in October 2011 and Up Five Percent October YTD 2011

The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced that 5.3 million international visitors traveled to the United States in October 2011, a two percent increase over October 2010. For the first ten months of 2011, visitation (52.6 million) was up five percent compared to the same period in 2010.

Highlights
Overseas Resident Visitation

• In October 2011, overseas resident visitation (2.6 million) was up four percent over October 2010.
• October YTD 2011, overseas resident visits (23.5 million) were up six percent compared to the same period of 2010.
• In October 2011, increases were registered in eight of the nine overseas regions.
• October YTD 2011, increases were registered in seven overseas regions.

North American Resident Visitation

• In October 2011, non-resident visits from Canada (1.6 million) were up three percent and visits from Mexico (1.2 million) were down five percent.
• October YTD 2011, non-resident visits from Canada (18.2 million) increased six percent while visits from Mexico (10.9 million) were flat for the year.

Top 10 Countries (Sort based on YTD October 2011)

• In October 2011, six of the top 10 countries posted increases in resident visitation.
• October YTD 2011, eight of the top 10 countries posted increases in visitation to the United States

Top 10 Countries (Sort based on YTD October 2011)

All Inclusive Holidays Could Save Cash-strapped Brits £403 Million Each Year Whilst Abroad

Consumers want budget certainty in an age of uncertainty in 2012, as 74% consider an All Inclusive holidays
Over half of UK holidaymakers overspend on holiday
40% claim ability to pre-budget as main reason for going All Inclusive

More and more Brits are opting to go all inclusive 2012, as over half of holidaymakers (57%) overspent whilst on holiday last year, costing the UK’s consumers a staggering £403m. The new research¹ released today by First Choice shows that British holidaymakers are struggling to control of their holiday budgets and overlook exchange rates and extra costs whilst abroad. The biggest causes of overspending on holiday are evening meals (42%), daytime snacks and drinks (31%) and evening drinks at the bar (27%) – all of which are included in the cost of an all-inclusive holiday.

With value leading the way in 2012 as the driving factor behind holiday bookings (40%) and over 74% considering an all-inclusive holiday this year according to the British Travel Association², Brits will welcome First Choice’s bold move to become the Home of All Inclusive. In five years (2004-2009) the all-inclusive holiday market has grown by 32%, according to latest research from Mintel³ and research from First Choice shows a family of four can save £511 per week on an All Inclusive Holiday versus a bed and breakfast only trip⁴.

The ‘First Choice Holiday Spending Study’, conducted in association with the Centre of Economic and Business Research (Cebr), also shows that overspending impacts the lives of over half of Brits (52%) when they return from non all-inclusive holidays. It reveals that 1 in 4 have to cut back on things such as the weekly food bill (26%), and luxuries such as weekend socialising (28%) when back in the UK.

Commenting on the First Choice Holiday Spending Study, Douglas McWilliams Chief Executive of leading financial institution the Cebr, says:

“The figure of £403 million is surprising, particularly when people want budget certainty these days. It seems it is the little extra things on holiday that sometimes we don’t even consider that really do add up and make a difference.”

David Burling, Managing Director of TUI UK & Ireland comments:

“Many of our customers will have overspent at Christmas, but they can go on all inclusive holiday knowing that this won’t happen again. In the current climate, people want to leave their money worries behind when they go on holiday. All Inclusive is fast becoming the holiday of choice for many British consumers, offering them great value for money, and yet First Choice is the only mainstream holiday company offering a completely All Inclusive portfolio. We pride ourselves on listening to our customers and creating unique offers that reflect the need of each holidaymaker.”

From summer 2012, all First Choice holidays will include flights, transfers, hotel accommodation, three meals a day and all local drinks as standard. Offering a range of holidays for different budgets, from 3 star to 5 star, customers will be able to choose from standard, added value resorts such as SplashWorld and Holiday Village, and premium properties.

Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer 2012

If you are considering a holiday overseas in 2012 you will find that resort costs are cheapest in Sri Lanka and Spain, according to the new Post Office Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer.
The annual barometer monitors

Business Travel Beats 2011 Expectations, Heads into 2012 with Steady Growth Outlook

Global consumer tech device spending to surpass $1 trillion in 2012

 Latest forecast figures from GfK Digital World

Las Vegas, January 10, 2012 – The latest forecast figures from GfK Digital World, produced in partnership with Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), reveal global spending on consumer technology devices will surpass $1 trillion in 2012 for the first time, increasing by 5% over 2011’s figure of $993 billion.

On January 8th at the 2012 International CES, GfK Boutique Research and the Consumer Electronics Association discussed market trends within the Consumer Electronics (CE) industry. Using the latest global market data and forecasts from GfK Digital World, the presentation analyzed key product trends within a global market context; highlighting the importance of mobile connected devices as a key driver of spending growth. Additionally, the presentation addressed the importance of developing markets in driving growth in global spending.

“Despite slowing growth in developed markets, robust growth in emerging markets, particularly Emerging APAC* and Central & Eastern Europe**, has helped sustain global spending in 2011 at the relatively healthy level of 8%”, according to Steve Bambridge, Business Director for GfK Boutique Research.

The Smartphone sector to remain the key growth driver

GfK Digital World estimates and forecasts show that booming global demand for smartphones made these devices the key spending growth driver in 2011 and that this is set to continue in 2012. Additionally, sales of tablet PCs, which are estimated to have reached $39 billion this year, are predicted to show a strong double digit increase in 2012.

