ABTA Chief Executive Mark Tanzer has praised agents for continuing to instil confidence among the public – and bucking the trend towards ‘a general decline in trust in the UK’.
Mark used his opening speech at the Travel Convention in Costa Navarino, Greece to highlight the ‘astonishing recovery of travel and tourism since the pandemic’, which he said had outperformed ‘every other consumer product and service’.
“ABTA members’ aggregate sales exceed pre-COVID levels, and for the first time we now hold over one billion pounds of bonds, driven by growth in members’ sales,” he said.
Mark also pointed to ABTA’s latest Holiday Habits report, which showed ‘people are increasingly relying on the support of travel organisers to bolster their confidence’.
The report, based on research from a sample of 2,000 UK adults, found that 38% had booked a holiday with a travel agent or tour operator in the past 12 months, up from 34% last year.
The reasons they gave for booking with a travel professional were ease of booking, which was cited by 54%, having someone to help if something goes wrong, 43%, to save time, 43%, value for money, 39%, feeling more confident, 36%, and having access to expert help and advice, 35%.
Young families and younger travellers are increasingly booking with travel professionals, according to the research, which showed that 55% of parents with young children booked with a travel professional this year, compared to 36% in 2019, while the percentage of 18 to 24 year olds who booked with a travel pro rose from 36% in 2019 to 48%.
“The trust in travel professionals is counter to the general decline in trust in the UK – in politicians, in media, in institutions – and is a tribute to the hard work and values of all of you here today, and the wider ABTA membership,” said Mark.
He urged the Government to do more to encourage investment in development of sustainable fuel, warning: “Without this investment now, the commitment to be using 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuels on all flights by 2030 will be unachievable, or prohibitively expensive.
“The funds are there: the Office of Budget Responsibility forecast in this year’s Spring Budget that Air Passenger Duty will rise from £3.8 billion in 2023/24 to £5.9 billion in 2028/29.”
“Surely this growing consumer levy should be used – at least in part – to keep UK international travel energy compliant and viable.”
And he said travel and tourism must be seen as part of the Government’s growth strategy.
But he warned the industry faced challenges, including climate change and overtourism: “It’s quite possible that in future certain types of holiday, in certain locations, will become unviable, and the general unpredictability of the weather increases business risk throughout the supply chain,” he said.
“Climate change is a problem for the world, and in travel we are taking our responsibility seriously to drive to a low carbon future. Creating a strong bond between the destination community and its visitors is essential as we look to manage the problem of overtourism. We cannot turn a blind eye to overtourism – saying it’s really due only to the growth of private rental market.
“Finding the right balance between the interests of the hosts – both as workers and as residents – and the visiting tourists is an ongoing challenge, one requiring adaptation on both sides. Managing seasonality and predictable peaks will help ease the strain, and communities need to be prepared to meet that changing pattern of demand.”
He added: “The challenges we face are not existential, but they do need us to recognise the need for change and to work collaboratively to build a future that delivers for all.”
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Mark used his opening speech at the Travel Convention in Costa Navarino, Greece to highlight the ‘astonishing recovery of travel and tourism since the pandemic’, which he said had outperformed ‘every other consumer product and service’.
“ABTA members’ aggregate sales exceed pre-COVID levels, and for the first time we now hold over one billion pounds of bonds, driven by growth in members’ sales,” he said.
Mark also pointed to ABTA’s latest Holiday Habits report, which showed ‘people are increasingly relying on the support of travel organisers to bolster their confidence’.
The report, based on research from a sample of 2,000 UK adults, found that 38% had booked a holiday with a travel agent or tour operator in the past 12 months, up from 34% last year.
The reasons they gave for booking with a travel professional were ease of booking, which was cited by 54%, having someone to help if something goes wrong, 43%, to save time, 43%, value for money, 39%, feeling more confident, 36%, and having access to expert help and advice, 35%.
Young families and younger travellers are increasingly booking with travel professionals, according to the research, which showed that 55% of parents with young children booked with a travel professional this year, compared to 36% in 2019, while the percentage of 18 to 24 year olds who booked with a travel pro rose from 36% in 2019 to 48%.
“The trust in travel professionals is counter to the general decline in trust in the UK – in politicians, in media, in institutions – and is a tribute to the hard work and values of all of you here today, and the wider ABTA membership,” said Mark.
He urged the Government to do more to encourage investment in development of sustainable fuel, warning: “Without this investment now, the commitment to be using 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuels on all flights by 2030 will be unachievable, or prohibitively expensive.
“The funds are there: the Office of Budget Responsibility forecast in this year’s Spring Budget that Air Passenger Duty will rise from £3.8 billion in 2023/24 to £5.9 billion in 2028/29.”
“Surely this growing consumer levy should be used – at least in part – to keep UK international travel energy compliant and viable.”
And he said travel and tourism must be seen as part of the Government’s growth strategy.
But he warned the industry faced challenges, including climate change and overtourism: “It’s quite possible that in future certain types of holiday, in certain locations, will become unviable, and the general unpredictability of the weather increases business risk throughout the supply chain,” he said.
“Climate change is a problem for the world, and in travel we are taking our responsibility seriously to drive to a low carbon future. Creating a strong bond between the destination community and its visitors is essential as we look to manage the problem of overtourism. We cannot turn a blind eye to overtourism – saying it’s really due only to the growth of private rental market.
“Finding the right balance between the interests of the hosts – both as workers and as residents – and the visiting tourists is an ongoing challenge, one requiring adaptation on both sides. Managing seasonality and predictable peaks will help ease the strain, and communities need to be prepared to meet that changing pattern of demand.”
He added: “The challenges we face are not existential, but they do need us to recognise the need for change and to work collaboratively to build a future that delivers for all.”
The post ABTA chief praises agents for building trust among customers appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
