ABTA convention dispels gloom over cuts in travel spending
The mood at the recent ABTA travel convention in Malta was relatively upbeat despite fears that George Osbourne’s spending review may hit the tourism sector hard.
In the wake of the Chancellor’s announcement on budget cuts, many in the leisure and tourism industry feared bearing the brunt of a decline in public spending. The Head of Public Affairs at ABTA Luke Pollard echoed the sentiments of many sector heads by saying, “the cuts announced today will undoubtedly land a blow to consumer confidence which will have a knock on effect on how consumers want to spend their money when it comes to holidays.”
On a brighter note
Despite the rather pessimistic mood going into the annual ABTA travel convention, many were surprised to find an upbeat timbre once things got underway.
Speaker Douglas McWilliams, Founder and Chief Executive of the Centre for Economic and Business Research for one predicted that while disposable incomes in the UK will be suppressed in the immediate future, consumers will continue to find ways to afford travel, deeming it a now essential item.
A return to old-fashioned values
Experts at the congress also predicted that value for money would play an important role in how consumers spent their travel budgets in the foreseeable future, with quality and reliability winning out over low cost options.
Ripples felt across the industry
It’s not just tour operators and airlines that are set to feel the change in mood either. Many hotels and airport parking providers will also have to learn to work with a more prudent public.
Martin Mansell, Head of Marketing for airport meet and greet specialists LCS offered the following words of cautious optimism, “we know people need to make their money work harder for them going forward, that’s why we’re focusing on delivering a reliable, value for money service above all else. By putting the customer at the centre of what we do, we should be able to weather the storm and continue doing what we do best.”
About LCS Parking
LCS Parking is a well-established meet and greet Leeds Airport car parking service. With a team of qualified chauffeurs and secure, Park Mark accredited storage facilities, it’s no wonder we’re the first choice for thousands of domestic and commercial travellers each year.