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According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Travel & Tourism Industries travel trade barometer program, the United Kingdom bookings to the United States ended 2008 on a positive note, countering the trend of declines registered from other countries in fourth quarter 2008. United Kingdom tour operators reported (as of January/February 2009) that 2008 bookings were up one to three percent compared to 2007.
First Quarter 2009 bookings flat to slightly lower
United Kingdom tour operators reported that bookings to the United States for the first quarter 2009 were to be slightly lower bookings in the first quarter 2008. In contrast, 60 percent of trade reported a decrease in bookings. At the same time, almost one-fifth (20%) of the trade projected increases.
Second Quarter 2009 bookings flat to slightly lower
United Kingdom bookings for the second quarter 2009 (at the time of the January/February 2009 survey) were also reported to be lower than bookings in the second quarter 2008. During this quarter, 56 percent of the trade reported a decrease in bookings, and 16% of the respondents reported much lower bookings for the quarter.
- Actual United Kingdom arrivals to the US: Annual 2008 and Fourth Quarter 2008 Actual annual 2008 arrivals from the United Kingdom totaled 4.6 million, increasing over one percent when compared to 2007.
- Fourth quarter 2008 arrivals from the United Kingdom totaled 1.1 million, down 11 percent compared to fourth quarter 2007.
- In October 2008, United Kingdom arrivals totaled 435,349, down five percent when compared to October 2007.
- Visitation slowed in November 2008, totaling only 327,551, decreasing 14 percent when compared to November 2007.
- In December 2008, arrivals from the United Kingdom were 356,221, down nearly 14 percent when compared to December 2007.
Implications for differences
- Travel operators’ bookings data primarily reflect leisure travel.
- OTTI’s reporting of total arrivals includes visitors to the United States on a package as well as those traveling independently. It includes business travelers, leisure travelers, those visiting friends and relatives, and students in the country less than a year.
- Further analysis of actual United Kingdom arrivals to the United States reveals larger declines in business travel than in leisure visitors which attributed to overall visitation declines in the last quarter of 2008 and the first part of 2009.
- The Barometer respondent mix changed in 2008 with an increase in online booking operators, thus potentially affecting comparative results to the previous year.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
