| Reading the reports about the dramatic shifts in | | | | well be the one and only chance the home |
| holiday trends you might expect "stay at home | | | | tourism market has to secure an increase in |
| tourism" to be about to take off in a big way. | | | | numbers. Money issues will tempt many families |
| In the UK the devaluation of the British pound | | | | to try out a holiday at a UK resort, either in a |
| against the Euro has seen many people opting to | | | | hotel or a campsite perhaps. Unless the weather |
| take holidays in the UK this year. Popular resorts | | | | plays its part and delivers warm dry days, that |
| in the south of England are experiencing healthy | | | | UK audience could easily be lost forever. The UK |
| visitor numbers and the once popular British | | | | can be a miserable place for a holiday when the |
| pastime of caravanning is seeing a resurgence. | | | | weather is poor. |
| But for how long will these "old style" holidays | | | | So what is the price of a decent warm weather |
| satisfy the typical British traveller who has | | | | holiday? For British people, holidays are very |
| become used to the warm weather of Southern | | | | important and many will choose to forgo other |
| Europe or the excitement of a trip across the | | | | luxuries in order to make their foreign holiday |
| Atlantic to the United States? | | | | affordable. For families going on holiday as a |
| In other countries the trends are slightly different | | | | group, the thought of a wet fortnight away during |
| but exhibit comparable traits. In Germany for | | | | the summer, struggling for things to keep the |
| example the resorts of the Black Forest and Harz | | | | children occupied, may be a step too far. |
| Mountains may become the preferred choices | | | | So how can the UK family make their usual |
| above the most popular destinations in the past | | | | holiday abroad affordable? Well for many who, so |
| of Austria and Italy. Of course the Germans don't | | | | far, have not ventured onto the internet, things |
| have the same currency issues and therefore | | | | could be remarkably easy. Searching and booking |
| may even be tempted to take a trip to the UK | | | | a cheap flight, then deciding on a resort and hotel |
| to take advantage of the exchange rate shift. | | | | could easily make up for the price increases |
| However with nearly a quarter of Germans | | | | caused by exchange rate fluctuations. The |
| preferring to take a beach holiday, the UK is | | | | number of low cost airlines flying to the Canary |
| unlikely to satisfy. The Germans are already quite | | | | Islands, for example, has increased recently so |
| content to stay at home for their holidays, with | | | | the choice of flights is larger than ever before. |
| over half of all trips booked by Germans being | | | | Another benefit is that these new flights often |
| made to home locations, including the resorts on | | | | depart from regional airports, which frequently |
| the North Sea and Baltic coasts. | | | | means a shorter journey from home to the |
| Environmental issues are also affecting the | | | | airport, reducing transport costs even further. A |
| German holiday market. Eco holidays or packages | | | | further consideration is airport parking, which is |
| that offer reduced carbon emissions seem to be | | | | often much cheaper at these regional airports |
| increasingly in demand. For many, that means | | | | when compared to the major airport hubs. |
| forgoing the flight to the resorts of southern | | | | All things considered, the perceived increase in |
| Spain and taking a rail or road trip to somewhere | | | | holiday costs may not actually make much |
| closer to home. As the weather continues to play | | | | difference to typical holiday trends, certainly in the |
| its part, climate change may be a good thing for | | | | longer term. If weather was not very important |
| the German home travel industry. | | | | then many people would already be choosing to |
| For the UK holiday maker things are unlikely to be | | | | holiday at home. But it obviously is and if money |
| so simple. The UK has experienced a succession | | | | becomes an issue, many people will prefer to |
| of summers recently when the weather has put | | | | solve the financial problem rather than change |
| a dampener on holidays at home. This year could | | | | their travel preferences. |