INDUSTRY FORUM:IRISH CONSUMERS are determined to get the best deals and squeeze as much value for money as possible from their holiday providers. Speaking at an industry lunch this week, Stephen Rice of Ebookers Ireland was positive about the year to come.
Despite a general consensus that travel is down nearly 40 per cent since the end of 2008, the atmosphere was upbeat among the 90 travel-industry and media professionals who met to discuss the months ahead.
People are no longer booking summer holidays in January and February, and this spring and summer are expected to continue the trend of booking cut-price deals to travel on the spur of the moment – even to Australia, according to Neil Horgan, managing director of Abbey Travel.
Announcing the results of an online survey commissioned by Ebookers, Rice said that at the end of 2008, 95 per cent of respondents intended to take a holiday in 2009, although nearly a fifth planned to go to a cheaper destination than usual. Two-thirds were planning more than one break. Just 5 per cent said they intended taking a holiday within Ireland.
Rice is aware that results of the survey, which was conducted two months ago, could be slightly different if the questions were asked today. But he believes that Irish people, despite being worried by the economic situation, will continue going on holiday and regard travel as a necessity rather than a luxury.
“Respondents spent an average of €3,150 on travel last year, a 13 per cent decrease on the figure for 2007 but still a significant percentage of the average salary,” he said.
The most visited destinations for the Irish during 2008 were London, New York and Paris. Malaga, in Spain, topped the list for family holidays.