“Today, consumers from every corner of the globe crave the latest tech innovations,” said Steve Koenig, Director, Industry Analysis for Consumer Electronics Association. “Rising consumer demand for mobile connected devices underpins the growth in global retail sales of CE we’re projecting this year.”

* Emerging APAC comprises developing markets across the across the Asia Pacific region, including China and India

** Central & Eastern Europe includes Russia and other CIS countries

The retail sales data for this Consumer Electronics industry news comes from GfK market research.

Global industry study reveals how new technologies and social change will combine to transform travel by 2020

‘From Chaos to Collaboration’, a new research study commissioned by Amadeus, challenges the travel industry to overcome the uncertainty and stress of modern-day travel through the application of new technologies and innovations; Augmented reality, gamification*, intelligent passenger records, long range biometrics and the rise of the wellbeing agenda to drive change in the next decade and beyond, heralding a new era of industry and travel collaboration

Madrid, Spain, 11 January, 2012: A major new global study released today outlines how transformative technologies and evolving social values and trends will combine to establish a new era of collaborative travel over the next decade and beyond.

The report, ‘From chaos to collaboration: how transformative technologies will herald a new era in travel’, demands increased partnership across the travel industry, in turn removing the stress, uncertainty and chaos that is usually associated with traveling in the 21st Century, as well as providing much richer, deeper and more personal travel experiences at the same time.

Developed by The Futures Company, a leading global foresight and futures consultancy, and commissioned by Amadeus, a leading travel technology partner and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry, the report details a clear qualitative shift where service-users become partners rather than customers and where context is as important as the transaction. Of course at the heart of this new era of collaboration is a set of discrete ‘enabling’ technologies and innovations.

Based on extensive research and input from key industry experts – including technologists, leading travel industry representatives, social trends experts and futurists – as well as quantitative traveler research in Brazil, China, Russia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States, the study explores six key areas in which future technology and innovation could be deployed.

Key findings

1. The next generation of experience: Travel is increasingly about depth rather than breadth of experience. Technologies such as augmented reality, gamification mechanisms and smart mobile devices will transform the travel experience
2. Automatic transit: Checking in could become the exception rather than the norm, with the rise of faster and more efficient identity management systems. Chips, biometrics, long range fingerprinting and near field communications (NFC) can be deployed in a more integrated way to fast-forward how people move around
3. Payment with memory:  All data on payments made before and during a trip will be integrated, acting as a digital memory of expenditure and activity for individuals, groups and travel industry operators. Intelligent passenger records, ‘digital breadcrumbs’ and contactless technologies could be used to personalize and bundle services, delivering higher value and more profitable relationships
4. Intelligent recommendation: As technologies make it easier for people to tag and review all aspects of travel experiences, travelers will be more influenced by peer groups and expert curators. The prospect of personal travel guides and mobile tour representatives will give travelers the tools they need to enrich their experience
5. Taking the stress out of travel: The wellbeing agenda and changing demographics will place greater emphasis on removing travel stress. Intelligent luggage tags and tickets will give greater reassurance while m-Health (mobile-Health) applications will allow travelers to manage and monitor their health and wellbeing as if they were at home
6. The business tourist: Continued emphasis on work-life balance and wellbeing at work may see the rise of the business tourist, which will demand speed and efficiency as well as a home-away-from-home

Eberhard Haag, Executive Vice President, Global Operations, Amadeus, said, “Over the next decade, there is a significant opportunity to redefine how the industry delivers and packages services to meet changing traveler needs. Key to this is more intelligent information exchange, a willingness to challenge the status quo and greater two-way partnership between travelers and travel players. We are committed to stimulating debate within the travel sector about how the world is changing, what travelers will increasingly expect and how the industry can evolve in a way that secures growth and profitability for our customers’ future success.”

Andrew Curry, Director and Co-author, The Futures Company, said, “We wanted to avoid making techno-centric assumptions about the future of travel – and painting a picture of flying cars and intelligent robots in a world that is otherwise unchanged from today. You can’t make an intelligent or realistic prediction about the effect of technology without considering infrastructure, systems and business models, as well as social values and trends. We hope that this study will challenge, provoke and stimulate thinking around how we will all be traveling in the future.”

To download a copy of the report, please visit: www.amadeus.com/blog  from January 11, 2012.

Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index falls 15.3% in ’11

HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee, and MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin—The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index ended December with a 2.7-percent increase to 2,003 and was down 15.3 percent in 2011. The index ended 2010 at 2,364.

Robert W. Baird & Co.  and STR partnered to create the Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index—the first widely available U.S. hotel stock index in the hotel industry. The index combines Baird’s financial markets expertise, the data processing of STR and the up-to-the-minute distribution capabilities of HotelNewsNow.com, the industry’s leading news website.

The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index outperformed the S&P 500, which was up 0.9 percent in December. The MSCI REIT (RMZ) was up 4.1 percent for the month. The S&P 500 ended 2011 flat and the RMZ was up 4.7 percent for the year.

