Latest data from online traffic analyst Experian Hitwise suggests First Choice may be investing in a shrinking market by moving to sell only all-inclusive holidays from next year.
The Tui Travel brand provoked a furore when it announced it would be solely all-inclusive for Summer 2012, but Hitwise data shows a 31% year-on-year decrease in search volume for all-inclusive holidays.
Experian Hitwise suggests any increase in First Choice all-inclusive bookings may represent a growing percentage of a shrinking market.
An Experian Hitwise report says: “This decrease in overall searches has had an effect on First Choice traffic. In January 2010 First Choice received 7% of all of its traffic from searches for all-inclusive holidays. A year later that number had fallen to 5.5%.”
First Choice is not the only company pushing all-inclusive holidays. In fact, Hitwise ranks the tour operator fifth in all-inclusive search ranking, behind Thomson Holidays, Thomas Cook, directline holidays and lowcostholidays.com.
Experian Hitwise concludes: “The decision to move all First Choice holidays to the all-inclusive market will surely help to focus the company’s efforts and targeting online. The issue will be whether First Choice can capture enough of a declining all-inclusive market in order to make their new niche specialism worthwhile.”