Poor Sterling Will Affect Outbound Travel
Dave BondBritons might avoid traditional and popular holiday destinations such as Portugal and Spain due to a weak pound, which is seen as a serious threat to outbound tourism from the UK.
A survey carried out by the World Travel Market (WTM) trade exhibition demonstrated that as many as 29% of Britons who had enjoyed a summer holiday this year claimed the weakening sterling exchange rate would have an impact on their choice of vacation spot next year.
The poll showed that a further 27% of the 1,030 people questioned in the study said they still had to make up the minds about a foreign holiday when the pound has not performed so well against the euro.
According to poll results, Brits may choose to avoid the Greek islands and Malta, which would join the popular Portuguese Algarve and the Spanish coasts as destinations which will be less travelled to next year.
The study showed that holidaymakers in the 25 to 40 age category are the ones who are most impacted by exchange rates, followed by individuals aged between 16 and 24.
In the over 60 category, only 19% said a weak Sterling would affect their choice of holiday spot.
According to Fiona Jeffery, chairman for WTM, the pound’s worsening exchange rate could prove to be a very serious threat to the outbound travel industry in the UK. She said that several British holidaymakers will be put-off by the in-resort costs, particularly in eurozone countries.
She added that on the other hand, a weaker pound will potentially have a positive impact for the UK’s inbound tourism sector which will benefit from a real boost as the country becomes a cost-effective to visit, especially from other European Union countries.
The study that British tourists were easily turned-off by holiday costs, airport line-ups and security check points.
Of the people surveyed, as many as 51% said they would be influenced for their choice of destination by environmental concerns, and 13% said they would stop travelling by air because of rising aviation taxes.
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Filed under Business & Finance, Europe News, Travel News, UK News, World News