“While there continues to be considerable turmoil in the financial markets, the lodging stocks included in the RWB/STR Hotel Stock Index rebounded 2.7 percent for the month of December,” said Randy Smith, co-founder and chairman at STR. “With industry fundamentals remaining fairly strong through the end of the year including a healthy increase in room demand, very low growth in overall room supply and modest improvements in room rates, 2011 ended on a positive note. As a result, continued strong growth in 2012 will be difficult because of a variety of factors and this concern was reflected in the 15.3-percent decline in the index for full year 2011. Assuming there will be a limited number of disasters this year—either natural or man-made—the outlook for the industry continues to be positive with a modest increase in revenue per available room forecast for the year.”

“Hotel stocks performed quite poorly in 2011 despite strong underlying fundamentals. The Index underperformed nearly every month until early fall when investors finally stepped in as valuations became extremely attractive,” said David Loeb, senior hotel research analyst and managing director at Baird. “The Index has gained momentum in the last few months, outperforming the broader market and other real-estate sectors, and we expect this trend to continue in 2012 as investors, who are still relatively under-weight hotels, reallocate their portfolios.”

As of 1 January 2012, the composition of the Index is changing, with the addition of RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ) and the removal of Orient-Express Hotels (OEH). RLJ’s implied market capitalization is approximately $1.8 billion while OEH’s is about $770 million. A complete list of the stocks in the index can be found at www.hotelstockindex.com.

Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Forecasts Global Hotel Transaction Volume to Hold Steady in 2012

Worldwide transaction levels to reach $30 billion again in 2012

Global hotel investment volumes surged impressively in the first half of 2011, with REITs leading the way and signs of debt market revival encouraging activity, according to Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels.  Economic uncertainty returned in the second half of the year causing momentum to falter, although deals continued, especially in the United States, reaching our forecasted $30 billion worldwide, an increase of 13 percent over 2010 volume.

Americans Flocking to European Cruises

Caribbean Still Overall Cruising King; Breakdown of Specific Itineraries Gives Nod to Alaska

“The information revealed in our survey this year is extremely encouraging, particularly the European cruising statistics.  Americans, in general, are showing an inclination toward traveling farther from home in 2012.  It only makes sense that many of those travelers would seek cruise vacations abroad, such as Mediterranean cruises,” stated Roger E. Block, CTC, president of Travel Leaders Franchise Group, which includes travel agency locations from coast to coast.  “One of the reasons Americans may feel very comfortable booking European cruises, in addition to their familiarity with well-established cruise lines they know from North American homeports, is that the dollar is currently very strong against the euro.  In addition, our travel agents, based on their exceptional knowledge and expertise, have the ability to completely customize any cruise vacation experience to meet and exceed the preferences of their clients, whether they are seeking a cruise vacation, land-based vacation or a combination of the two.”

Below are the specific cruise-related trends for 2012 as identified by Travel Leaders owners, managers and agents from throughout the U.S.:

European Economic Crisis Not Deterring Cruisers

It appears the economic challenges facing the euro – resulting in a favorable exchange rate – may actually be driving demand among Americans to take advantage of European cruises.

• Of the 410 Travel Leaders surveyed on cruising, 71.2% indicated they are booking European cruises (Mediterranean, Baltic and/or European river cruises) for 2012.
• Of the 292 Travel Leaders who indicated they are booking European cruises for 2012, 75.3% are booking Mediterranean cruises.
• Eastern Mediterranean and Western Mediterranean cruise itineraries are equally appealing to Travel Leaders’ cruise passengers.

Would you say you are booking more:

Airfare Costs and European Cruising

When asked “How much impact does the cost of airfare [to Europe] have in the length of cruise or itinerary that your clients are choosing?” only 15.4% of Travel Leaders said it had a significant impact.

Getting to Europe via Air

When asked “Which type of air ticket do you book for the majority of your Europe cruise clients?” the majority of Travel Leaders polled said “regularly scheduled airline tickets.”

Caribbean versus Alaska

• Of the 410 Travel Leaders who indicated that 50% or more of their clientele are leisure travelers and they are booking cruises for 2012, 92.9% indicated they are booking Caribbean cruises for this year.
• Travel Leaders were asked to choose up to five of their clients’ most popular Caribbean ports of call.  The survey revealed:St. Thomas (54.1%), Grand Cayman (39.9%), St. Maarten (27.8%), Aruba (25.2%) and Cozumel (24.1%) as the top five selections.
• When asked about more well-defined cruise itineraries, rather than general regions of the world, Alaska was the number one itinerary being booked.  The specific question posed was: “Which one of the following cruise destinations are you booking the most for 2012?”

River Cruising Rises in Popularity

Over 75% of Travel Leaders polled indicated that they have seen an increase in interest and bookings for international river cruising (24.2% said “Yes, significantly” and 50.9% said “Yes, somewhat”). While this particular question didn’t specifically call out European river cruises, it should be noted that European river cruises rank #13 overall on Travel Leaders list of Top International Destinations.  That’s an impressive jump of eight spots and is in competition with international destinations and cities worldwide.

Top International  and Domestic Destinations: 5 Cruises Rank in Top 15

Based on actual bookings of 640 Travel Leaders owners, managers and agents nationwide, three cruise destinations are among the Top 15 International Destinations and two cruise destinations are among the Top 15 Domestic Destinations – which is impressive when competing against all destinations/cities throughout the world.  Agents were asked to name up to five top destinations they’re booking for 2012:

Conducted November 21 – December 16, 2011, the cruise-specific related travel trends are based on responses from 410 Travel Leaders owners, managers and frontline travel experts throughout the United States who identified that 50% or more of their portfolio consists of leisure travel clients and that they book cruise vacations for their clients.  These trends were part of a comprehensive travel trends survey which included responses from 640 Travel Leaders experts nationwide.

