Report reveals travel trends for 2009

[January 12th 2009]

Short breaks in Europe, luxury holidays and hunting for bargain holidays are set to be some of the travel trends for 2009.

These are the findings of the ITB World Travel Trends Report, based on the assessments of 60 tourism experts from 30 countries plus data from World Travel Monitor. The ITB Berlin Convention, the world’s largest travel industry convention, will take place from March 11th-14th.

According to the report, short trips within Europe will become increasingly popular this year. “Higher costs and a new kind of insecurity affecting consumers will undoubtedly impact negatively on long-haul travel in 2009,” says Dr Martin Buck, director of the Competence Centre Travel & Logistics at Messe Berlin.

But city breaks may not fare so well. Buck thinks the boom in trips to major European cities fuelled by low cost airlines will tail off. The growth experienced by low cost airlines came to an end in 2008 says the Travel Trends Report.

Another travel trend in 2009 is expected to be an increase in luxury holidays. The Travel Trends Report says the “fallout” from the global economic crisis will favour the growth of niche markets such as luxury travel.

Financial uncertainty will also mean that travel trends in 2009 will include hunting for holiday bargains and last-minute bookings. “Whether we like it or not, the idea of saving money at all costs is back with us again,“ comments Buck.

The Travel Trends Report also notes that an increasing number of people are now using the internet both to research and book their holidays. The report reveals that between 2003 and 2008 the share of holiday bookings on the internet in Europe rose from 19% to 41%. Travel bookings via the web are also increasing much faster than internet searches for travel information.

The internet is now the most important source of information about holidays. No less than 47% of Europeans planning holidays get their information from the web, compared to 23% from travel agencies, 19% from friends and family, 8% from travel guides, 7% from tourist board brochures, 2% from newspapers and only 1% from television.

Written by: Nick Purdom

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