As the world’s financial and economic institutions continue sinking deeper and deeper into doldrums, families in the West are beginning to face making “cutbacks” in their lives. Will the crunching credit bite in Western economies empty Asia’s holiday destinations?

If the latest survey by MINTEL on British Lifestyles is to be believed, the average UK family is now “really” starting to feel the pinch. Three in every five surveyed (20 percent) have recently canceled spending plans – with family holidays “to go first”.

“We are likely to see even more people having to make more sacrifices in the future,” said Peter Ayton, chief statistician at MINTEL. “Things are not as easy financially as they once were.”

In another study by MINTEL, commissioned by RCI in 2007, an average Briton goes on two holidays a year, each lasting one week and spending an average of 665 pounds on accommodation. “But the ongoing credit crunch,” according to the study, “a cooling property market, and inflation have resulted in the majority of people viewing holidays as a luxury.” Only 17 per cent see going on holidays necessary.

Simon Calder, a respected industry writer and commentator, said: “We all want a holiday to look forward to. The survey suggests that British travelers are cutting back on the number of short breaks they take. Cheap flights have made us promiscuous when it comes to going abroad.”

However, a beneficiary of the recent domino collapse of British tour operators and the “independent” holidaymakers who buy “parts” of their holiday, thanks to internet bookings and no-frills airlines, could be operators of “package trips” which accounted for 53 percent of the 46 million who traveled overseas.

Saskaņā ar TUI, pasaules lielāko tūrisma operatoru Thomson un First Choice īpašnieka teikto, 24 mēnešos līdz jūnijam vairāk nekā 12 miljoni cilvēku paņēma paku salīdzinājumā ar 22 miljoniem iepriekšējā gadā. "Mēs sagaidām pieaugumu pēc Lielbritānijas XL Leisure Group sabrukuma."

Tomasa Kuka izpilddirektors Menijs Fontenija-Novoa sacīja: “Nesenais vairāku lielāko ceļojumu kompāniju sabrukums uzsver priekšrocības, ko sniedz rezervētu brīvdienu kompleksu rezervēšana ar saistītu ceļojumu rīkotāju starpniecību, nodrošinot visu papildu finansiālo aizsardzību. Viņi vēlas drošību, ceļojot uz ārzemēm. ”

Haotiskajās nedēļās pēc “XL Leisure Group” sabrukuma tie, kas bija rezervējuši “iesaiņotas” brīvdienas, tika lidoti mājās bez papildu maksas, bet citiem bija jāmaksā vēlreiz, lai lidotu atpakaļ uz Lielbritāniju. Tomasa Kuka vai TUI lieluma ceļojumu rīkotāja neveiksmes gadījumā zemo sezonu laikā izmaksātu aptuveni 500 miljonus mārciņu, un divreiz vairāk, ja tas notiktu vasarā.

According to tour operator Hoseasons, the economic downturn is the biggest opportunity to sell Britain, prompting more British to holiday “at home.”

"Rezervācijas Lielbritānijas pārtraukumiem ir augušas," sacīja izpilddirektors Ričards Keriks. “Mēs redzam, ka vairāk cilvēku veic nelielas pauzes netālu no mājām, kas ir labas ziņas Lielbritānijas tūrismam. Patērētāju uzvedība mainās. ”

Don Birch, CEO of Abacus International, an Asian Pacific travel facilitator which deals with 15,000 industry wide agencies, however, predicts “continued industry growth” even if the US economy “tilts towards negative territory.”

Abacus prognozē, ka 5. gadā pasažieru skaits pieaugs no 6-2008 procentiem.

"Cilvēkiem visā pasaulē joprojām ir nauda, un viņi, šķiet, ir gatavi ceļot nākamajā gadā, neskatoties uz jostas pievilkšanu, kas notiks visā pasaulē. Āzijas ceļojumu tirgus tur stabili.

"Nākamajā gadā būs nepastāvība, bet reģiona ceļojumu un tūrisma nozares saglabāsies nobriedušas un spēcīgas."

Vietnam’s travel and tourism industry is expected to grow annually by 7.8 percent between 2008-2017, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

Birch also believes Asia could be spared from the worst of any economic fallout from the US, in part due to the growth engines of China and India. “They are currently powering the region’s growth, while Vietnam is the next big market to watch.”

KAS IZŅEMT NO ŠĪ RAKSTA:

The failure of a tour operator the size of Thomas Cook or TUI would result in a pay-out of about 500 million pounds in low season, and twice that if it happened in summer.
According to TUI, owner of the world’s biggest tour operators, Thomson and First Choice, more than 24 million people took a package in the 12 months to June, compared to 22 million in the previous year.
In another study by MINTEL, commissioned by RCI in 2007, an average Briton goes on two holidays a year, each lasting one week and spending an average of 665 pounds on accommodation.