interestrateripoff Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/mar/29/thomas-cook-uk-demand-foreign-holidays-slowing Demand for foreign holidays has fallen sharply in the UK in recent months as weak consumer confidence continues to bite, Thomas Cook warned on Tuesday.The holiday group said that Britain was lagging behind other European countries, with the rate of bookings for summer trips "slowing noticeably" in the UK this year. This has forced Thomas Cook to cut the number of holidays it offers UK customers. "Summer holiday bookings are ahead of last year across most segments, with particularly strong growth in our German tour operator and airline, as well as in northern Europe," said chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa. "It is a weaker picture in the UK where recent trading has also been affected by fragile consumer sentiment. In response, we have taken a more prudent approach to capacity." Although the UK recession officially ended more than a year ago, consumer confidence has slumped to its lowest level in nearly two years – due in part to growing inflationary pressures and austerity cutbacks. Economists have warned that this means many "big ticket" purchases are being shelved. No house to MEW now, people have to save but with costs going up that luxury is going to soon be beyond them as well. We appear to have reached the end of the debt expansion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 You don't think some of the unease around the world about radiation and revolution are putting people off booking? (I'd never blame the driest March on record for encourage people to want UK based holidays) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optobear Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/mar/29/thomas-cook-uk-demand-foreign-holidays-slowing No house to MEW now, people have to save but with costs going up that luxury is going to soon be beyond them as well. We appear to have reached the end of the debt expansion. We may have reached a point where individuals can't (or won't) take on more debt. Fortunately we have a government and they will have to shoulder the whole burden of creating enough debt to keep the paper money system alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Funny how when it's holidays the 'demand is slowing' cos people don't have the readies, but with houses the 'demand' is ever-present, whatever the circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aa3 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Without taking on more debt.. especially home equity loans.. you would need quite a good job to go on regular overseas holidays as peope were during the bubble years. In the new economy jobs with their low pay and no benefits, people won't be going on a foreign vacation anytime soon. A second factor is after going on a few foreign vacations.. the dream of travelling wears off for a lot of people. There is this dream that they will be a different person in a different place, paiful reality.. wherever you go, there you are. Except to get there took a lot of planning, airplanes, waiting for luggage, bus trips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Congreve Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Bottom line is people are skint. Holiday firms are giving away ski/snowboard holidays for March/April, literally givng them away, here's an offer I got recently for end of March: £375 Fully catered chalet with breakfast. lunch and dinner included 1 week's lift pass (typically another 150 euros) Free ski/snowboard boots and board hire or free ski/board carriage (typically 100 euros) All transfers 12 hours ski/snowboard tuition (typically over 100 euros easily) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Thing is - would you book a holiday in these conditions even if you could afford it? We could be seeing another wave of holiday firms going bust this Summer and the angst of people stuck overseas trying to get back home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 My wife takes a 2 month summer sojourn, the cost of flights is up 30% on last year. No wonder demand is down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monks Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 A second factor is after going on a few foreign vacations.. the dream of travelling wears off for a lot of people. There is this dream that they will be a different person in a different place, paiful reality.. wherever you go, there you are. Except to get there took a lot of planning, airplanes, waiting for luggage, bus trips. Gee, your holidays must be a real gas. Party on dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilchardthecat Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 We've taken holidays in the UK for the last few years as the kids are still small and it's easier to throw stuff into an estate car and go to Devon than to get them on a plane. Having spent £2000 for 2 weeks in a static caravan last year, and just looked at a short break at CenterParcs (£999 for 3 nights in April) I think we will be saving some money and going abroad this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCountOfNowhere Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Having spent £2000 for 2 weeks in a static caravan last year, and just looked at a short break at CenterParcs (£999 for 3 nights in April) I think we will be saving some money and going abroad this year. £2K for 2 weeks in a caravan...that's insane!!! You'd be better off staying at home and spending 2K enjoying yourselves doing something different every day. I saw a program last night (BBC3 maybe ) on cheap holidays to Thailand...the hotels are all cheap and the service is fantastic, the people dont get paid much....here the hotels are expensive, the service is s*** and the people don't get paid much.... I object to paying £120 for a crappy room in a crappy hotel with crappy staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingWithTheInlaws Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 £2K for 2 weeks in a caravan...that's insane!!! You'd be better off staying at home and spending 2K enjoying yourselves doing something different every day. I saw a program last night (BBC3 maybe ) on cheap holidays to Thailand...the hotels are all cheap and the service is fantastic, the