Bookings to Europe have ebbed and flowed "depending on the [Brexit] debate", Karl Watson from Inntravel told delegates at the AITO Overseas Conference. However, he remains "pretty optimistic" about prospects for bookings to Europe.
He echoed the sentiments of other speakers at the conference by expressing concerns about overtourism, sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint of travel. He gave the example of the Cinque Terre paths on Italy's Ligurian Coast where the sheer number of visitors has led to access being restricted and the introduction of ticketing to control visitor numbers. Another challenge which the tour operator faced was the loss of 35 group bookings following fires in Gran Canaria.
However, he cited several areas where bookings are up largely thanks to "proactive tourism boards". These areas include the Norwegian islands, rural tourism across Europe, Slovenia, Albania, and lesser-visited valleys of the Swiss alps where hotels have been upgraded.
An ongoing theme of the conference has been marketing to older demographics, especially the travellers who have time to travel and money to spend. Mr Watson said that "people are staying active for longer" and he gave the example of a rise in e-bike bookings to make cycling holidays easier and more enjoyable. He said that 25% of his bike bookings are now for e-bikes, adding that there is good infrastructure for e-bikes across Europe.
"An important part of sustainability is a cycling programme," he told delegates.
Rail travel is another way to encourage sustainable travel in Europe, according to Mr Watson: "We're well set up to go anywhere in the EU by rail."
