Stormy weather ahead for the Travel and Tourism industry?
What everyone in the tourism industry is asking themselves right about now is: How will tourism in 2009 be affected by the global economic crisis? Here at GlobalCrisisNews.com we have done some research for you.
According to Responsibletravel.com, 2009 will see a further increase in traditional holidays closer to home. It goes without saying then that countries which rely heavily on foreign tourism such as Greece and Spain are going to feel a terrible crunch this year.
Without making any exaggerations, it appears that similar to other sectors throughout the economy and around the globe who have seen “the worst year since”, “the highest decline since”, the lowest revenues in”, amongst other record breaking headlines, the tourism industry may suffer similar record breaking headlines this year.
Managing director of ResponsibleTravel, Justin Francis said: “2009 will be one of the toughest years that the travel industry has ever faced.
According to ArabianBusiness.com, “towards the end of 2008, most hoteliers conceded to a significant slowdown and growing uncertainty in occupancy figures.” From Hotelsmag.com we already read of a slowdown in the Dubai region: “Luxury and high-end hotel occupancy rates in Dubai, home to the world’s tallest building and palm tree-shaped islands in the Gulf, declined 15 per cent in January after the global recession curbed international air travel.”
The consensus appears to be clear, 2009 will be a year of disaster, also for the travel & tourism industry: “Hoteliers throughout the world are unanimously expecting declines in business performance for 2009, according to the Horwath HTL Global Hotel Market Sentiment Survey.”
In Germany: 30% preferred going on holiday in their own country already last year because of tightening budgets. In February 2009 40% are still undecided as to whether they will go on holiday in their home country or chose a place that is closer to home and cheaper than Spain, Italy and Turkey.
As companies around the globe face tough times, corporate spending on travel is set to reduce. According to the Association of Corporate Travel Executives 71 percent of its member companies plan to spend less on travel this year than they did in 2008.
Travel & Tourism predictions for 2009
Image by pikmin under Creative Commons.
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I think the decline in the tourist industry in Spain, is a lesson for Australia &
America , you need a real self-supporting industry that creates real long term
employment oppurtunities, like the agrigcultural/commodity industries.
The days of “El Cheapo” tourism in Southern Europe are gone !
North Africa provides a far cheaper tourist experience and more friendly service.
The EURO has killed off Spain’s cheapness and the food & service has become
more shabby as the years have rolled on.
The culture of Spain today is not much different from Australia & America, even
the two languages of Oxfordian English & Castillian Spanish are now widely
spoken on the Iberian Penninsula, as they are Down-Under & the States !