So far, the summer of 2023 has been a good season for travel agents: people are travelling a lot and they’re very happy about it. And, with a bit of luck, said the president of the Union of Travel Agencies (ULAV), by the end of the year the industry should be back to 2019 pre-pandemic figures. Although travel has become more expensive, and despite additional inflation, the amount of bookings haven’t seemed to suffer. It is clear that interest in travel is high.
Classic destinations most booked
The classic destinations are still the most sought after: Portugal, Spain, Italy, France and Greece - and every now and then the USA and Canada. In winter, the Caribbean, Oman, the Arab Emirates and Cape Verde have become increasingly popular. Although many people re-booked their holiday destination following the forest fires in Rhodes, the heatwave has not impacted travel to other destinations. Heinisch impressed that, above all, the current weather in Luxembourg is playing into the travel agents’ hands - with so many people yearning for the sun.
New trends
As far as ULAV products are concerned, package tours continue to generate the most sales. However, customers increasingly want a personalised trip - especially since the pandemic. A few other trends: Iceland and Scandinavia are becoming more popular, and the average customer age has dropped significantly.
Little attention is paid to sustainability while travelling
However, Heinisch says sustainability does not seem to be a real concern for clients. Clients will occasionally ask about a cruise ship’s fuel, or CO2-offset options with airlines. However, any ecological change seems to be coming, mostly, from the tourism sector itself. Hotels now use less plastic, electricity is occasionally produced with solar panels, and food waste has been curtailed, but a larger shift cannot take place overnight, says Heinisch. The customer seems to be less concerned about these issues.
Tourism should not be stigmatised
When thinking about sustainability and travel, the word ‘over-tourism’ comes up quite a bit. This concept is a thorn in Heinisch’s side: he feels tourism is one of the biggest and most important industries worldwide, with many people and countries dependent upon it. For these reasons, he feels, no stigma should be attached to over-tourism. Destinations like Venice, Bruges, and Barcelona are serving their part to combat the more destructive elements of tourism. Venice requires an entrance fee to even set foot on the island. Only a limited number of cruise ships are allowed to dock in Dubrovnik during the day. And in Greece, the season is simply extended to keep mass tourism at bay.