Unique and Original at FITUR 2012

More and more tourists demand unique surroundings for their vacations. As a result, many hotels are offering special architecture or design to create a unique, very comfortable space. FITUR 2012 will bring together some of these popular establishments.

Madrid, 9^th January 2012. For some time now architecture and design have been used to make a destination more attractive. Travellers want to remember their stay and lodgings as something unique. Tourism professionals are well aware of this, and FITUR will show off some of these special places.

As far as design goes, the Nordic countries have always been the leaders. Sweden is one of the places with some of the most original lodging, such as the Tree Hotel and the Icehotel. The Tree Hotel, located in Harads, consists of modern cabins built among the pines. The Icehotel, on the outskirts of the city of Kiruna, is the first hotel in the world to be built entirely of ice and snow. Its 5,500 square metres also make it the largest such establishment.

The H10 chain is opening its first hotel in Germany, designed by the German studio Kleihues+Kleiues. Called the H10 Berlin Ku’damm, it has some unique architecture and has been built starting from one of the city’s historic buildings, an old university technical school. To this there has been added a new seven-storey construction. Among the features of its innovative design are the superimposed bricks and a central glass vault that joins the two buildings and brings luminosity to both.

If there is one hotel chain that puts art and design on the same level of comfort, it is the Derby Hotels. Among its establishments is the Hotel Claris, in Barcelona, a real treasure because it exhibits one of the most important private collections of Egyptian art in Spain. There are also Hindu sculptures from the 2nd to 10th centuries, engravings commissioned by Napoleon, English furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries, Turkish Kilim rugs of the 19th century, Roman sculptures and mosaics, engravings by Guinovart, pop-art lithographs by Andy Warhol… These archaeological pieces and antiquities combine with the most advanced contemporary design.

Ruralka will also use FITUR to present its latest innovations. Among them: the recently opened Finca de los Arandinos, in Entrena, in Spain’s Rioja region. This hotel-winery-spa, designed by architect Javier Arizcuren, features soft but powerful lines, and is very well integrated into the landscape. Its interior is the work of designer David Delfin, and includes both noble materials and recycled pieces from the 1950s and 60s. It also has the Tierra restaurant featuring products from the area —popularly known as Km 0— and traditional cuisine with an avant-garde touch.

UK Family Make Life Long HomeExchange Friends Before They Even Meet!

A UK family home exchanging to California spent so much time emailing and talking to their exchange-family, before leaving for their trip, that they felt like they’d known them forever! Five or six weeks after sending out a request on HomeExchange.com for a Californian home swap, a suitable family was found and arrangements made.

“As time got closer we both organised to have somebody come in and leave enough fresh milk, bread, cheese, and ham to make a light meal, instead of having to shop before arriving at the house,” says HomeExchange.com member Adrienne. “We also organised to swap our cars with a full tank of petrol, for the other person’s arrival, and also a half tank of petrol when leaving. We left an information pack and map as well, highlighted with all our favourite restaurants and coffee bars for our exchange family.”

With no hotel bills and the benefit of free accommodation, HomeExchange.com has quickly become the best way to experience the world like a local and to stay for free. It means that except for getting there, a holiday nearly anywhere in the world doesn’t have to cost any more than staying at home.

“Our first HomeExchange was a fantastic experience,” says Adrienne. “We actually met our exchange family for lunch on the day we were flying back home, and it was as though we had known them forever. We’ve made a connection with this family, that we all feel will continue, and we intend to stay in touch and visit each other (and exchange again maybe!) in the future.”

“As well as feeling like we were one of the locals, having a home rather than a rental property as our base saved us in the region of $3,500 to $4,000,” says Adrienne. “Because we saved on car-hire and on accommodation, we were then able to spend extra on visiting theme parks with the kids.”

Members simply log onto HomeExchange.com, create a listing, choose a location they want to visit, and begin coordinating an exchange for only $9.95 a month, with no additional fees. HomeExchange.com even guarantees that if you don’t make an exchange in the first year, the second year is FREE. http://www.HomeExchange.com is the global leader in home exchange with 40,000 listings in 152 countries.

ULookUBook.com: Hotel Bookings Soar in 2011

-Recent research indicates that hotel bookings soared in 2011, say online travel company ULookUBook.com-

A recent report shows that global hotel bookings in 2011 outperformed the previous year, say ULookUBook.com. The online travel company believe that 2012 will be a similarly successful year for the travel industry with hotel bookings and sales of holiday packages continuing to grow.

The figures released in December by Pegasus Solutionsshow that bookings for 2011 had increased by nearly four per cent when compared with the previous year. November was also a successful month with a six per cent increase in bookings on the previous month.

The report bythe solutions company showed consistent growth in hotel bookings throughout the year. In a statement the company cited growing consumer confidence for the positive figures.

Ian Raine, of ULookUBook.com, comments: “This research shows that the travel industry as a whole has done well in 2011. At ULookUBook.com we expect 2012 to be just as profitable with January, in particular, preforming well. The first month of the yearis always a busy onefor the travel world with people booking cheap holidays to Majorca and other popular destinations after Christmas. Holiday packages are also expected to be popular with travellers this month as people look for deals on all inclusive holidays to a range of fantastic destinations.

