Abstract
The British now regard holidays as their top spending priority but many have very negative attitudes towards domestic breaks. Concerns about the weather, cost of accommodation and value for money outweigh advantages such as lack of airport hassles and flexibility.
The rise of independent overseas travel has enabled many Brits to spread their wings and discover a much wider range of authentic, good value accommodation, restaurants and attractions. Domestic providers are often found wanting by comparison and market volumes remain flat. The UK market needs to raise its game and develop a more competitive attitude if the tide is to be stemmed let alone turned back.
This report provides an overview of the UK domestic holidays market, investigating the core market factors, strengths and weaknesses, supply and consumer dynamics, and likely future trends.
Table of Contents
- Issues in the Market
- Main issues
- Definition
- Abbreviations
- Market In Brief
- Negative mindset
- Strong competition
- Spain drain
- Weather wobbles
- Wait and see
- Mixed signals
- Going inland
- But we still like to be beside the seaside
- Viral behaviour
- Falling families
- Acting on impulse
- Internal Market Environment
- Key points
- Low-cost challenge
- Figure 1: Scheduled passengers carried by main low-cost airlines, 2002-06
- Figure 2: Passenger growth at UK airports, 1996-2006
- Out in the sticks
- Taxing matters
- Carbon costs
- Rip-off Britain
- An inspector calls
- Quality control
- Broader Market Environment
- Key points
- Figure 3: Trends in personal disposable income and consumer expenditure, 2002-12
- Tightening belts
- Lifestyle choice
- Figure 4: UK spending priorities, January 2007
- Bucking the trends
- Figure 5: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, by gender, 2002-12
- Older opportunities
- Figure 6: Forecast adult population trends, by lifgestage, 2002-12
- Upmarket shift
- Figure 7: Forecast adult population trends, by socio-economic group, 2002-12
- Britain surfs but oldies stay offline
- Figure 8: Internet penetration at home/work/place of study or elsewhere, by gender, socio-economic group and age, 2002-06
- Winds of change
- Figure 9: Average annual temperatures in Central England, 1900-2006
- Polewards shift
- Icons of England
- Figure 10: ICONS Project -- selected icons as at October 2007
- Competitive Context
- Key points
- Overseas expansion
- Figure 11: Domestic vs overseas holidays, 2002-12
- The holiday pound
- Figure 12: Domestic and overseas holidays expenditure, 2002-12
- Fragmenting destinations
- Figure 13: Outbound holiday visits, by region visited, 2001-06
- In for the long-haul
- Hola Spain, au revoir France
- Figure 14: Most popular destinations for UK holidaymakers, 2001 and 2006
- Strengths and Weaknesses
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Market Size and Forecast
- Key points
- Past and present
- Figure 15: Domestic holidays volume and expenditure, 2002-12
- Future
- Soggy middle ground
- Market Segmentation
- Key points
- Figure 16: Holiday taken in the UK in the last 12 months, 2002-07
- Multiple breaks multiply
- Short shift
- Figure 17: Short versus long holidays, 2002-07
- Figure 18: Adults who have taken a holiday in the UK in the last 12 months, by number of holidays taken abroad, 2004-07
- Market for all seasons
- Figure 19: Month when last UK holiday began, 2002-07
- Go West
- Figure 20: Area visited for last domestic holiday, 2002-07
- London calling
- Wild north
- Boost for B&B
- Figure 21: Type of accommodation used for last domestic holiday, 2002-07
- Drive my car
- Figure 22: Main method of transport used for last domestic holiday, 2002-07
- Green glimmers
- Lure of the city
- Figure 23: Type of holiday taken for last UK holiday, 2002-07
- Wellness wags tail
- Demographic shifts
- Distribution
- Key points
- Figure 24: When booking for last UK holiday was made, 2002-07
- Lead times reduce
- Online info takes off
- Figure 25: Sources used to get information for last UK holiday, 2002-07
- Multichannel booking
- Figure 26: Booking method used for last UK holiday, 2003-07
- High street decline
- Figure 27: How last UK holiday was booked, 2002-07
- Companies and Products
- Key points
- Overview
- VisitBritain
- Self-catering companies
- Butlins
- Warner Leisure Hotels
- Holiday Cottages Group
- Hoseasons
- Hotels
- Figure 28: Top ten hotel operating companies in the UK, 2007
- Travelodge
- Premier Inn
- Coach holidays
- Shearings Holidays
- Other packaged breaks
- Superbreak
- Niche market operators
- Boating
- Activity
- Domestic Holidaymakers
- Key points:
- Figure 29: Holidays taken in the last 12 months, 2004-07
- Penetrations remain steady
- UK holidays by demographics
- Figure 30: Holidaying in the UK, by gender, age, socio-economic group, marital status, lifestage, presence of children, Mintel' s Special Groups, working status, household income, tenure, region, ACORN category, media usage, supermarket usage, household size, car usage, detailed lifestage groups, age/socio-economic group and terminal education age, September 2007
- Distinct markets
- ABs drive short break growth
- Happy holidays
- Figure 31: Ingredients for happy holidays, May 2007
- Gastro travellers
- Exploring the urban jungle
- Domestic Holiday Intentions
- Key points
- Figure 32: Interest in future holidays in the UK, September 2007
- Yearning for the sea
- Keeping in touch
- Future intentions by demographics
- Figure 33: Interest in future holidays in the UK, by gender, age, socio-economic group, marital status, lifestage, presence of children, Mintel' s Special Groups, working status, household income, tenure, region, ACORN category, media usage, supermarket usage, household size, car usage, detailed lifestage groups, age/socio-economic group and terminal education age, September 2007
- The people' s holiday
- Families go self-catering...
- ...and non-families go uptown
- Figure 34: Interest in future holidays in the UK, by gender, age, socio-economic group, marital status, lifestage, presence of children, Mintel' s Special Groups, working status, household income, tenure, region, ACORN category, media usage, supermarket usage, household size, car usage, detailed lifestage groups, age/socio-economic group and terminal education age, September 2007
- Active families and male adrenaline junkies
- Walking women and trekking third agers
- Singles seek groups
