Anti-tourism protests spark sales fears but late bookings remain strong

by Juliet Dennis and Ella Sagar

 

Concerns about overtourism protests in resorts this summer are increasing as the trade reports a surge in price-driven late sales.

 

Protests took place over the weekend in Barcelona, Granada, Palma, Ibiza, Lisbon, Venice, Genoa, Palermo, Milan and Naples.

 

A spokesperson for Barcelona anti-tourism organisation ABDT said protests would continue but stressed no joint action was planned this summer despite campaigners across southern Europe pledging “co-ordinated” action under the Set Alliance group.

 

Jet2holidays chief executive Steve Heapy shared renewed fears that protests and media reports could hit bookings as travel agents reported increased concerns from clients.

 

He said: “Media coverage has ramped up over the past 24 hours and it simply enforces the perception that holidaymakers are not welcome. It worries people, simple as that.

 

“If people are reading about anti-tourism protests potentially targeting them on holiday, it’s going to make them think twice.” Jet2 has warned “successive governments for many years” about the issue, he said, adding: “The unfettered rise in unlicensed tourism is the primary driver behind the protests we saw last weekend.”

 

More: Spain reports shoulder season growth as peak ‘flattens’

 

The Travel Network Group chief commercial officer Vim Vithaldas agreed: “Protests in Barcelona, Tenerife, Majorca [are about] overtourism but it’s due to [accommodation platforms like] Airbnb going into destinations not geared up to tourism which is driving that behaviour.”

 

Agents said the protests were starting to affect consumer sentiment. Ryan Lambton, a Hays Travel personal travel consultant, said: “I’ve had a few customers message [to say they] are now reluctant to book.”

 

Karl Douglas, co-owner of Beverley Travel, said: “We’ve had people saying, ‘We don’t want to go somewhere we’re not wanted’. People will choose somewhere they’re going to be made welcome.”

 

Caroline Thorne, head of travel at East of England Co-op Travel, said TV news reports had led to protests cropping up in sales conversations more than the escalating tensions in the Middle East following the start of the Israel-Iran conflict.

 

More: Overtourism having growing impact on holidays plans, finds report

 

“The fact they could be in the middle of a protest, or be told to go home, has been more of a talking point than the fighting,” said Thorne.

 

Sandra Mutter, director at Andara Travel, agreed: “I’ve just taken two new Dubai enquiries and I’m quoting for a Jordan trip, which the client still wants to go on. The Majorca protests seem to have had more of an impact.”

 

Abta director of industry relations Susan Deer said the association was prepped to help agents after stories about protests hit the news and social media.

 

“In anticipation that these stories might lead customers to ask our members what this means for their holidays, we have information available in the Abta member zone [of our website] to help them respond,” she said.

 

Tourist boards for Spain and Portugal said they were working hard to ease peak season overtourism by promoting lesser-known regions and longer-duration stays off peak.

 

Manuel Butler, UK director at the Spanish Tourist Office, said the destination remained “committed” to ensuring holidaymakers felt “welcomed and inspired”.

 

Late bookings strong

 

The protest fears come as late bookings continue to rise, just weeks ahead of the key school summer holiday, driven by operator discounting.

 

Advantage Travel Partnership commercial director John Sullivan said the share of bookings for travel in the next 12 weeks had risen week on week, signalling increased demand for last-minute trips.

 

But he stressed: “Average booking values increased significantly, not only versus the previous week but also the same week last year. So, while operators have deployed tactical promotions, we’re not seeing this impact the selling price point.”

 

Paula Gleeson, head of business and commercial at Seaside Travel, said clients were now asking to depart “as soon as the next few days”.

 

“Prices are still very competitive so customers are securing really good deals, which in turn means we’ve had to discount less,” she added.

 

Global Travel Collection UK vice-president Francesca Mendola, speaking at Aspire’s Leaders of Luxury conference, said clients were holding out longer for price drops, noting: “It’s still a very expensive market [but] it’s a competitive market.”