A must-have, must-read document for anyone who follows the travel and tourism industry in the United Kingdom—the annual Travel Weekly insight, produced association with Deloitte, the global financial consulting and advisory firm—was just released.
As is the case with anyone who produces time-sensitive material, most of the insight was finished and ready for consumption just as the rapidly multiplying Omicron variant of COVID-19 landed in the UK.
Even so, the carefully researched and assembled insight, which is a 60-page document, still hits the target for those seeking the sort of end-of-year report and outlook that the industry has become accustomed to
Alistair Pritchard, lead partner, travel and aviation, for Deloitte, cited “the great medical advancements that have enabled us to resume activities we’ve missed due to the pandemic and the travel sector was at the heart of the quest to return to ‘normality,’ from reuniting families after the reopening of international borders to offering people their first post-lockdown holiday or work trip … The sector has shown great resilience and commitment to serving consumers.”
Added Prichard, “improving confidence, combined with the savings some consumers built up over lockdown, created strong pent-up demand for all leisure activities, including travel.
Following are some “snapshots” taken from the Travel Weekly insight.
UK Consumer Research—Key Findings
UK Holiday Market
⦁ 12.7 million UK adults took at least one overseas holiday in the past 12 months
⦁ 20.3 million intend to take an overseas holiday in 2022
⦁ 28.6 million UK adults took at least one domestic break in the las 12 months
⦁ 29.4 million intend to take a break in 2022
Figures based on Service Science/Kantar consumer research for this report, October 2021
UK Outbound holidays, 2021
⦁ 22 percent of UK adults took at least one overseas holiday
⦁ Eight percent took two or more
Pre-Pandemic UK Holiday Market, 2019
⦁ 50 percent of UK adults took at least one overseas holiday
⦁ 24 percent of UK adults took two or more overseas holidays
⦁ 58 percent of adults with children took at least one overseas holiday
⦁ 26 percent of adults with children took two or more overseas holidays
⦁ 67 percent of UK adults took at least one domestic holiday
⦁ 40 percent took two or more domestic holidays
⦁ 86 percent who took an overseas holiday also had a domestic break
UK Outbound Trips by Purpose, 2019-2021
2019—93 million trips
| Purpose of Trip | Percentage |
| Holiday | 63% |
| VFR | 25% |
| Business | 10% |
First Half 2021—1.8 million trips
| Purpose of Trip | Percentage |
| Holiday | 13% |
| VFR | 67% |
| Business | 10% |
Source: UK Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Major concerns of UK adults when considering an overseas holiday included changes in UK travel restrictions after booking (47 percent); a high level of COVID-19 in destination (44 percent); a change in destination restrictions after booking (42 percent); risk of quarantine in a destination (39 percent); and risk of quarantine in UK. (Source: Service Science/Kantar
Overall concerns among UK travelers and those who are a part of it include: the climate challenge and sustainability; the future of work and the workplace in the wake of “hybrid” working; the difficulty in finding enough workers; the future of travel’s retail sector; how to shape travel in the future—how will COVID-19 and climate challenges affect the future; an increase in technological solutions; the financial strength of travel businesses and travel’s hospitality sector; changes and challenges in air travel; and the special challenges facing outbound travel.
Click here to access a PDF version of the insight report.
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● Saga introduces a new employee perk—grandparent leave: The staff at senior travel specialist Saga will now be able to enjoy a break with a new grandchild. The company recently announced eligible staff will be able to take a paid week off work to mark the arrival of a grandchild.
Jane Storm, chief people officer, said: “We recognize that people are working longer in their lives and as an age-friendly employer we want to find more ways to offer the flexibility they need to be there at this special time. It’s equally an important statement about how we value age and experience in the workplace and society.
Referred to by some as “graternity leave,” the policy apparently makes Saga the first major company in Britain to formally recognize the role of grandparents in its employment policies.
Saga introduces a new employee perk—grandparent leave: The staff at senior travel specialist Saga will now be able to enjoy a break with a new grandchild. The company recently announced eligible staff will be able to take a paid week off work to mark the arrival of a grandchild.
Jane Storm, chief people officer, said: “We recognize that people are working longer in their lives and as an age-friendly employer we want to find more ways to offer the flexibility they need to be there at this special time. It’s equally an important statement about how we value age and experience in the workplace and society.
Referred to by some as “graternity leave,” the policy apparently makes Saga the first major company in Britain to formally recognize the role of grandparents in its employment policies.
