The ABTA Holiday survey has revealed that 83% of consumers who have recently taken an overseas holiday are planning to do so again in 2009, despite the global financial crisis.
The survey, conducted by Ipsos MORI in the first two weeks of September, also found that 47 per cent of respondents will not adjust their travel plans because of the global financial crisis. In addition 24 per cent are still undecided.
Forty six per cent of respondents said that the destinations they plan to go to and the type of holiday they choose will be unaffected by the money markets, while 50 per cent state they will not be cutting back on the length of their holidays.
But while just under four in ten (39 per cent) said they will not reduce the number of holidays they take, a similar proportion (38 per cent) said they will take less holidays next year. This year, according to the survey, 42 per cent took one holiday abroad, while 30 per cent took three or more holidays during the last 12 months.
Thirty five per cent revealed that the current economic situation will affect the destination they go to. And 50 per cent did not believe the economic downturn would affect the duration of their holidays.
This year, 31 per cent of respondents said that their last holiday was of 11-14 night holidays, 31 per cent said they had taken a 5-7 night long holiday, while short breaks of one to four nights were slightly more popular at 14 per cent, than the 8-10 night duration – of which only 11 per cent said they had been on.
However, a significant proportion of holidaymakers are concerned about the environmental and social impact of their holiday with 83 per cent saying that it was important that their holiday should not damage the environment.
Fifty four per cent said they were interested in finding out more about the local environmental and social issues in their chosen resort, before they booked a holiday.
Seventy seven per cent of holidaymakers do believe that it is important that local people benefit from the tourism in their area, while 83 per cent of travellers believe that it is important that their holiday should involve trying the local cuisine and experiencing local culture.
Ipsos MORI interviewed 702 respondents for the The ABTA Holiday Survey. All respondents had to either have been on or booked an overseas holiday during the last 12 months to qualify to take part.