Operator’s Trends Report Tells Us What’s Influencing Travel in 2017: According to Kuoni UK, the top two factors affecting this year’s travel trends are the standing of the British pound sterling, followed by what it is that U.S. President Donald Trump. As listed in Kuoni’s Worldwide Trends Report 2017—it usually comes out later than most such publications. Keeping in mind that Kuoni cultivates an upscale clientele, here are the things that the upscale tour operator says are influencing UK travel in 2017.
- Currency/Value for Money: How and when the government chooses to invoke Article 50 for the UK to leave the European Union.
- President Trump: Donald Trump’s view on America’s relationship with Cuba, Mexico and the Middle East cold affect holidays going forward.
- Lions in New Zealand: June and July 2017 sees the British and Irish Lions tour take place with 10 rugby union matches up and down the country.
- Security: Trusted brands with a strong history of delivering quality and customer care will continue to come to the fore as people become increasingly aware of potential threats.
- India to Benefit from Film and TV Exposure: The Oscar-nominated film, Lion and ITV’s Good Karma Hospital, the story of a British junior doctor fleeing heartbreak to work in India could give the country a similar boost to the one that occurred with the release of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
- South America to Surprise: British Airways has launched a four-times-a-week service to Santiago, Chile that is sure to boost sales.
- A New Russian Revolution: November sees the 100th anniversary of the Russian revolution and the rise of Bolsheviks—publicity around the anniversary could see a spike in interest.
- Return to Oz: The England cricket team’s upcoming Ashes tour and the start of direct Qantas flights to Perth (set to take off in early 2018) should see demand to Down Under increase towards the end of the year.
The Destination Wedding: Having carved out a niche for itself in destination wedding sales, Kuoni UK has parlayed its success, as well as its expertise, over to the LGBT market. Its lists of top wedding and honeymoon destinations are closely followed.
The Upscale Family: On just about any other survey of Brits and their holiday plans, the USA would rank first as a family destination. For Kuoni UK, the ranking is decidedly different.
The Kuoni Differentiation: In the UK, Kuoni takes care to differentiate its product as decidedly upscale through all of its advertising and through partnerships with brands that have similar reputations. For instance, one can find Kuoni agents in 15 of mid-to-upscale John Lewis department stores that have a 150-year history in the UK.
Its Oxford Street store in London the Oxford Street store has been awarded a Royal Warrant from the Queen as: “suppliers of haberdashery and household goods.” The John Lewis Reading store holds a Royal Warrant from the Queen as as suppliers of household and fancy goods.
“Appointments in store, which can easily last more than two hours, were at all-time high,” said Kuoni, adding that, “when it comes to special occasion travel and more complex tailor made holidays, people still like to sit down and discuss their holiday before booking with confidence.” It is probable that no other travel brand anywhere has such varied locations.
The latest data released by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that—despite a weak pound sterling and the combination of doubt and uncertainty as to what would happen following the June 23, 2016 “Brexit” vote in which Britons voted to leave the European Union—outbound traffic to North America in 2016 increased over 2015, although at a slightly slower annual rate than in recent years. In fact, the increase in outbound British travel to North America last closed out last year with a total that was 20 percent greater than it was in 2013.
The results of an apparently legitimate survey in the UK show that one-third (33 percent) of Brits claim they would give up sex for a month if it meant going on a dream holiday. Conducted by LoveHolidays.com, the survey produced results that included the following:
Tucked away near the end of a report on the results of the just-released 33rd annual Tourism Analysis by the Hamburg-based research organization Stiftung für Zukunftsfragen (Foundation for Future Studies) is a finding that tells the reader that outbound long-haul travel last year by Germans remained essentially at the same level as it was in 2015, with 11 percent of the country’s travelers making the long-haul experience their principal holiday. And North America, was the long-haul holiday destination of choice for 3.1 percent of German holidaymakers.