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Welsh tourism
Brits take more holidays at home
UK residents continue to boost 'staycation' numbers due to weak pound
still on the up
By Martin Nash
A third of operators report-
VisitEngland has released figures from the
ing increases in business
United Kingdom Tourism Survey showing
that holiday trips taken by UK residents in
England in the first quarter of 2009 have
Alun FFred
increased by 13 per cent.
Jones is
The figure equates to 1.2m more holiday
Welsh Assembly
trips and over five million extra nights'
Government
holiday taken, when compared with the
minister
same period during 2008.
for Tourism
While overall trips, including business
and visiting friends and family, from the
January to April period have remained at a
T
he results of a tourism business stable 27 million, the holiday sector has Brits have opted to stay at home this year
survey conducted by Visit Wales benefited from Brits choosing to take their
have revealed that the Welsh breaks close to home this year. from Britain is down 18 per cent over the
tourism industry enjoyed a successful James Berresford, chief executive of same period – the results are encouraging.
summer period despite the bad weather VisitEngland, said that after much specula- "Time will tell if the trend continues
and economic downturn. tion and expectation about 2009 being the throughout the summer, but these early
Of the 200 businesses which were year to holiday at home – with ONS indications that people are rediscovering
surveyed following the August bank statistics confirming that outbound travel holidays in England is welcome news."
holiday, 39 per cent reported an
increase in their guest/visitor numbers
for the period June to August and a
XL failure to increase prices of holidays
further 42 per cent achieved the same
level of business as last year – while By Tom Walker
only 19 per cent reported a decrease.
The main reason for the success was The Air Travel Trust Fund (ATTF) is to
reported to be more people staying in introduce an additional £1.50 levy on all
the UK. The caravan and camping package holidays in October.
sector performed the best out of the ATTF, which pays for the industry’s ATOL
accommodation sectors, with more than compensation scheme, has been forced into
a half reporting an increase in numbers. the move after it had to dish out nearly
The trend to book at the last minute £29m in order to repatriate customers of the
has continued over the summer months. failed XL Leisure travel company last year.
34 per cent reported more last minute In total, ATTF paid out £36m in compen-
bookings. Further evidence of the sation during the year, pushing the fund to
affect of the economic situation is that a deficit of £46.5m. It is expected holiday
36 per cent reported that visitors are Package holidays face a £1.50 extra levy providers will pass on the cost to consumers.
spending slightly less. The general
consensus is that people are cutting
their spending on food and drink.
Network Rail unveils high speed proposals
It's also interesting to note that
20 per cent of those surveyed identified Plans for a new £34bn high-speed the UK after the construction of the
repeat business as a reason for an railway link between London and Channel Tunnel link between Folkestone
increase in business. Scotland have been unveiled by Network and London St Pancras.
However, confidence for the autumn Rail in a bid to meet an expected Travelling at speeds up to 200mph,
season is not particularly high increase in demand over the next decade. Network Rail expects the new service to
considering how good the summer has The High Speed 2 scheme, which will reduce journey times from London to
been. This is because advance bookings slash journey times between the capital, Birmingham to 46 minutes, while
for the autumn are down, and operators the Midlands, the North West and journey times will be halved to both
are once again relying on an influx of Glasgow, will be the second of its kind in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
last minute bookings.
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