LONDON, U.K. – 29 November, 2010 – TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel site*, today announces the results of its annual Travel Trends Survey of over 6,200 European travellers, and forecasts a more optimistic 2011, despite mixed feeling from British travellers.
“Overall, 2011 looks more positive for both travellers and the travel industry,” comments Emma O’Boyle, TripAdvisor spokesperson. “Britons intend to travel more often and will spend more money doing so, but will proceed with caution as the industry emerges slowly from a very difficult year.”
FOREIGN TRAVEL FORECAST
TripAdvisor’s Travel Trends Survey reveals that 2011 will see Britons travel more, with a significant number (66%) of people planning to take a long-haul holiday. Only a third of Brits are planning a stay-at-home holiday next year, marking the possible demise of the ‘staycation’ trend which has dominated the last few years.
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One in 10 Brits are planning to travel more on holiday in 2011 than they did this year
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Two-thirds (66%) of Brits are planning at least one long-haul holiday in 2011
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Just 38% of Brits are planning a staycation in 2011, compared to 45% in 2010
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Over two-thirds (67%) are planning at least one domestic holiday, a slight decrease from 73% in 2010
2010: A YEAR OF AIR TRAVEL ANXIETIES
The devastating earthquakes in China, Haiti and Indonesia this year have had an impact on our psyche – but despite a threefold increase from a year ago, national disasters affecting travel plans are only a concern for 6% of British travellers.”
Other issues concerning British travellers this year:
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A brand new travel issue to emerge since last year’s survey is volcanic ash – 15% of Brits admit they are worried about this disrupting their 2011 travel plans
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A third (31%) are fearful of further strikes affecting the travel plans
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Concerns over rises in APD, the air travel tax, are likely to afcect the travel plans of over a quarter (28%) of Brits
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Following the recent high profile collapses of travel firms including Goldtrail and Kiss Flights over a quarter (26%) are worried about travel companies going bust
But all this uncertainty in the travel industry is good news for travel insurance companies - over a quarter (28%) of Brits admit they are more likely to buy travel insurance
in 2011 than this year.
CAUTIOUSLY CONFIDENT BUT A FEW WILL SPLASH THE CASH
Despite Government austerity cuts and fears of a double-dip recession, the general mood of the nation when it comes to holiday spend is more positive than a year ago:
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Over a third (36%) of Brits think they’ll spend more on their holidays in 2011 than they did in 2010
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A third (32%) plan to spend between £2,000-£4,000 in total on leisure travel in 2011
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An extravagant 14% of Brits intend to spend over £8,000 on travel in 2011
FLYING FRUSTRATIONS
Security breaches, bomb scares, full body scanners and inconsistent airport rules have all contributed to travellers feeling increasingly frustrated and confused with air travel over the last 12 months. The TripAdvisor 2011 Travel Trends Survey also reveals:
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14% of Brits have had items confiscated or had to re-pack bags at an airport this year
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Almost a fifth (17%) of Europeans (14% of Brits) admit that confusing baggage rules will affect their holiday planning in 2011
BRITS WEAKEN OVER GREEN TRAVEL
Brits’ best environmental intentions have weakened in the last 12 months - 14% of Brits planned to be more environmentally conscious in their travels in 2010, compared to just 10% now.
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Nine out of ten (90%) Brits admit they do not think they will be more environmentally conscious with their travel plans in 2011
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83% of Brits neither plan to fly or drive less for their holidays in 2011, compared to the EU average of 64%.
“Although economically British travellers are more confident for the year ahead, it’s still been a turbulent time for the travel industry with strikes, volcanic ash and airport security issues. With all these aviation anxieties it’s perhaps no surprise that environmental concerns are now an even lower priority for British travellers,” concludes Emma O’Boyle.
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Notes to editors
6,295 travellers – including 902 Britons – took part in the TripAdvisor Travel Trends survey (November 2010)
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For further information please contact
Laurel Greatrix
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