Findings revealed in the association's Holiday Habits 2024 report at The Travel Convention will make happy reading for travel agents: the average number of trips taken exceeds or matches any year in the past 10 and the percentage of those booking with a travel agent is up 4% against last year
Last month, ABTA's annual Confidence Index revealed that those booking with an agent are the second most confident traveller demographic in the UK – with package holiday guests trumping trade bookers by just two points.
Now, at the association's flagship Travel Convention conference in Greece's Costa Navarino, it brings more (mostly) good news to members and the wider trade with the 2024 edition of its Holiday Habits report.
What's the top line?
Of the nationally-representative sample of 2,000 UK travellers, 84% took holidays in the 12-month period up to August 2nd, 2024. That figure remains 4% behind the past-decade peak in 2019, matching last year's.
While that figure might speak to stability rather than momentum, the average number of holidays (3.9 per person) more than makes up for the stagnation. That average matches 2019 and exceeds any other year's edition of Holiday Habits, which has surveyed annual trends since 2010.
For agents specifically, there is much cause for celebration. Not only do agent bookers remain in the top two most confident demographics, but the percentage of guests booking with an agent has accelerated by 4% (from 34% last year to 38%). In the report, ABTA chair Mark Tanzer notes that consumer faith in travel generally "bucks the wider trend" of consumer confidence.
Making the most of momentum
That 4% growth in those booking with an agent, especially when considered alongside the growing consumer confidence in that same demographic, represents quite the opportunity for travel professionals. Largely, guests are booking with an agent for ease of booking, the guarantee of the help and support of a travel professional if things go wrong, and the time-saving component.
Image Credit: ABTA
Graeme Buck, ABTA's director of communications, noted, "If you are an agent, or indeed anybody working in travel, and you want to appeal to those confident travellers, look at the things that make them confident and give them those messages."
Beyond the reason for booking through one channel over another, drivers of confidence to travel more generally include a growing emphasis on knowing whether or not they have the right documents, up 4% in the ranks of key confidence drivers against last year in the light of continuing confusion about European Union regulations for UK arrivals. Being able to get home should companies go bust (53% in 2023 to 58% this year) and knowing the total price in advance (up from 49% to 54%) are also gaining similar traction.
Graeme continued, "It could be as easy as a social media campaign showcasing the passport rules for the EU... [whatever] will encourage people to book. Take the information and make it work for you, rather than waiting for confident travellers to come to you."
When the parent pound meets the cruise craze
Graeme also reported that "the parent pound is strong" with both brackets of families surveyed (younger families with kids under five and older families with kids over five) reporting an above average (6.5 and 5.3, respectively) number of holidays annually.
Continuing, Graeme speculated, "One theory we had, although the research doesn't say this specifically, was whether or not the young families, with kids under school age... might start to soon be restricted by school holidays for travel, so there are people wanting to take the young kids away quite a bit before they are affected by term times."
12% of those surveyed went on a cruise holiday in the past 12 months, largely motivated by the opportunity to visit multiple destinations; the convenience of centralised meals, accommodation, transport and entertainment; and value for money.
The number of families heading aboard has almost doubled over the past half-decade (from 8% in 2019 to 15% this year). Across the board (those who did and did not cruise), UK sailings were the preferred type for 51% of families and a weekend cruise interested 24%.
What now?
The next couple of days promises more insight, analysis and groundwork for action at 2024's Travel Convention, where chair Mark Tanzer promised that the association, speakers and delegates will "shine a torch into the future and help us find the pathway forward."