“As the travel industry prepares for the busiest period in the travel calendar it is reassuringto see the strong performance of 2011.”

U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Accounts: Third Quarter 2011

Sixth consecutive quarter of growth in travel and tourism-related employment

The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced that total U.S. travel and tourism-related employment increased at an annual rate of 1.4 percent in the third quarter of 2011, following an increase of 2.4 percent (revised) in the second quarter. By comparison, total U.S. nonfarm employment increased 0.9 percent during the third quarter of this year.

Tourism Spending. Real spending on passenger air transportation turned down 3.3 percent in the third quarter of 2011 after increasing 5.0 percent in the second quarter. Airlines cut capacity (reducing available flights) and increased prices to help offset rising fuel costs. Real spending on traveler accommodations decreased 0.5 percent in the third quarter after decreasing 0.4 percent in the second quarter.

Tourism Prices. Prices for passenger air transportation continued to grow, increasing 3.2 percent in the third quarter after increasing 7.6 percent in the second quarter. Airlines increased fares, especially on international routes, in the third quarter to help offset the increased costs of fuel. Prices for traveler accommodations also grew, increasing 11.9 percent in the third quarter of 2011 after increasing 16.7 percent in the second quarter.

Tourism Employment. Direct employment in the travel and tourism industries increased 1.5 percent in the third quarter of 2011. All industries saw increases in employment with traveler accommodations experiencing the largest growth at 3.4 percent.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis, through funding provided by the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, produces the U.S Travel and Tourism Satellite Accounts (TTSAs) from which these estimates were derived.

Travel and Tourism Satellite Accounts form an indispensable statistical instrument that allows the United States to measure the relative size and importance of the travel and tourism industry, along with its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP).

Approved by the United Nations in March 2002 and endorsed by the U.N. Statistical Commission, TTSAs have become the international standard by which travel and tourism is measured. In fact, more than fifty countries around the world have embraced travel and tourism satellite accounting as the only comprehensive, comparable, and credible measure of travel and tourism and its impact on national economies.

Orbitz: London, Austin and Chicago to be Travel Hotspots in 2012

New index also uncovers most-booked destinations, busiest travel weeks and top travel routes for 2011

CHICAGO, Jan. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – An improving economy and a pent-up demand for travel resulted in a strong year in 2011 for the travel industry and a bright outlook for 2012 with London,Austin and Chicago projected to be among the top destinations this year. Orbitz (http://www.orbitz.com) today released its “Look Back, Look Ahead” Insider Index, examining 2011 travel and projecting top destinations and travel trends for the year ahead.

THE 2012 TRAVEL SCENE: A LOOK AHEAD

The Orbitz team of travel experts and editors have coupled their industry experience with consumer booking data and analysis of millions of consumer searches to unveil the best destinations, top hotel perks and travel trends to watch for 2012.

Hotspots for 2012

London: London will mark its place in history as the only city to host the modern Olympic Games three times when it welcomes the 2012 games this summer. “London is expected to attract more than 10,000 athletes and hundreds of thousands more spectators for the games July 27 – Aug. 12,” said Nic Bryant, London destination expert and regional director for Orbitz Worldwide. In late June, the city will also host one of its most beloved events, Wimbledon, where spectators can watch some of the best tennis champions compete on the court.

Austin: The trendiest part of Texas only seems to grow in popularity each year and 2012 will be no different, Orbitz experts predict. Regarded as a music lover’s mecca, tens of thousands of revelers flock to the self-proclaimed “Live Music Capital of the World” every spring for the annual South by Southwest Festival, which takes place March 9-18 this year. And the excitement doesn’t end on that note. “This year, Austin is expanding outside of the music scene and dipping its toes into something new by hosting the first U.S. Formula 1 Grand Prix starting Nov. 18,” said Jerrold Broussard, Austin destination expert and regional director for Orbitz Worldwide.

Chicago: The city that attracts 40 million visitors a year is gearing up to welcome even more as it serves as the backdrop for two high-profile world events in 2012. The 12th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates will make its North American debut inChicago in April followed by the G8 Summit in May. “The Nobel Peace Laureate and G8 are two of the biggest global annual events attracting hundreds of international high-profile leaders, dignitaries and organizations,” said Emmy Conway, Chicagodestination expert and senior market manager for Orbitz Worldwide.  For those who find their own version of peace on the back nine, Chicago will also host the Ryder Cup in September– a bi-annual international golf event eagerly followed by golf enthusiasts around the world.

Sure Bets for Great Deals in 2012

San Diego:  Whether a mountain adventurer or a coastal relaxer, there is something for everyone at a price that works in San Diego. And this year, there’s even more of a reason to visit this coastal city.  The convention business is growing, but has yet to reach the peak levels attained during 2007.  This, combined with an increase in supplier inventory, means great values throughout the city. “Hotels throughout the region will likely be looking to fill rooms and offer more competitive rates for leisure travelers,” said Lisa Kroll, San Diego destination expert and regional director for Orbitz Worldwide.

Washington, D.C.: A bit of a hush falls over the nation’s capital during election years with the Washington insider crowd outside the Beltway campaigning.  ”As candidates hit the campaign trail in 2012, more hotel rooms and flights have space available and that can add up to great deals for travelers looking to explore Washington, D.C.,” said Donna Mulligan, Washington, D.C.destination expert and regional director for Orbitz Worldwide.

