04-07 market focus 27/10/08 15:13 Page 6
Market Knowledge
most tourism officials predict that a charge of Airways has gone up to 11 flights a week to
perhaps $5 or $10 will be introduced before too Orlando and Virgin Atlantic has maintained
long. “I think there will be a charge somewhere capacity,” he stresses.
down the line because, unlike many other “The only thing that has dropped is charter
countries, the US does not have any entry levy on capacity because of the mergers of the big four
air ticket prices,” says Bommarito. operators. The balance is probably about right
Promotion of the US has already been stepped now. Florida is still seen as great value for money.
up with TIA’s launch of the first official travel and As long as the exchange rate is good, it will
tourism website covering the whole of the country. continue to present itself as an alternative
The number of monthly hits on DiscoverAmerica.com destination to Spain.”
passed the 100,000 mark within a few weeks Bond also believes that Orlando will get a major
of its launch in May. TIA hopes this figure will boost in 2010 when the Wizarding World of Harry
increase to more than 500,000 a month by the Potter opens as “a park within a park” at
end of next year. Universal’s Islands of Adventure. “It is going to be
an absolutely massive attraction and will be yet
ATTRACTING FAMILIES another reason for people to go to Orlando,” says
Meanwhile, with the US domestic market also Bond. “It’s very important that the theme parks
facing tricky times, hoteliers and other suppliers continue to develop their product. We have
are increasingly turning to international business already had the opening of SeaWorld’s Aquatica
to make up for any slack. That means plenty of park and the Simpsons Ride at Universal this year
value-added deals for 2009. but Harry Potter will be even bigger.”
“Hoteliers in the US have always been pretty
aggressive with their offers, but areas such as
Florida are trying even harder to compete for the
family market,” says Premier Holidays product
manager Heidi Blades. “More hotels are coming up
with deals such as free breakfasts, room upgrades John Spicer,
and sixth or seventh nights free.” Spicer Travel, Glan Conwy, North Wales
Orlando, which accounts for about one in five of I have not found business to the US as buoyant as
all UK visitors to the US, may feel the pinch more in recent years. A lot is to do with the economic
than most next year because of its heavy reliance climate, but many people are not fond of being
on the family market. Angus Bond, head of US interrogated when they enter a country on holiday.
product for Virgin Holidays, believes New Year That is still a bit of a barrier when selling the US. I
bookings will be the “litmus test” for Florida. think the presidential election will help a lot. Once
“People want value for money. That does not Bush has gone, people will see that the US is not
necessarily mean they are looking for a low price, so threatening. It’s such a shame it has had that
but they want to feel they are getting their image because it is such great value for money.
money’s worth. With the domestic market to
Florida beginning to slow down, hotels are looking Paul Dayson,
even more to the international market. As a result, Spa Travel, Boston Spa, West Yorkshire
we are getting better offers.” The US is popular because of the weak dollar. We
Colin Brodie, Visit Florida’s UK director, expects are doing a lot of bookings to Florida, but business
the number of UK visitors to the Sunshine State to to New England, California, Tennessee and the
increase by two or three per cent this year from Carolinas is also growing. People are not going for
the 2007 total of 1.4 million. Despite the economic the cheapest deals, either – the exchange rate
slump, he hopes for “a slight increase” in 2009. He means they are trading up. The strong euro also
points to the number of flights to Florida as a sign makes it possible to switch-sell from Europe once
of confidence in the destination. “When times are you explain they will get much more for their money
bad, airlines are not going to throw capacity into in the US. Cruises from the US are also doing well
destinations that are costly to fly to – yet British as everything onboard is priced in dollars.
6
TTG Knowledge USA October 2008
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