Packyourbags.com, a leading online travel agent specialising in package holiday deals and cheap flights, believes that the economic downtown will affect the market for package holidays in 2009. Sales Manager Jemima Needham said, "It simply not true that the travel industry is recession proof. With some people losing their jobs, and others worried about job security, all areas of the economy are inevitably hit. However, it is true that people still value their holidays; and whilst we are likely to see budgets tighten this year we still expect a strong market for travel as people look for a haven in the sun, away from their day-to-day lives."…
Packyourbags.com, a leading online travel agent specialising in package holiday deals and cheap flights, believes that the economic downtown will affect the market for package holidays in 2009. Sales Manager Jemima Needham said, "It simply not true that the travel industry is recession proof. With some people losing their jobs, and others worried about job security, all areas of the economy are inevitably hit. However, it is true that people still value their holidays; and whilst we are likely to see budgets tighten this year we still expect a strong market for travel as people look for a haven in the sun, away from their day-to-day lives."
"We also expect to see an increase in online bookings," Needham goes on to explain. "More and more holiday-makers are now confident in researching and booking their holidays online. So while the high street travel agents lose out, we will continue to see growth in this area of the market."
Needham also thought there would be fewer ‘late booking’ deals this year. "Last year the collapse of some tour operators saw competitors increasing their prices, taking advantage of the thousands of holiday-makers left in the lurch. This meant there were fewer late deals available. This year we expect people will book early, not only to guarantee their getaway but also to take advantage of paying off the holiday over a number of weeks. It’s now possible to pay a small deposit, and then pay the balance anything up to 12 weeks before departure."
Needham also believes the economic climate will affect the destinations that holiday-makers are considering. "As many people look for cheap holidays in Spain, it means that the prices of holidays in Greece will come down so that they remain competitive. We also expect to see an increase in bookings to UK resorts and holiday parks."
Needham has two pieces of advice for people booking their holidays for 2009. "First of all, always make sure your agent or operator is ABTA and ATOL bonded. Secondly, don’t gamble on cheap holiday deals in 2009. You may get lucky, but you may miss out completely. At Packyourbags.com we’re happy to help you find the holiday you want at the price you can afford."
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
