Comment by J.Skidmore: Resilient holidaymakers boost the industry

After what seems like an endless stream of bad news, the travel industry at last has something to cheer about.

New figures from the BAA show long-haul bookings are back up to pre-September 11 levels. Almost 3.9 million people travelled to and from destinations outside Europe through its seven airports, which include Heathrow and Gatwick, in July, a rise of 13 per cent on the same month last year. Short-haul traffic also rose, by 11 per cent year-on-year.

This may not seem like such a big deal. Short-haul travel has been on the rise for a while now, fuelled by the huge number of low cost flights.

But I believe the growth in long-haul traffic is far more significant because, for most people, it’s a bigger step into the unknown even though, as we were reminded by the hotel bombings in Istanbul, atrocities can happen anywhere.

Further encouraging news came from tour operators selling Bali; since the government lifted its ban on non-essential travel, bookings and enquiries have gone through the roof to an extent that there could well be a serious shortage of capacity unless Garuda Indonesia resumes its Gatwick-Bali services in Spring.

I believe the British public has developed a resilience which will not easily be shaken. It would be wrong to tempt fate, of course, and it’s still possible that a major event could put tourism back again. But there has been a sea change in the way people think.

They are used to the new world order and have decided to just get on with it.
As ABTA spokesman Keith Betton says: “We are a nation of professional holidaymakers and we know that things can happen anywhere. When there are bombs, there may be a short drop off in bookings, but it doesn’t last.”

Control Risks Group, the firm which advises other companies about travelling abroad, said people are now aware that the risk of terrorism has to be kept in context. It points out that far more people are involved in road accidents or are victims of crime while abroad than become caught up in terrorism.

Corinne Usher, a consultant psychologist, said she believed that because people work so hard, they see their holidays as an essential escape.

She also had some good news for the industry. She said people like to abdicate responsibility on holiday and enjoy the feeling of being looked after by tour operators.
With a bit of luck, operators will have more people to look after in the future.

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