EUROPE’S economic crisis does not mean an end to longhaul travel from the region as the UK is still a viable market provided travel consultants know whom to market to, said speakers at the Luxperience Thought Leaders forum yesterday.
Sandra Leach, founder of the London-based Sandra Leach Company, a travel marketing consultancy promoting Australia and the South Pacific to Europe, pointed out that the UK is no longer in recession, with its economy expected to expand one per cent in 2013.
She advised travel consultants to focus on the UK’s 50-69 age group that represents a quarter of the UK’s longhaul holiday market.
Furthermore, luxury travel and the VFR market are recession-proof, she added.
Likewise, Helen Logas, CEO of Luxperience, noted that the luxury sector has been a “saviour” in the UK.
Leach explained that Britons have turned to all-inclusive packages as they know how much the total holiday spend will be, with 50 per cent of the market now choosing to purchase package holidays as compared to 37 per cent in 2010.
As holidays booked with travel consultants afford consumer protection in case a company collapses, UK travellers have also rediscovered the value of agencies.
To tap this sector, Leach urged companies to aim for a clear section of the market, be visible to tour operators, invest in partners to create long-term working relationships, utilise B2C marketing and throw in as much additional value to holiday packages as possible, such as Wi-Fi and onsite tours.