Riviera Maya: Soft white sand and beautiful aqua water make Mexico’s own Riviera an oasis for travelers seeking relaxation. With its large hotel infrastructure—the biggest in Mexico—Riviera Maya has long been a shoo-in for travel deals. However, trending declines in visitors from foreign countries will make the area even more affordable in 2012. “With the combination of massive hotel availability and trending declines in European visitors to the region, travelers will be able to nab some great hotel deals,” said Antonia Pitta, Mexico destination expert and senior regional director for Orbitz Worldwide.

What Consumers Want Most in a Hotel in 2012

Orbitz prides itself on providing travelers with everything they need to know about hotels inside and out. Based on consumer search inquiries in 2011(1), Orbitz travel experts anticipate these popular perks will continue to drive consumers’ hotel booking decisions in 2012:

Convenient transportation: Whether driving or flying, travelers are looking for easy, no hassle ways to get to their destination. Free parking and airport shuttles are among the top-searched hotel amenities.

Pool: Swimming pools rank high on the list for both families traveling with kids and for those heading to spots like Las Vegasor Miami where it’s more about the scene (and being seen) than actually swimming. As one of the top-searched hotel amenities for the second year in a row, pools often determine whether a hotel option will sink or swim for a consumer.

The extras: Consumer searches show there is strong interest in hotel amenities that go beyond the basics.  Four-legged companions are often seen as an integral part of the modern family. As such, search behaviors show that lots of travelers are seeking lodging that will accommodate their pets.  There is also strong interest in hotels that provide spa services, fitness centers and wireless internet.

Orbitz Travel Trend Predictions for 2012

In-house travel experts at Orbitz also identified the top three travel booking trends for 2012.

Mobile: Mobile commerce is expected to nearly double in the U.S. next year(2) and many of those mobile consumers will be on-the-go travelers, Orbitz forecasts. “65% of hotel reservations made via our mobile channels are for same-day stays compared to 14% via traditional desktop browsers,” said Chris Brown, vice president of product development for Orbitz Worldwide. Orbitz also offers mobile bookers great deals with the recently launched “Mobile Steals,” exclusive, mobile-only discounts of up to 50% on hotels worldwide. Steals are available across all mobile channels including the mobile website (m.orbitz.com) and the latest versions of the Orbitz iPad, iPhone and Android apps.

Flash Sales: The number of flash sale sites rose more than 350% from July of 2009 to July 2011 and the popularity of such sites seems only to be growing.(3) “To meet consumers’ growing demand for limited-time deals, Orbitz recently launched ‘Insider Steals,’ weekly, members-only flash sales that offer 50% or more off handpicked hotels in top destinations around the world,” said Peggy Bianco, group vice president of global hotel services for Orbitz Worldwide.

Gift of Travel: Today, many consumers are finding more meaningful value in giving experiences and memories vs. products off store shelves. “We are seeing parents gifting travel for graduations and birthdays and more engaged couples are opting to register for activities for their honeymoons instead of a set of towels,” said Jeanenne Tornatore, senior travel editor for Orbitz.com. While most give the gift to help people explore somewhere new it can also be a subtle reminder, and the extra push some need, to visit loved ones who do not live nearby.

THE LOOK BACK ON 2011

The collection and in-depth analysis of U.S. consumer travel in 2011 provides a window into U.S. travel habits and preferences over the last 12 months.

Busiest Air Travel Weeks in 2011: For the third year in a row, Christmas week (Dec. 19 – Dec. 25) was the busiest travel week in 2011, followed by the week leading up to the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving week. Two summer weeks—the first week of August and the third week of June—rounded out the top five travel weeks as many consumers took advantage of the warm weather and kids being out of school.

Orbitz Insider Index: The Top Five Busiest Travel Weeks(4)

1. December, Christmas Week (Dec. 19–25)
2. Fourth of July Week (June 27–July 3)
3. November, Thanksgiving Week (Nov. 21–27)
4. August, First Week (Aug. 1-7)
5. June, Third Week (June 20-26)

Top 2011 U.S. Destinations: The usual suspects are back atop the list of the 10 most popular U.S. travel destinations. Las Vegas and New York claimed the top two spots for the fourth year in a row. One surprise showing, however, came from Orlando, which nudged ahead of Chicago, bumping the Windy City down to number four.

2011 could be dubbed the year of the urban escape as U.S. travelers often opted for cities over sand. In fact, the following beach destinations on the 2010 list were notably absent in 2011 rankings: San Diego (#5 last year), Honolulu (#7), and Miami(#10). Meanwhile, Boston and Los Angeles—two top destinations for 2009—reemerged in 2011 and Denver (#6) and Atlanta(#8) were welcomed as newcomers.

Top 2011 International Destinations: The top three international travel destinations for U.S. travelers – Cancun, San Juan and London—held steady in the same slots as 2010. However, there was a bit of shuffling from 2010 with Paris moving up two spots to number four and Toronto climbing one spot to six. Additionally, Mexico had an impressive showing, adding three of its cities to the list.

Warm climates and adventure activities enticed consumers to hop flights to foreign destinations last year. In addition to scenic beaches, travelers benefitted from lower rates in Mexico City, Guadalajara and San Jose del Cabo, while Cancun stayed relatively unchanged.

