Changing Face Of Holidays In The Uk

Mainstream holidays in the UK have changedweather would be nice next June!
enormously in the last ten years as companiesThe final, and possibly the most important, factor
and tourism businesses struggled to cope with thein the changes to the UK market was the arrival
constantly changing customer requirements. Thisof the 'low-cost operator'. So not only could you
has presented the tourism industry with a seriesbook late using the internet, you now had the
of new challenges that are currently sculpting afreedom to go anywhere (roughly with a five
new type of travel business.hour flight time) at the drop of the hat. The short
To understand how the industry has changed andbreak market, which had become increasingly
grown it is necessary to look at the internal andimportant to the UK holiday businesses as
external influences that have forced this shift intraditional one and two weeks holidays dwindled,
the UK market These factors can be attributedwas facing competition with any city destination in
to a number of changes in society, changes inEurope. Now a B&B in Bath had to compete with
technology and infrastructural developments thata hotel in Budapest.
have result in the world becoming a much smallerSo all of these factors, coupled with changes in
place. However, to look at the first big change wecustomer needs, resulted in a whole new series
need to go back 25 years.of challenges for the UK tourism industry.
The UK holiday market was still in a relativelyPotters holiday resort is on the Norfolk/Suffolk
secure position, with a large percentage of itscoast in the East of England and their website can
holidaymakers still taking UK breaks in cottages,be found at However, the UK market hasn't
holiday parks, B&B's and hotels. Then in the 80'sstood still and to both combat the negatives, and
cheap package holidays had an enormous effecttake advantage of the positives, operators,
on the UK mass-market holiday businesses ashoteliers and tourist boards have begun to rethink
value for money, guaranteed sunshine and betterthe 'product' to respond to the enormous
quality accommodation and food resulted in anupheaval.
exodus. During this period holiday businesses sawMore than ever before tourism businesses are
a massive fall in guests. This resulted in drasticthinking about who their market is and whether
changes in the way UK holidays were marketedthey are offering the right product to suit their
and was the first in a series of challenges - thatcustomer profile. Examples of this change can be
became opportunities - for the industry.seen all over the UK as companies and business
But it wasn't simply the advent of the overseasare quickly responding to new opportunities
cheap package holidays that presented companiescreated by the shift in customer requirements.
with challenges and opportunities. Arguably the lastThe UK has woken up to the diversity of
five years has seen the greatest level of changescenery, is rich history, traditional food and new
in the UK market.standards of accommodation that has increased
Changes in society during the last 15 years havethe expectation of guests at home and abroad.
had a great impact on the way people choose toBoutique hotels brilliant demonstrate this new way
book and take their holidays. The family unit andof thinking - a style of UK holiday that was only
its 2.5 children changed. More people got divorcedvery niche has responded to the potential of
and couples had children much later in life as theiryoung couples and empty nesters to offer a
career took priority. The traditional UK familystylish and unique hotel experience. But it isn't just
holiday had therefore changed as their customersultra trendy niche businesses that have been
social circumstances changed.successful. A great example of this is Potters
These weren't the only social changes. WorkingLeisure Resort on the Norfolk coast. A traditional
adults increasingly earned more money, but moreholiday park, they have adapted their holidays to
so than ever before they had less opportunity tocater for a new breed of holidaymakers. They
spend that money, and were in need of time tonow offer short breaks, good food,
relax and enjoy their holidays. Again UK holidayentertainment and top quality accommodation in
companies and business had to adjust to thisan area of the UK holiday market many people
trend to ensure that their products matched theconsidered dead - and they are thriving.
changes in the customer requirements.It is also worth noting that in the last few years
Another major factor in the changing in UKanother more serious series of factors have also
holidays was a shift in booking patterns. As longprovided the UK market with an additional boost.
as anyone could remember holidays had beenFor example, the advent of terrorism, not just
booked directly through the holiday outlet or viathe threat of being caught up in the conflict, but
travel agents - often 6/12 months in advance ofthe preventative measures that have been put in
that break. In 2000 this pattern changed forever.place, combined with seemingly erratic changes in
The advent of the internet, and the continuedglobal weather patterns, have never made the UK
growth of home PC's across all markets, has hada more viable holiday destination for its residents.
a revolutionary impact on the holiday market. ForSo despite all of the challenges and changes the
the first time people could independently searchindustry has seen over the last few years the
for, and book, their perfect holiday anywhere inpicture isn't all doom and gloom. Far from it. Like
the world. The could also leave everything to theany market those business that can, and will,
last minute and decide to take holidays based onadapt to the give the customer what they want
the five day forecast - rather than hoping thewill reap the rewards.