p14 news mar20 18/3/09 21:08 Page 14
news booking statistics
ttglive.com
The industry’s compiler of sales figures, Ascent-MI, offers firms
up-to-the-minute data. As it starts an exclusive trade media
Families down,
partnership with TTG, Lee Hayhurst spoke to its chief executive
agent share up
Why market data
FAMILY holidays are declining as a proportion
of overall sales but more bookings are coming
through travel agents, according to the latest
is so ‘invaluable’
Ascent-MI analysis.
Family summer 2009 passenger volumes are
down 16% and the proportion compared with
adult-only bookings is 37:63 in favour of the
latter, down from 40:60 for summer last year.
NO BUSINESS can operate brands in 36 countries. However, travel agents have seen a three
successfully without access “The level of data sophis- percentage point swing in their favour in their
to reliable market data – or tication was such that they share of family bookings on last year.
so you would have thought. could determine what was Agents have made 63% of summer family
The travel industry has an industry problem, a bookings to date, which Ascent believes is down
something of a chequered country problem or a deal- to the general lack of security people are feeling
history in this respect, ership problem,” she said. after the demise of XL Leisure Group.
a reputation Ascent-MI, the “The car industry spends An increase in bookings for between five and
industry’s officially recog- millions on this because it is 10 people (now 41% of all passengers) suggests
nised research company, is so keen to spot trends and a rise in multi-generational holidays.
determined to change. limit weaknesses.” Further evidence that families are feeling the
Ascent-MI chief executive Ascent-MI is the successor pinch is the 21% decline in 14-night holidays sold.
Sarah Smalley (pictured) to ACNielsen, which used to Holidaymakers are thought to be trading down
agrees travel is entrepreneur- provide a similar service but to shorter durations. Tui Travel said this week it
ial but says doing business exited travel after support had seen an increase in 11-night holiday sales but
on instinct alone can be risky, from the then big four added that it made the same amount on these as
particularly in today’s climate. dropped off: the big four had concerns including longer 14-night trips.
“There are a lot of people who have made a cost and how the data was transparent, allowing All-inclusive bookings account for one in three
lot of money in this industry – but it’s telling that competitors to see exactly how a rival was doing. of all family bookings (32%, up from 26% in the
there is a dominant big two,” she said. The data was also widely shared within the previous two summers) and is the only holiday
“People do have instinct and it’s fantastic that industry and the media, and companies not type growing in the family sector. Self-catering is
many organisations have been able to operate providing data were allowed to buy the reports. down 27%.
on that basis, but the market has changed. Ascent-MI believes its service has addressed Sarah Smalley, Ascent-MI chief executive, said:
“It’s easy now to put on a new destination, or these issues and is looking to expand its reach. “The most significant thing is that the family
to move a cruise ship, but having the confidence It hopes firms currently not using the service, market is performing worse than the overall
that the spend is worthwhile is very powerful.” such as Kuoni and Virgin Holidays, will see market,” she said. “But there has been a swing
The power of the data Ascent provides has the benefits. And it hopes to expand to cover to agents, not a massive swing, but a swing
seen the likes of GlaxoSmithKline use it to explain accommodation-only, cruise and airlines. nonetheless. They should take every opportunity
why sales of anti-malarial drugs were down, and Tim Williamson, Tui Travel customer director, to leap on that and go for the jugular.”
Nivea to get an insight into the market for suntan said he would like to see the service extended.
lotion, but many travel firms are still not using it. “When Ascent was set up it was a great
Smalley, who used to work for ACNielsen, also opportunity to get what we wanted,” he said.
has experience of the European car industry, for “For the smaller guys who don’t have market
which she set up a research project covering 21 intelligence, what Ascent has is invaluable.” Spain has
About Ascent MI and any week’s data is available by the following 40%
40% of the
family market
Ascent MI was set up in January 2007 after the Tuesday. share
big four and the Federation of Tour Operators Figures can be broken down in a number of
tendered for the service. ways, including by customer type (eg family), Top three family destinations for
It offers a variety of services, from an annual destination, type of holiday (self-catering etc) summer 2009 bookings to date:
Leisure Travel Monitor report to bespoke and duration.
consultancy services with daily, weekly and Sales figures are currently supplied by Tui Family market share Family market growth
monthly sales data available. Travel and Thomas Cook, plus
lastminute.com Spain 40% Turkey 21%
Ascent’s week runs from Sunday to Saturday and 55% of Abta agents. Turkey 15% Egypt 17%
Greece 10%
14 20.03.2009
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