Top 10 U.S. Travel Routes: The Big Apple took up a big slice of the Top 10 U.S. Travel Routes in 2011. New York City was the origin city for five of the top 10 route pairings last year for the second year in a row. The most popular travel route was New York to Chicago, followed by New York to Ft. Lauderdale – bumping the transcontinental New York-to-Los Angeles route down a notch from 2010 to number three. New York was again the most popular destination for travelers departing from Los Angelesand Chicago, as well.

RateGain’s Hotel Pricing Trends – Asia (Jan – Mar 2012)

Data trends on cheapest hotel rates as well as median rate for three months of three, four and five star hotels across some of the major cities in Asia.

United States Travel and Tourism Exports: October 2011

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that international visitors spent $13.1 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of October – nearly $1.6 billion more (13%) than was spent in October 2010. Travel and tourism-related exports have increased, on average, more than $1.5 billion a month in 2011 and are on pace to break the record previously set in 2008 before the onset of global economic slowdown. The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries expects industry-related exports to surpass $152 billion for 2011.

• Travel Receipts: Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling in the United States totaled $9.9 billion during October, an increase of nearly 12 percent when compared to last year. These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the United States, and other items incidental to foreign travel.
• Passenger Fare Receipts: When compared to October 2010, U.S. passenger fare exports – fares received by U.S. carriers (and U.S. vessel operators) from international visitors – increased to $3.2 billion for the month (18%).

International visitors have spent an estimated $126.8 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services year to date (January through October), an increase of 14 percent when compared to the same period last year.

Americans have spent nearly $91.9 billion abroad year to date (up 8%) – resulting in a $34.9 billion trade surplus for travel and tourism through the first ten months of 2011.

ABTA Publishes 2012 Travel Trends Report

ABTA – The Travel Association, today released its Travel Trends Report 2012, developed in association with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, predicting that holidaymakers will be seeking value for money but not necessarily the cheapest holiday. While the mid-market is expected to be squeezed, holidays that offer an authentic or specialist experience, and luxury and all-inclusive breaks, are all set to be popular.

Mark Tanzer ABTA Chief Executive said: “2011 has been a challenging year but the British public showed resilience when it came to their holidays and we expect a similar picture in 2012. The squeeze on household spending looks set to continue and this is likely to see holidaymakers become more discerning about where they spend their money and what they get for it. This presents a good opportunity for travel companies to offer tailored, specialist and authentic experiences, as well as all-inclusive packages for the budget conscious, that provide great value for money.”

Some key trends ABTA has identified:

• Growth in demand for specialist holidays. Cruising, adventure, exploration, learning and activity holidays are all expected to do well in 2012 as holidaymakers seek new experiences underpinned by value for money. Holidaymakers are also expected to seek out destinations that have a strong and authentic sense of location, in everything from food and setting to excursions and entertainment.

• Luxury and budget breaks expected to perform well. With the mid-market coming under the greatest pressure from reductions in household spending, strongest demand is expected to come from the budget and luxury markets in 2012,

• Baby boomers set to fuel the market. 10%* of over 55s took more than four foreign holidays in 2011 and this trend is set to continue.

• Changes afoot on the high street. High street bookings had a bit of a comeback in 2011; while consolidation saw overall shop numbers decline, bookings were up, with 25% of the public booking their foreign holiday on the high street compared to 17% in 2010*. In 2012 several major travel companies are expanding their high street presence and we can expect to see companies invest in improving the in-store experience.

• Tried and tested destinations likely to be popular. In times of economic uncertainty many people put their faith where they know best. Early booking figures for summer 2012 suggest that destinations such as France, Greece, Italy, Spain and the USA will all prove popular next year.

• More weddings abroad. One in five couples currently marry overseas with an average saving of £12,500 on a UK wedding; with pressures on budgets and a focus on value for money, many more couples are expected to say ‘I do’ abroad in 2012.

In the report ABTA has also identified its “hot destinations” for 2012. A mixture of long, mid and short haul destinations, they give a taste of both holiday favourites and countries offering something different in 2012, including: Jordan; Colombia; Cape Verde and Poland/Ukraine.

Lynda St Cooke from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said:  “If you’re looking for a truly authentic travel experience then reading up on the local laws and customs before you go will help you get the best out of your trip.  If you want to avoid potential pitfalls such as being arrested for something which isn’t illegal back home, being the victim of a local scam, or unwittingly causing offence to the locals, then checking out Foreign Office travel advice in advance is strongly recommended. Holidaymakers faced a number of issues in 2011 – from natural disasters to significant political events. We can’t always predict when crises will happen which is why British travellers need to be prepared for every eventuality when they go overseas -  taking out travel insurance and telling someone back home exactly where you’re going is a good start.”

*ABTA Consumer Trends survey 2011

The Russians choose Hungary for wellness

According to the Tourism Counsellor Bureau of Hungary, the Russians spent 379 thousand nights in the hotels of Hungary during the period from January to October 2011 (+16.7%).

The total number of the nights of the foreign tourists in Hungarian hotels during 10 months amounted to 7.3 million (+5.9%). The number of the tourists in Hungary during the period from January to October 2011 increased by 7.7% and amounted to 2.8 million people.