people dont get paid much....here the hotels are expensive, the service is s*** and the people don't get paid much.... I object to paying £120 for a crappy room in a crappy hotel with crappy staff. It sounds a lot, but unfortunately that is the going rate for a decent van on the coast in Devon or Cornwall. In June, it can be half that. Despite the cost, we really enjoy that kind of holiday. The van we stay in is within walking distance of my favourite beach in Cornwall. We have a fantastic time. We love being able to fill the car up with all our beach stuff. The holiday park is really remote and quiet. It just wouldn't be the same at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbonic Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Having spent £2000 for 2 weeks in a static caravan last year, and just looked at a short break at CenterParcs (£999 for 3 nights in April) I think we will be saving some money and going abroad this year. I'm amazed at how center parcs always seems full at the prices they charge for stays in the school holidays. The nearest one to me is 'Sherwood Forest' - i.e. £1500+ for a week in a wood just outside Mansfield. At least the CP in Penrith has nice views of the Lakeland mountains and Pennine hills. It is literally cheaper to fly 3000 miles to guaranteed sun in the Canaries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superted187 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Would echo the previous concerns about the cost of domestic holidays. My Mrs is a Secondary Teacher, so we basically get shafted into paying summer rates for Holidays. We've been looking everywhere, and it is just crazily expensive - I mean literally mental. One week in a basic resort in Gran Canaria was looking at £800 each - Self Catering. So we looked at driving around Scotland (I've never been!) and staying in B&Bs for 10 days or so. We think this will be just as expensive. The solution must be to do "non-family" holidays in the summer. We're just yet to find them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurker07 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 i.e. £1500+ for a week in a wood just outside Mansfield. You should be a travel agent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonkers Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I haven't taken a foreign holiday since I was a child and had no choice in the matter. Done my time travelling abroad. The UK is a very beautiful place, rain or shine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
didntbuytolet Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I'm amazed at how center parcs always seems full at the prices they charge for stays in the school holidays. The nearest one to me is 'Sherwood Forest' - i.e. £1500+ for a week in a wood just outside Mansfield. At least the CP in Penrith has nice views of the Lakeland mountains and Pennine hills. It is literally cheaper to fly 3000 miles to guaranteed sun in the Canaries. Too right, I had a tentative look at CP not really expecting to want to go and sit near middle class britain and their orrible kids - and saw the prices! You can actually spend 5k on a long weekend in a (admittedly fairly luxurious) tree house. I'm splashing out on a heavily discounted week in Lanzarote (£1,400 for family of 4, self catering, flights included.) and thinking myself very lucky, I know, but a week in a cottage in Dorset would be the same price. No, I don't care about my carbon foot print - its small and I'm getting mine while I can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil324 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I haven't taken a foreign holiday since I was a child and had no choice in the matter. Done my time travelling abroad. The UK is a very beautiful place, rain or shine. Very beautiful indeed, but we don't have Soi 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Puppet Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Very beautiful indeed, but we don't have Soi 6 I thought Nana Plaza was Soi 4. Then again its been a while as my wife won't let me anywhere near the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_ichikawa Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Having spent £2000 for 2 weeks in a static caravan last year, and just looked at a short break at CenterParcs (£999 for 3 nights in April) I think we will be saving some money and going abroad this year. You actually pay for accomodation? I've always found plenty of wild campsites almost everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil324 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I thought Nana Plaza was Soi 4. Then again its been a while as my wife won't let me anywhere near the place. Your memory is indeed correct that's Bangkok, i was referring to Pattaya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Blizzard) Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 (edited) Don't just book it, Thomas... f**k it. Edited March 29, 2011 by (Blizzard) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottbeard Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Funny how when it's holidays the 'demand is slowing' cos people don't have the readies, but with houses the 'demand' is ever-present, whatever the circumstances. Erm...is that because shelter is a necessity, whereas holidays are almost the ultimate luxury?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Banner Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 My wife takes a 2 month summer sojourn, the cost of flights is up 30% on last year. No wonder demand is down. We always take the car and arrange our own accommodation. Ferry prices are the same as last year. Diesel is up about 30%, but that only adds about twenty quid each way to the cost of our five weeks in Nice during May/June. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil324 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 We always take the car and arrange our own accommodation. Ferry prices are the same as last year. Diesel is up about 30%, but that only adds about twenty quid each way to the cost of our five weeks in Nice during May/June. How long is the drive to Nice, or do you take your time and stop off on the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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