TRAVEL MATTERS
‘Trump slump’ sees holidaymakers turning their backs on the USA
The USA has consistently remained one of the most popular holiday destinations for travellers from the UK even during times of recession and worldwide political unrest. However, the past year has seen a marked decline in visitor numbers to most areas of the USA with only a few exceptions. Although this cannot be entirely attributed to the ‘Trump Slump’ (with the exchange rate undoubtedly a contributory factor), figures do suggest that the downward trend began at roughly the same time that the new President took office. Only the cities of Houston and Denver have witnessed an annual increase in visitor numbers with Philadelphia, San Francisco, Orlando, Las Vegas and Washington seeing the largest decline in people visiting for either business or leisure reasons. Houston’s popularity actually surged with a 46% increase in the number of visitors. This level of popularity increase sounds surprising until you analyse the figures in detail and discover that the Houston area currently has the fastest growing economy in the USA and benefits greatly from it’s booming oil production and proximity to Mexico. This would therefore lead us to assume that visits to this area are generally more business, rather than leisure, orientated. The exchange rate (and more specifically the weakness of Sterling against the Dollar) has without question had a negative influence on visitor numbers to the popular tourist areas of Orlando, San Francisco and Las Vegas. This is particularly the case with Florida; a long-term popular family holiday destination, at a time when families in the UK are still feeling financially ‘squeezed’. New York remains the most popular destination overall, despite suffering from a reduction in visitors along with many other cities. Tourists appear to have been lost to other worldwide city break destinations such as Barcelona, Rome, Dubai and even Bangkok. Dubai remains popular but appears to have peaked in 2016, with overall visitor numbers to the Emirates seeing a significant reduction in 2017. Australia appears to have been the main beneficiary of a slump in demand for people not wanting to visit the USA, with all of their key cities in 2017 seeing a rise in inbound tourism. Tours and multi-centre holidays, in particular, witnessed the largest increase in popularity throughout 2017 and the England cricket tour at the tail end of the year resulted in many hotels and venues boasting record occupancies. Turning the focus a little closer to home, Turkey appears
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The Plymouth Magazine February 2018
to be seeing a significant revival after several years of falling popularity due to political instability, with 2017 bookings 70% up on the previous year! With good quality all inclusive products on offer at more competitive prices than Spain, Portugal and Greece, there are very positive signs that Turkish resorts are in for a bumper year. Spain and its islands are still as popular as ever but with prices still increasing year on year, Greece is now showing itself as a more affordable alternative for many. Visitor numbers to long haul destinations in the Caribbean and Central America were also hit due to a series of hurricanes and extreme storms last year but demand is now beginning to increase again. Looking ahead to 2018, the island of Mauritius is proving to be a key player and an increasing popular choice for tourists looking to venture further afield in search of an exotic climate. Situated in the Indian Ocean and a direct 11-hour flight from London, luxury getaways are available to Mauritius at significantly more attractive prices than those to The Seychelles or The Maldives, which are considered to be the main rivals for a dream honeymoon or special anniversary break. As travel agents, our main role has always been to help our clients find the perfect holiday to suit their requirements and budget. However, recent years have seen our tasks and service levels develop as an increasing number of aspects need to be considered when packaging a dream holiday. We need to ensure that we have offered our clients the full range of optional extras, checked that suitable travel insurance cover is in place and all entry requirements (Visas) have been adhered to. Making sure that customers have the correct luggage allowance and pre-booked seats is an important part of the holiday yet relatively straight forward. Checking the rules and regulations regarding Visas can however be more complex and it is essential to get this right from the outset as obtaining the correct Visas is not always a simple process and can be very expensive. For example for anyone who chooses to visit Russia at the moment, the procedure for Visa application and process involves a visit to the Russian Embassy in London. However it is possible to avoid the need for a Visa when visiting Russia as part of a cruise; you can take advantage of the group visa when booking excursions from the ship. The ability to use group visas for travellers on cruises can save a great deal of time and money, particularly if your itinerary includes numerous calls to different countries but it should be noted that not all destinations will accept this as conforming