p10-11 June5 3/6/09 22:26 Page 11
ttglive.com
in-depth
UK WEATHER.
Clouds have
a silver lining
SOME UK specialists say the
predicted long, hot UK summer
could be bad for their businesses.
Superbreak sales director Ian
Mounser said he was hoping for
changeable summer weather rather than
weeks of uninterrupted sunshine.
“The main two reasons we don’t want it
are because people won’t come to London to sit
in a theatre if it’s 85F, and more people will just
stay at home and have a barbecue,” he said.
“Also, if it’s too hot people won’t be in agents
looking to go overseas; I don’t care why people
are in agencies, if they are in there, I’m happy.”
Bicester Village senior tourism manager
Helen Peters agreed that constant sun would
be bad for her business too.
“We don’t want extremes and we don’t want
our weather forecasters getting too accurate
because if they do people will plan ahead to
take advantage of that. Uncertainty is good.”
VISITENGLAND. ABTA.
Bourne Leisure’s Allan Lambert said: “We
‘Rank UK with
Abta admits: We
have operated successfully for 40 years and
spent hundreds of millions of pounds on largely
weatherproof facilities, so whatever the
Dubai or Rome’
could do more weather people can have fun.”
VisitEngland’s Stuart Heath added: “We are
OUTGOING Abta head of development Andy geared up for all kinds of weather.
DOMESTIC holidaymakers should be encouraged Cooper is to conduct a review of how the “The climate here has made this country
to regard domestic breaks as proper holidays, association can better promote UK holidays. what it is. If it wasn’t for the mix we wouldn’t
rather than just the equivalent of a visit to Ikea, The trade body wants to do more to support have this landscape – which is such an
said Stuart Heath, marketing manager for new the domestic market but many UK operators important selling point.”
tourism body VisitEngland. are not members.
He said UK holidays were often undervalued Cooper will write a report on how he believes
Hits and myths the panel’s view
because some people didn’t feel they were Abta could improve its service in the sector.
going away if they didn’t board a plane or ship. Public relations manager Frances Tuke said: Domestic myths...
“The key is to get everyone excited about UK “We have held back in PR because UK compa- ■ Agents can’t sell domestic breaks
breaks and into the habit of planning them nies are not members. We believe there is a lot ■ Domestic breaks are difficult to sell
more,” he said. we could do and services we could provide. ■ There’s no money in UK holidays
“Agents could really benefit from that change “Agents and operators need to understand ■ The weather puts people off
in attitude.” what they get out of the ■ The quality is not good enough
Superbreak sales director relationship with Abta.”
Ian Mounser stressed the She said she felt that agents, …and why domestic is bliss
importance of treating the UK operators and hotels in the UK ■ Low complaints ratios
like any other destination. did not have the sort of estab- ■ High satisfaction scores
“Places like Edinburgh and lished relationship as existed ■ Low transaction costs
London should be placed in destinations such as Spain. ■ Domestic customers also go abroad
alongside Dubai and Rome, Abta’s bonding requirements (and vice-versa)
but I know a lot of agents don’t are a barrier to membership ■ No language or exchange rate issues
do this,” he said. for many domestic operators.
05.06.2009 11
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