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consumer intention to take a holiday abroad. Rennie said: “Overall confidence at
69% is still higher than last year. We still see a more confident consumer.” However, the First Rate report noted:
“Despite continuing growth in survey respondents’ confidence about the UK economy, there has been only a marginal improvement to confidence in their own financial circumstances.” Rennie said the findings “largely chimed with other indicators of consumer confidence”. “People’s views of the macro-economic situation have improved, but there is a lack of perceived improvement in people’s financial circumstances,” he added. “The economy is going great guns but the metrics that drive intention to book holidays – job security and personal finances – are largely flat.” First Rate suggested concerns about the cost of holidays might also be part of the reason. It noted: “Almost a quarter of consumers expect the cost of booking a holiday to rise in the coming year.” At the same time, slightly fewer people appear to believe trips abroad are good value for money – 52% in the latest survey against 54% in March. However, First Rate noted: “Overall, the holiday market looks stable…More than half of consumers (56%) intend to holiday abroad and 54% have booked their first trip. The number who said they would cut other spending to afford a trip abroad this year has risen.” Among consumers who holidayed
abroad in the past year and intended to travel in the coming 12 months, “there have been small increases in those planning to take more holidays and those intending to take longer trips”. Almost one in five anticipates spending more while abroad. First Rate will carry out its next survey
in September, when Rennie believes talk of rising interest rates could be reflected in confidence levels. He said: “We’ll ask about the impact on intention to travel on the threat to raise interest rates.” ● YouGov surveyed 5,052 adults on June 2 on behalf of First Rate; 2,215 had taken an overseas holiday in the preceding year.
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travelweekly.co.uk — 17 July 2014
travelweeklybusiness
BRITAIN IS FALLING BEHIND COMPETITORS DUE TO ‘LACK OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP’
Phil Davis
Thomas Cook chief executive Harriet Green was among 50 business chiefs who attacked the government’s aviation policy, accusing ministers of a “lack of political leadership”. They said it is “unacceptable” that the
government has not responded to the Airports Commission’s key recommendation that at least one new runway is needed in southeast England. In a letter to the Sunday Times, the business chiefs said the issue “must be addressed with urgency”. They described the airports issue as “one
of strategic national importance”. “Six months have passed since the commission made its interim report, and the lack of an official government response looks like wavering,” the letter states. “Political procrastination on a decision to build new runways is strangling the long-term growth potential of the British economy.
GATWICK BOSS PUSHES EXPANSION AFTER 5.5% RISE
The boss of Gatwick has restated the airport’s case for a second runway after revealing a 5.5% increase in passengers handled in June to more than 3.6 million. The airport saw a record 36.6 million passengers in the 12-month period to June. New routes to Paris, Brussels and
Amsterdam boosted traffic alongside growth to cities including Copenhagen and Rome. The average proportion of business
travellers using Gatwick is more than 20% a month, while overseas corporate passengers accounted for 8.1% of the June total. Traffic to high growth markets continued
to perform well, with increased frequencies to Turkey translating into a 20% year-on- year uplift on traffic to Istanbul in June. Long-haul routes saw growth of 7.1% or 27,900 passengers, as Gatwick attracted traffic to emerging economies such as Vietnam.
Harriet Green is part of a group that says ‘runway matter is urgent’
“More than 20 emerging market destinations are served by daily flights from other European cities, but not from London. “It is lack of political leadership that is
causing Britain’s international connectivity to fall behind our competitors.” Their letter comes as it emerged that a consensus is growing among senior Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians that expanding Gatwick is the only feasible option, the newspaper reported.
Domestic traffic dropped by 2.3% and
European charter business was down by 6.8% to 482,000. Chief executive Stewart Wingate said: “Gatwick continues to successfully compete for business and leisure traffic, increasing passenger numbers and market share at record levels. “A two-runway Gatwick would ensure a competitive market for the next generation, where all passengers have more choice and the UK is provided with the essential air links it needs to both established and emerging markets.”
Expansion: ‘A two- runway Gatwick would provide for the next generation’
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