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Apr

2009

All-inclusive continues to be one of the great travel trends-09 April, 2009

All-inclusive continues to be one of the great travel trends

An upward swing in last-minute bookings, along with anecdotal reports from ALTOUR’s U.S. travel agents, suggest that the affluent are responding to their financial stresses by indulging in a little spur-of-the-moment R&R.

One of the largest and most respected agencies catering to the high end of the market, ALTOUR reports a 14-point jump (from 8% to 22%) in travel booked just three to 14 days out. The majority of travelers, 39%, continue to book in the 30- to 90-day range. These are among the results of the March 2009 ALTOUR Travel Index, a bi-monthly survey of ALTOUR agents in the U.S., which has been tracking industry trends since June 2008.

“While sales are still down, our agents report that clients are coming to the conclusion that they need a vacation as a temporary escape from the pressures of this economy – and are increasingly willing to spend without feeling guilty,” comments ALTOUR founder Alexandre Chemla. “Target marketing is one strategy ALTOUR agents are using successfully to reach the right client with the right offer..”

Faring the best in this economy is the all-inclusive resort, which is the only market segment to show improvement since ALTOUR’s previous survey.

The percentage of agents reporting higher demand for all-inclusive resorts in 2009 is up from just 9% in December 2008 to 14% this month. Thirty-six percent report all-inclusive sales tracking the same as 2008 (up from 23% in December), and 50% say demand is tracking lower (down from 69%). By comparison, escorted tours are the hardest-hit segment, with no agents reporting high demand, 27% the same as 2008, and 73% low.

Europe (57%) is once again in the lead among favored destinations, replacing Mexico (48%), which returns to second place after four months in the #1 spot. South America and the Caribbean are ranked third at 43% each.

Among emerging markets, Eastern Europe (33%) joins the top three for the first time, in a third-place tie with South Africa. South