Travel agents should take advantage of the current economic situation by booking more domestic breaks, says Hoseasons chief executive Richard Carrick.
Speaking during a breakfast briefing with VisitBritain at the ABTA Convention he said more Brits are waiting to book their holidays until the last minute because of concerns about cash meaning more opporuntity for domestic breaks.
He said: “People still want to go on holiday, but they are likely to book shorter breaks closer to home, as and when they know they can afford it. People are holding on to see if they have the cash.
“The UK travel agent has its single biggest opportunity to take advantage of that. It is an opportunity for them to fill their boots.
“This is the biggest opportunity to sell Britain ever, and we believe that the travel trade will increasingly see the benefits of promoting domestic holidays in 2009.”
He also spoke of his dissappointment that none of the sessions at the ABTA Convention covered the domestic market. He said: “It is typical an ABTA Conference fails to embrace the market in this way.”
More news from the ABTA Travel Convention 2008
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