The trend in bookings for the upcoming Christmas holidays is approaching pre-pandemic values. This is good news in light of rising inflation and rising energy prices. According to data collected by the Astoi Confindustria Viaggi Observatory, an association that represents over 90% of the tour operating market. Bookings of organized trips for Christmas, New Year and Epiphany departures are approaching the numbers of 2019 with a -4% of global turnover against a 12% drop in passengers. The discrepancy between turnover and passengers should be read in the context of inflation which is affecting all production factors and therefore also tourism. The high prices, the lower availability of flights for some destinations, the closure of some destinations such as China and Russia and a feeling of general uncertainty, further slow down the breakeven volumes in 2019. Customers in the high spending range are little impacted by the increase of costs but the mid-range changes some purchasing behavior in order not to give up on the holiday. For the Christmas and New Year high season, reservations were made well in advance but for the period between January and March families move more cautiously and wait before confirming reservations. The choices are more weighted than in the past and short breaks with an average duration of 8 days are preferred. The least expensive hotel services are chosen by opting for medium-range destinations compared to the long-range of the past. The budget allocated for the New Year’s period exceeds 1,800 euros considering the high incidence of long-haul flights and the weight of departures in the peak season. «We certify that the desire to travel is still very strong – explains Pier Ezhaya, President of Astoi Confindustria Viaggi -. The year-end holidays confirm that volumes are back to normal although not yet fully aligned with the 2019 values and we record a 4% decrease in overall turnover on the same 2019 perimeter. As regards the remainder of the winter bookings appear slower, but as the season is still ongoing, we are confident that the number of customers will be very close to the pre-pandemic one. Inflation and high prices don’t keep travellers away, but in some cases they push to change some behaviors. The effect on the high-spending bracket is minimal, while it affects the middle bracket and families and makes it more prudent. Clients prefer the Maldives and Egypt as destinations, with the return of cultural travel such as cruises on the Nile and the Red Sea, as well as the United States, East Africa and Thailand. We are optimistic about the new season; the sentiment is that they have left behind the consequences of the pandemic and want to deploy all the energy, innovations, professionalism and guarantees to attract the consumer to the organized tourism model”.
The destinations
The most sought-after long-haul destinations are Maldives, United States, especially New York and Miami, Thailand. In the Caribbean the preference goes to the Dominican Republic, in East Africa to Kenya and Zanzibar while Latin America, Cuba, Mexico and Australia suffer instead. Those with an average budget choose Egypt, a nearby destination, accessible and with very strong fundamentals for the Italian tourist. The novelty is the large-scale return of Nile cruises, of strong cultural value, with a complete relaunch of the destination. Furthermore, the appeal of the United Arab Emirates remains strong and Jordan asserts itself. The cruise sector closes 2022 in a more favorable way than expected. The Caribbean remains one of the most popular destinations in the winter season and there is an important growth trend towards the United Arab Emirates. Young people and people with their first experience on board approach the cruise holiday. With early booking, the Mediterranean will certainly benefit, in the 2023 programming. Europe registers the renewed interest of cultural travellers, with preferences for the main capitals and large cities; there is a high demand for stays and itineraries in Turkey. It is interesting to note that until 2019 the orientation of customers for bookings in European capitals through tour operators and travel agencies was aimed above all at guaranteeing very special experiences, difficult to organize individually, while now there is also a return to the request for stays and classic itineraries to experience the capitals in a traditional way. This bears witness to the need for customers to want to enjoy – even for the simplest holidays – the security, assistance and advice that only the organized supply chain can offer. Nationally, the mountain lives its season in the spotlight. Despite the high price of energy being particularly felt in this segment, approval is always very high. Here too there is a change in attitude on the part of consumers: while previously the dominant motive was skiing, today other experiences are also sought after that complete the ski holiday, including wellness and food and wine. Astoi associates also receive numerous requests from foreign markets, a sign that Italy is appreciated and sought after in every season.
The operators
«We register a full house in our structures in Egypt, followed by the excellent performance of Cape Verde. The long range is also back to score important numbers with Zanzibar and the Maldives in the lead. The Caribbean area is also doing well, mainly with Jamaica and Mexico – says Stefano Pompili, CEO of Veratour -. The data for the Christmas holidays are positive: despite the fact that inflation due to international factors is affecting costs on average by 15% and Italians show that they have a great desire to travel again, especially to destinations that were not reachable in recent winters. For this period we have reached a level comparable to 2019 in terms of revenues against a drop of approximately 10% of passengers». We try to book as close to date as possible and the top destinations, for a high-spending clientele, were the first in the Veratour catalog to sell out.