Agency

Amadeus reveals opportunities for UK’s travel industry during Olympic Games based on survey of British travel plans

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Category: Agency & Association

Created on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 10:35

The data reveals the travel intentions of Britons during this summer’s Olympics, showing that during the time of the Olympics (27 July – 12 August), nearly one in five Britons (19 percent) is planning to take a holiday, either within the UK or abroad. However, nearly half of these (43 percent) have not yet booked their whole holiday, revealing an opportunity for travel agents – as well as travel providers such as hotels and car rental firms – in the UK to capitalise on these travelling intentions.

Key findings include:
• Ten percent of Londoners intend to holiday inside the UK: The data shows that 10 percent of people living in London are planning to go on holiday to a UK destination, other than London, at the time of the Games. This presents an opportunity for those agents and providers based inside the city to tailor packages specifically to an audience that is focussed on domestic travel.

• Travel plans are being left until the last minute: Despite so many people intending to take a holiday during the Games, most have left their travel planning to the last minute: nearly half (43 percent) of those respondents who are planning to go on holiday during the Olympics have not yet booked their whole trip, representing a huge opportunity for British travel agents.

• Travellers tempted away by bargains: A quarter of people surveyed (26 percent) said that a reduction in the cost of a trip would encourage them to take a holiday – either in the UK or abroad – during the Olympics, with one in five (21 percent) saying that they would be encouraged by offers of special deals. 7 percent would be interested in receiving suggestions by travel agents for breaks tailored to specific requirements that coincide with the 2012 Olympics. These figures suggest a huge appetite for special offers that could yet be capitalised on by the country’s travel providers and sellers.

Commenting on the findings, Diane Bouzebiba, Managing Director of Amadeus, UK and Ireland, says: “Whilst the Games undoubtedly present a very exciting prospect for lot of people, our survey shows that there are also plenty who are looking to get away – and nearly half of those haven’t yet booked their holiday. With our data also revealing the huge appetite amongst the public for deals on travel, the Olympics clearly present a huge opportunity for travel agents in the UK.”

The survey was conducted amongst 2,048 adults, aged 18 and above in June 2012. They were asked to answer a number of questions regarding their holiday intentions during the Olympics. Questions looked at whether people plan to travel during the Games; whether they had already booked this travel; and whether it was through a travel agent or directly.