As the world’s financial and economic institutions continue sinking deeper and deeper into doldrums, families in the West are beginning to face making “cutbacks” in their lives. Will the crunching credit bite in Western economies empty Asia’s holiday destinations?
If the latest survey by MINTEL on British Lifestyles is to be believed, the average UK family is now “really” starting to feel the pinch. Three in every five surveyed (20 percent) have recently canceled spending plans – with family holidays “to go first”.
“We are likely to see even more people having to make more sacrifices in the future,” said Peter Ayton, chief statistician at MINTEL. “Things are not as easy financially as they once were.”
In another study by MINTEL, commissioned by RCI in 2007, an average Briton goes on two holidays a year, each lasting one week and spending an average of 665 pounds on accommodation. “But the ongoing credit crunch,” according to the study, “a cooling property market, and inflation have resulted in the majority of people viewing holidays as a luxury.” Only 17 per cent see going on holidays necessary.
Simon Calder, a respected industry writer and commentator, said: “We all want a holiday to look forward to. The survey suggests that British travelers are cutting back on the number of short breaks they take. Cheap flights have made us promiscuous when it comes to going abroad.”
However, a beneficiary of the recent domino collapse of British tour operators and the “independent” holidaymakers who buy “parts” of their holiday, thanks to internet bookings and no-frills airlines, could be operators of “package trips” which accounted for 53 percent of the 46 million who traveled overseas.
Araka ny filazan'ny TUI, tompon'ireo mpandraharaha mpizahatany lehibe indrindra eran-tany, Thomson sy First Choice, maherin'ny 24 tapitrisa ny olona nandray fonosana tao anatin'ny 12 volana ka hatramin'ny Jona, raha 22 tapitrisa tamin'ny taon-dasa. "Manantena ny fitomboana izahay taorian'ny firodanan'ny XL Leisure Group any Grande-Bretagne."
Manny Fontenia-Novoa, Tale Jeneralin'ny Thomas Cook, dia nilaza hoe: "Ny firodanan'ny orinasam-pitaterana lehibe maro dia manasongadina ny tombony amin'ny famandrihana fialan-tsasatra amin'ny alàlan'ny mpandraharaha fitsangatsanganana mifatotra, miaraka amin'ny fiarovana ara-bola fanampiny. Mitaky filaminana izy ireo rehefa mandeha any ivelany.”
Nandritra ireo herinandro nisavoritaka taorian'ny fianjeran'ny XL Leisure Group, ireo izay namandrika fialan-tsasatra “fonosana” dia nalefa nody tsy nisy sarany fanampiny, fa ny hafa kosa tsy maintsy nandoa vola indray mba hanidina ho any Grande-Bretagne. Ny tsy fahombiazan'ny mpandraharaha mpitety faritany mitovy habe amin'i Thomas Cook na TUI dia hiteraka karama eo amin'ny 500 tapitrisa pounds amin'ny vanim-potoana ambany, ary avo roa heny izany raha mitranga amin'ny fahavaratra.
According to tour operator Hoseasons, the economic downturn is the biggest opportunity to sell Britain, prompting more British to holiday “at home.”
"Ny famandrihana ho an'ny fiatoana UK dia tapitra," hoy ny lehiben'ny mpanatanteraka, Richard Carrick. “Mahita olona maro kokoa izahay maka aina kely akaikin'ny trano, izay vaovao tsara ho an'ny fizahan-tany UK. Miova ny fitondran-tenan’ny mpanjifa.”
Don Birch, CEO of Abacus International, an Asian Pacific travel facilitator which deals with 15,000 industry wide agencies, however, predicts “continued industry growth” even if the US economy “tilts towards negative territory.”
Abacus dia maminavina fa hitombo eo anelanelan'ny 5-6 isan-jato ny isan'ny mpandeha amin'ny taona 2008.
“Mbola manam-bola ny olona eran-tany ary toa vonona ny handeha amin'ny taona ho avy na dia eo aza ny fanamafisan'ny fehikibo izay hitranga eran-tany. Tsy miova ny tsenan'ny dia any Azia.
"Hisy fikorontanana amin'ny taona ho avy, fa ny indostrian'ny fitsangatsanganana sy fizahan-tany ao amin'ny faritra dia hitoetra ho matotra sy matanjaka."
Vietnam’s travel and tourism industry is expected to grow annually by 7.8 percent between 2008-2017, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
Birch also believes Asia could be spared from the worst of any economic fallout from the US, in part due to the growth engines of China and India. “They are currently powering the region’s growth, while Vietnam is the next big market to watch.”
INONA NO HALAINA AMIN'Ity ARTICLE ITY:
- The failure of a tour operator the size of Thomas Cook or TUI would result in a pay-out of about 500 million pounds in low season, and twice that if it happened in summer.
- According to TUI, owner of the world’s biggest tour operators, Thomson and First Choice, more than 24 million people took a package in the 12 months to June, compared to 22 million in the previous year.
- In another study by MINTEL, commissioned by RCI in 2007, an average Briton goes on two holidays a year, each lasting one week and spending an average of 665 pounds on accommodation.
