Upcoming UK travel season uncertain

British holidaymakers are being encouraged to take in the sun, enjoy the beach and make the most of their summer holidays – while the good times last.

The Bank of England’s governor, Mervyn King, has issued a gloomy forecast that doesn’t bode well for the UK travel industry.

It’s becoming clear that hotels, theme parks, tour operators and weekend destinations that have so far survived the uncertainty caused by inflation and oil price increases may soon be feeling the pinch.

To date, the British public overall has been booking its holidays early, and months before the doom forecast by the bank’s governor. At the beginning of the year, there was such a rush for bookings that the two largest tour operators, Thomas Cook and Tui Travel, reported fewer unsold holidays than normal.

“The late discount market is not there,” noted Christopher Rodrigues, chairman of the government tourism agency, VisitBritain. “The market is reasonably well committed now.”

It’s looking that the prospects for the UK travel market are shaky. Up until this point, evidence of holidaymaker resilience has maintained cautious optimism in the market. Tour operators were pleased to report that for many, the holiday has been a “must-have” item in the family’s budget.

The question remains whether this will be the same next year. When asked to describe the industry’s mood, Mr Rodrigues smiled. “Some fingernails are beginning to look like the prime minister’s,” he quipped.

He continued: “Anyone with any experience says it’s not going to be an easy 24 months. The overall mood and the reality of food price inflation means that next year will be tougher.

“The winter season could be tough, and spending money for weekend breaks will come under pressure.”

www.visitbritain.com is the British Tourist Authority’s official website.