US hails rebound in UK visitors Robin Searle


US industry leaders have hailed an ongoing rebound in UK visitor numbers, with some predicting a return to pre-pandemic levels as soon as next year. Speaking in the build-up to Brand


USA Travel Week in London this week, the marketing organisation’s chief executive Chris Thompson said he anticipated a full recovery by early 2025, if not by the end of 2024. Official forecasts released last year


predicted 3.8 million UK visitors would cross the Atlantic this year, a figure Thompson is confident of achieving with 2.5 million arrivals recorded between January and August.


He said his optimism is


underpinned by the rapid return of air capacity from the UK, including established and new routes, adding: “I don’t know that we’ll get to 100% [of pre-pandemic] capacity by the end of this year, but we’re going to be pretty darn close.” Fred Dixon, chief executive of NYC


Tourism + Conventions, said the city was on track to exceed one million UK visitors this year and expects to surpass pre-pandemic numbers in 2024. His positivity was echoed by


Elliott Ferguson, chief executive of Destination DC, and Joe D’Alessandro, his counterpart at San Francisco Travel, who hailed the return of non- stop air routes to their respective cities.


Atas: Value of trade sales 38% more than direct


Samantha Mayling


Bookings made by agents are “substantially” higher in value than those made direct with members of the Association of Touring & Adventure Suppliers (Atas). Claire Brighton, Atas director, said


the average booking for trade sales this year is £3,820, compared with £2,660 direct – a difference of 43%. The figures came from a data


project with Atas suppliers, produced in partnership with Radar. Brighton unveiled the findings


6 19 OCTOBER 2023


at last week’s Atas Conference in Liverpool. She also said the average commission earned per booking was £750-£800. Zina Bencheikh, Atas chair and


EMEA managing director at Intrepid Travel – speaking via video from Morocco – said sales were up 23% on 2022, with booking numbers up 20% and passenger carryings up 15%. The chief executive of youth


specialist Contiki urged agents to take advantage of “lucrative” earning opportunities by booking more touring and adventure holidays


I don’t know that


we’ll get to 100% [of pre-pandemic] capacity this year, but we’re going to be pretty close


Casandra Matej, chief executive


of Visit Orlando, said the city expects the UK market to reach around 85% of pre-pandemic levels in 2024, with all speakers noting inflationary price pressures as the main barrier. Thompson said Brand USA


continued to invest in consumer marketing, with a new brand campaign due to be unveiled next year


and updated activity due to launch for the January peaks in the interim. The organisation is also due to


introduce a mobile-friendly version of its USA Discovery agent training programme alongside established trade activity including its Megafam and UK-based events. Thompson said: “I think the team


has done a great job of continuing to evolve the [training] product. It will make access to the programme much easier and allow [agents] to use those resources in the most effective way.” On overcoming cost-of-living


pressures, he added: “The value proposition the US can offer, and the diversity of product, are the biggest selling points we have.”


Claire Brighton at the Atas Conference


for younger travellers. Adam Armstrong said: “Agents do a better job with the selling proposition than we do as they can match the passenger to the brand. “Our cancellation rate is much


higher with direct bookings.” Other Atas findings showed


how January and February are key booking months for touring and adventure clients, so Brighton urged agents to factor that into their marketing campaigns. Shoulder seasons are “key”, she


added, as the top touring months are


May, September and October. Almost a third (31%) of Atas


member sales in 2023 have been for European destinations, with agents taking a bigger share of the market. Asia has rebounded, “easily


surpassing” 2022 levels and heading towards pre-Covid levels. South and Central America


are “well ahead” of 2022, despite challenges in Peru, Brighton noted. North America is looking “really strong”, while booking volumes for


Africa have exceeded 2022. i Atas Conference, page 14


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Sarah Lucy Brown


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