Carrick attacks convention content

Hoseasons chief executive Richard Carrick has attacked the content of the sessions at the ABTA Travel Convention, claiming they are ignoring the UK market.

Carrick predicted domestic holidays would grow in popularity with the credit crunch and said it was a golden opportunity for travel agents to increase their earnings.

Referring to Monday´s session, “Innovation begins at home”, by PricewaterhouseCoopers partner Malcolm Preston, Carrick said: “Yet again a survey failed to mention holidays taken in Britain.

“There has been a growth in multiple holidays taken and this year we will be 3 – 3.5 per cent up in volume terms.

“At Hoseasons, for 2009 we are already more than 5 per cent ahead of where we were last year, with cottages enjoying double digit growth, and it is conceivable the UK will have its best ever year next year.

“People will still want to go on holiday but they are likely to take short breaks closer to home, as and when they know they can afford it. It will be a case of ´pack up the car and go´. This benefits the UK market as it is well placed to deliver this kind of experience.

“Agents have the single biggest opportunity of all time next year. We´ll work as closely with them as we always do and it´s an enormous opportunity for them to fill their boots. I hope they do”

Carrick admitted he was frustrated that agents so far hadn´t  got behind UK holidays.

“So far they haven´t done and it´s hard to see why,” he said. “They have the technology and the commission levels to make it worth their while.”

Carrick said next year the prices of UK holidays would remain pretty flat, while overseas trips are expected to be on average 10-12 per cent more expensive.

Hoseasons has a new ´Great Sporting Escape´programme and he predicted it would be the largest provider of sporting holidays by the time of the London Olympics in 2012.

“People are not just booking a park and wanting a unit of accommodation. They are seeing what activities there are and choosing their holiday on that basis.”

Carrick added that its “Sex and the City” breaks, featuring city centre apartments, and upmarket “Autograph” programme of lodge holidays were selling strongly. However, he admitted bookings were coming in late.

“We are very much last minute and do lots of e-mail shots and e-marketing. In any one week, 30 per cent of our bookings are for the next weekend.”

*See linked British seaside towns story.

By Jeremy Skidmore