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