The British government recently announced it will be injecting some much needed capital into our local seasides. As part of its Seaside Change Initiative, some £45 million will be ploughed into so-called "faded" English seaside resorts over the next three years. From an environmental standpoint this is good news. There is definitely a need to encourage people to stay in the UK and reduce their airline carbon footprint. Research by VisitBritain, shows that consumers are increasingly choosing to take more short breaks, but going abroad remains a far popular choice.
In 2007, domestic trips taken purely for holiday purposes grew by 1% in volume and +5% in value, according to Visit Britain, but outbound tourism is outpacing this. In Europe, British consumers continue to be drawn by no-frills arlines giving them access to more routes at low prices, while the $ is currently a major pull to US shores.
New research by Halifax Travel Insurance found that short breaks to far-flung destinations are actually on the rise. A total of one-in-ten Brits are planning a so-called 'breakneck break' this year, flying at least seven hours for a holiday lasting less than a week. The number of such trips to the US increased 35% in 2007 according to the survey.
As the green movement evolves and sustainable tourism becomes more important, it will be interesting to see how many consumers will be willing to forfeit their overseas holidays to stay in the UK. Holidays are now much more of necessity for many consumers and with time a precious commodity, consumers what to make the most of their leisure time. The ever increasing range of cheap overseas options is bound to remain a major pull.
Some qualitative research by England Marketing in Spring 2007 revealed that sustainable tourism in the UK was still in its infancy. It found that being "responsible" is perceived by consumers as somewhat of an effort and luxury, although consumers believe it will become more a necessity over time.
Sources: Travelmole, VisitBritain, International Passenger Survey
