British travel market 'resilient'

The British travel industry has developed to such a point that it enjoys a certain degree of resilience against difficult economic and market conditions, according to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta).

Referring to Abta figures indicating that demand for travel is likely to increase by one per cent over the winter, a spokesman for the association said that the British travel market is slightly more resilient than other countries.

The spokesman said that one of the reasons for this is the modern perception of holidays as a necessity, rather than a luxury.

"We've been going abroad in large numbers since the 1970s and for most people it's something they don't regard as a luxury anymore," he said.

The spokesman also said that British travellers have the advantage of access to offers on cheap flights and holiday packages.

Research company STR Global recently compiled data indicating that demand for hotel accommodation was mixed across the world in October, with growth in some regions and reductions in others.

Africa and the Middle East were among the regions to see an increase in tourism, with destinations such as Cairo and Dubai registering growth in hotel occupancy rates.

Posted by Paul, 08 December 2008 14:46

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