United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
The travel package is ‘back and bigger than ever’
Concerns over exchange rates and Brexit are underlining trust in package holidays as travellers look for ‘locked-in’ prices and industry protection.
Research by Malvern Group also suggests the traditional package holiday is widening, with more consumers keener than ever to book all travel elements in one place.
Among the 2,000 consumers polled 47% have either booked, or plan to book, a package holiday in 2019 based on the advantage of financial protection and the ease of booking everything in one place (also 47%) as their main reasons for opting for a package holiday.
The YouGov poll for Malvern Group, which is the parent company of LateRooms.com. Super Break and Malvern Travel Technology, showed that the days of standard accommodation and flights package bundles appear to be on the decline.
Consumers now want a broader choice of options and experiences under one booking facility.
While two thirds of consumers still opt for the ‘classic travel bundle’ of accommodation (67%) and flights (65%), over a third (36%) of respondents expressed a demand for bus travel (from the airport and/or around the destination) to also be included in packaging a trip, closely followed by train travel (32%).
The survey also found a clear appetite for modern packaging to include the booking of experiences and activities too, with almost one in five (19%) also expressing a wish for restaurant bookings to be included in their bundles.
Almost a fifth (17%) said they’d like museums/attractions options and 10% said they would like theatre/shows tickets to be included in their booking.
This reflects recent findings by AITO’s 2018 annual survey, which revealed ‘culture, arts and history trips’ are now the number one travel experience sector for UK consumers.
Technology is spearheading travel bookings with 63% using digital platforms. The PC or laptop is still most widely used to book, popular among 39% of respondents. Smart phones are used by 12% of respondents, while the same percentage uses a tablet.
Only 6% of those surveyed book in store via a travel agent.
Malvern Group executive chairman Hugo Kimber said: "This new survey supports our own research that customers are looking for more choice and in one place."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel