THE countdown to the millennium has begun but there still remains a startling amount of uncertainty in the travel industry about what exactly will happen when the clock strikes midnight on December 31.
British Airways is due to publish its millennium fares on January 11 – but is still not sure whether its aircraft will even fly.
Doubt over year 2000 technology problems has led to fears that there could be safety implications for air traffic control on January 1.
BA and most of the major carriers claim they will be ready, but they are anxious that other airlines might not have taken the necessary precautions.
Publicity surrounding this issue will undoubtedly dissuade some people from travelling over the period.
Meanwhile, many hotels have been slow to set rates because they are holding out to gauge demand before confirming prices and allocations.
Most are devising special millennium packages, instead of the usual room with bed and breakfast. Forte is selling all-inclusive three-day packages for its Posthouse brand and is offering selected Heritage hotels for house parties, where groups can hire the whole property.
However, in London its hotels are sticking to the traditional room night bookings, but at a premium rate.
Landmark hotels in the popular destinations of London, New York and Paris are expected to inflate prices massively over the period.
They have been particularly slow to confirm rates and availability, causing a major headache for tour operators trying to put together brochures.
Most tour operators have released limited brochures and will add further capacity in second editions when rates and allocations are confirmed.
British Airways Holidays launched its second-edition brochure at the end of last year. A spokeswoman said demand was already fairly strong but added:”We are expecting bookings to pick up dramatically this month.
“People will now really start thinking about what they are doing to celebrate the millennium.”
At present, operators are reporting the majority of bookings are for one or two-week holidays starting around December 20-25.
The family market is buoyant, but there have not been as many large group bookings as expected.
Destinations with guaranteed sunshine have been the number one choice for people wishing to celebrate the millennium away from home.
Caribbean locations, particularly Barbados and St Lucia, are the top worldwide sellers for BAH and there is little capacity still available. Cruises and Florida, particularly Disney World, have been strong sellers for most operators.
Thomson managing director Richard Bowden-Doyle said over 50% of the 20,000 bookings taken so far for this period are for Spain.
A typical two week holiday in a four star hotel in the Canaries with Thomson over the millenium will cost ú1,157 per person. The same holiday this year is just ú869 per person.
Like most of the mainstream operators, First Choice Holidays and Flights marketing director Philippa Harris said the operator had not seen an influx of bookings for the period. But customers who usually travel at this time of year are upgrading.
“Those that go to the Canaries every year are perhaps staying at a better hotel and it looks as though families are taking grandma and grandpa as well this time,” she said.
Thomas Cook commercial director Mike Beaumont said it is too early to measure the full extent of millennium hysteria. “I think we’ll know a lot more in four months’ time,” he said.