Demand for leisuretravel drops
SEVERAL South African tour
operators have reported static or
declining demand for leisure travel
to the UK, while others report a change
in travel patterns.
Megan D’Arcy, Comair Travel product
manager for Europe, USA, cruising
and tourism, says Holiday Tours has
not seen much of an uptake from the
leisure market to the UK.
“The reason for this is a combination
of the costly visa, the extremely high
rate of exchange, and VFR traffic,
which impacts negatively on the leisure
market as it does not rely on the
trade to organise accommodation or
sightseeing trips.”
Megan says Holiday Tours has also
seen a drop in combo-holidays. “In the
past, passengers combined London
with a second destination in Europe.
They are now bypassing the UK and
travelling directly to Europe on carriers
that do not go via London to avoid
having to get an additional visa for the
UK, even when just in transit.”
Susan Thesen, British T.I.P.S gm, also
reports a drop in visitor numbers to
the UK, for similar reasons. She says
it’s mostly high-end and corporate
travellers who are visiting Britain these
days.
Linda Steenekamp, XL Rosebank
Travel gm, has found that passengers
don’t want to pay for a UK visa as well
as a Schengen visa, so people are just
avoiding the UK and travelling straight
to Europe.
To avoid South Africans having to get
a UK visa, Trafalgar has remodelled
its itineraries, allowing passengers the
option to start their European tours
in continental Europe, says Theresa
Szejwallo, Trafalgar md. “The uptake
of this has been phenomenal and is
one small way in which we can help
our guests get the most out of their
guided holidays without unnecessary
expenses,” she said.
Angela Wood, Thompsons Holidays
gm: marketing, says passenger
numbers to the UK this year have
remained similar to last year, while
room nights booked have increased.
Thompsons has seen an increase in
demand for UK packages rather than
London stopovers.
“The UK visitor visa is expensive,
which has meant a drop in stopover
and UK/Europe combination
packages but has resulted in greater
popularity in our longer-stay UK/
Ireland packages that offer something
different.”
Terri-Ann Wright, manager of World
Travel, gsa for UK and Europe rail
companies in South Africa, reports a
decline in demand for rail tickets in the
UK and Europe.
“We believe this is mainly due to the
weakening of the South African rand,”
she says.