The indicator of the visits of spa and wellness hotels has been increasing constantly. The number of the nights in balneology hotels amounted to 879 thousand and 755 thousand nights in wellness hotels (+35.3%).
As for the Russians, they prefer western part of Hungary, such cities and resorts as Sopron, Sarvar, Buk, Zalakaros and others. The share of the nights of the Russians amounted to 6.9% of all the number of the nights during the period from January to October 2011. It allowed Russia to take the 4th place in number of the foreign tourists in this region. At the same time, Russia was the leader in the rates of the growth of the tourist flow and the duration of stay (7.9 nights).

It’s interesting to note, that Hungary is getting more and more popular not only for wellness resorts, but for MICE opportunities as well. atorus.ru

ATOR: The tourist flow increases, but the profitability falls

Association of Tour Operators of Russia held a press conference about the results of the year and the prospects for 2012.

The year of 2011 will be a record-breaking in the growth of the number of the tourist trips, assure the experts. However, the profitability of the mass outbound destinations fells with the increase of the tourist flow. Domestic and inbound tourism demonstrate a restrained growth.

According to the tour operators the tourist flow from Russia to Egypt decreased by 40% in 2011 in comparison with 2010. It happened due to the cancelation of the flights and mass media craze, thinks Gennady Borovikov, the Head of ATOR Analytical Service. At the same time he notes that despite the decrease, Egypt is still one of the most popular destinations for the Russians. It takes the first place in the rating of New Year bookings.

Nevertheless, the revolution seriously affected the statistics. One of the alternative destinations for Egypt became Thailand. According to the Federal State Statistics Service, the tourist flow to Thailand increased by 95% during the first 9 months of the year. However, despite the growth, the profitability of the destination falls.

The same situation was noted for Greece. According to ATOR Analytical Service Greece was the most competitive summer destination of the Russian market. A serious dumping affected the destination: it was possible to buy the tours for 170 Euros. According to the Federal State Statistics Service the number of the Russians in Greece grew for 58% in 2011.

Spain demonstrated a growth of 58.8%. Nevertheless, the profitability was low as well.

Italy had a good demand among the Russians. The increase of the number of the tourists amounted to 28.6%.

The tourist flow to Cyprus increased by 40.5%.

The UAE has become a new trend. The number of the tourists increased by 32-35%. A budget segment of the Emirates was a good alternative for those who planned to go to Egypt. Moreover, the number of the flights from Russian regions increased.

Winter Bulgaria has become an unpleasant surprise for the tour operators. The winter tourist flow decreased by 15-20% in comparison with last year. The operators bear the losses almost the whole year round due to the high completion. The price policy of the hoteliers and air carriers affects the situation as well: Bulgaria is not a budget destination anymore.

As for the domestic tourism, not every Russian can afford traveling throughout the country. The price for the tours throughout Russia is often higher than for the trip to foreign country. Perhaps, the highest growth of the demand showed Altayskiy kray (Belokurikha) which can be interested as a wellness resort. The demand for St. Petersburg has grown as well (+20%). “We expect that Moscow will show a good result next year. The city has been the newsmaker of all mass medias for 6 months”, noted Maya Lomidze, ATOR Executive Director. The number of the tourists in the resorts of Krasnodarskiy kray increased by 15% (according to tour operators’ data).

As for the inbound market, according to the tour operators, the increase amounted to 10% in 2011. It’s interesting to note, that the citizens of Iran became frequent tourists in Russia. Almost all the incoming operators have the tourists from this country during summer season. The Iranians turned out to be very generous tourists.

A considerable growth of the tourist flow to Russia was noted from Asia: China (+53%) and Republic of Korea (+15%). The visa abolition agreement with Turkey favoured the increase of tourist flow from this country (43%).

Happiness is…a Camping Holiday, Research Reports as Park Resorts Confirm Massive 2012 Family Holiday Savings

LONDON, December 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –

As David Cameron announces plans to measure the nation’s happiness, a recent study has revealed that the simple joys of camping can help to ward off stress and improve well-being. Indeed, caravan sales and UK holidays experts, Park Resorts, can confirm a continual rise in the number of their holiday bookings and static caravan sales.

In the ‘Real Richness’ study carried out by Liverpool John Moores University on behalf of The Camping and Caravanning Club, people who camp were found to be healthier, happier and less stressed, and reported feeling more socially connected while benefiting from closer family relationships.

The University’s leading academics reviewed over 60 research studies and carried out an online survey polling 2,000 campers and non-campers, finding:

77% of campers are satisfied with their quality of life compared to 59% of non-campers
21% of campers feel stressed on an average day compared to 33% of non-campers
93% of campers say that camping can make you happier
91% of all children say spending time exploring the outdoors with their families makes them happy
84% of campers think camping can make you healthier
Almost 50% of campers think the pastime should be prescribed on the NHS

Caroline Doyle at Park Resorts, commenting on the study’s findings, adds:

“Here at Park Resorts we are always overwhelmed by the buoyant atmosphere our parks generate among adults and kids alike. Our parks are full of cheer, there’s a real sense of community spirit and our smiles really are contagious! In the current climate, where understanding family values should be at the top of the agenda, I believe that our industry is at the forefront of something quite remarkable in terms of family cohesion, connection and quality of life.”

Park Resorts, the first choice for UK holidays and static caravan sales, have seen sales figures of their parks rise this year despite the gloomy economic climate. As financial strains lead more UK families to staycation at home, Park Resorts offer affordable camping and caravanning holidays that are designed to help families spend more quality time together.