Top travel trends
From solo getaways to long-haul family flights, the Irish are travel enthusiasts, and that will only increase in 2018. Shauna McCrudden speaks to Cormac Meehan, President of the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA), to learn about the latest travel tre
Shauna McCrudden speaks to Cormac Meehan, President of the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA), to learn about the latest travel trends
Irish people are travelling more than ever before. According to the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA), travel bookings have had an estimated year-onyear increase of 10pc in 2017, compared to 2016. The number of people going through Dublin Airport has increased with over 27.4 million passengers passing through, making a 6pc increase over last year. But why are the Irish taking more trips?
“Consumer confidence is very high and there is more awareness of the increase in the choices of destinations out of Irish airports,” says Cormac Meehan, President of the ITAA. “There is also a greater interest in the new type of holiday offerings, such as cruises, which have become exceptionally popular and will continue to be popular in the next year. People want to try holidays they have never experienced before.”
There has been an increase in the number of people booking with travel agents online. The ITAA quarterly survey revealed that over 60pc of agents had an increase in turnover between July and September 2017, compared to the same period in 2016.
Cormac explains: “It is far easier for busy people to hand over the planning to a travel agent who has expertise in sourcing the best flights and accommodation. As they are spending a lot of money on their trips, consumers know it’s much more safe and secure to book with a professional and make sure everything is the best it can be.”
TOP DESTINATIONS
The most popular 2017 destinations for Irish people in terms of bookings made were Spain, Portugal and the United States. Spain had 60pc of the summer market while Portugal and the US had 40pc each. Spain rose to 82pc of bookings in winter 2017. These areas are predicted to remain just as strong in 2018, but there are other places rising in popularity.
“The number of Irish people going to Spain is phenomenal,” says Cormac. “There are over 40 viable destinations there outside of the well-known Canary Islands, so there are an incredible amount of places to visit. Spain and Portugal are very close to Ireland geographically, and they are accessible for people as there are so many flights available. They will always do well with Irish people due to the good value, the sun and sand, the culture, the accommodation and the fact that it is seen as an easy holiday.”
The US has always been popular with the Irish, with places such as New York, Orlando and San Francisco being firm favourites. But, there are other areas there opening up to Irish people, according to Cormac.
“The northeast of America such as Virginia, Boston and Philadelphia, along with northwest states, such as Seattle, will be big tourist spots through the year. These are becoming much more accessible due to new routes flying direct from Ireland launching in 2018, so we will definitely see a bigger increase in traffic to these areas.
“We also see Morocco becoming more popular, particularly Marrakesh. That is making a major break back into the market this year. Countries in the Far East such as China, or Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam for example, will become hot spots to visit and because of flights through Istanbul, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, they are all very accessible destinations. There is really no place that’s inaccessible to Irish people now, and I think bookings will increase as long as airlines continue to base themselves in Ireland or Dublin as an international hub.”
TYPES OF HOLIDAYS
Relaxing and de-stressing on a sunny beach is the biggest holiday motivation, with over 73pc ranking the sun and beach as the experience most desired, but what else are Irish people doing during their big trips away?
“We are increasingly seeing more independent travellers. A few years ago, if I was travelling on my own, I would have to pay a supplement for accommodation, but tour operators are much more equipped and amenable to deal with single travellers now. It’s not as expensive or prohibitive for people to travel by themselves anymore, so that type of holiday is much more popular.
“There is also an incredible amount of movement in the activity holiday market, which can include everything from city breaks to safaris. You can visit Rome and Pompeii on an escorted tour or go snowboarding in France. Some of the most popular activity holidays are the Camino de Santiago walk in Spain and the Machu Picchu trail in Peru. There is a real sense of adventure in Irish people and it’s now very easy to go on these exciting trips and have memories you can treasure for the rest of your life.”