NITN | @notintownlive | 14 Dec 2018, 12:54 pm
NEW YORK: In a recent survey conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), the tour operator members of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) named Italy the most popular or “hot” destination for travelers in 2019.
The top 10 “hot” destinations for the coming year also included Iceland, which ranked second, followed by Japan, Vietnam, Australia, France, Spain, Colombia, Cambodia and Portugal.
USTOA tour operator members also identified their top 10 off-the-beaten path or emerging destinations that they see gaining popularity in 2019: Iceland ranked first, Cambodia ranked second, followed by Croatia, Colombia, Vietnam, Portugal, Bhutan, Bolivia, Myanmar, and Ethiopia.
“It’s interesting see five destinations – Iceland, Cambodia, Colombia, Vietnam and Portugal - appear on both the hot destinations and emerging destinations lists,” added Terry Dale, President and CEO of USTOA. “This tells us that off-the-beaten path travel experiences continue to grow in popularity amongst travelers.”
Demand for immersive, culturally rich travel programs continue to remain high.
Roughly 82% of members offer art and culture travel experiences. The art and culture category was also the highest ranked experiential program for travelers in 2017, based on volume of sales. Two thirds of membership offer honeymoon and romance programs, 63% of members offer adventure programs, and more than half (56%) offer multi-generational family programs.
Economic Impact and Growth Ahead
According to the study, the tour operator members of USTOA project to close out 2018 with sales reaching $18.7 billion dollars, representing 9.8 million individual travelers.
Furthermore, member operators are extremely confident about business in the year ahead: 100% of responding tour operator members anticipate growth in sales in 2019.
Image: Barcelona, Spain
“Since the first PwC study was commissioned in 2012, it’s the first time we’ve seen such a bullish response with our entire membership projecting growth ahead,” said Dale. “It’s even more encouraging that more than half of members (56%) forecast growth of sales ranging from seven to 10% or more in 2019, indicating a potential boom year.”
Political instability and overtourism, a new category this year, were the next two global risks that members were “extremely concerned” about, as named by 13% of survey respondents.
In addition, tour operator members projected that roughly 63% of total packages sold in 2018 were through travel agencies, “Reinforcing the critical role of travel advisors in the continued success of members’ businesses,” Dale cited.
Traveler Profile
When asked whose traveling, tour operator members responded that about half (48%) of their customer base are 51 to 70 years of age. The next largest category was age 36 to 50 years representing 20% of customers. Gender is split evenly with 51% female and 49% male. Within the escorted/guided and custom tour category, female passengers were represented slightly higher at 59%.
The research was released at USTOA’s 40th Annual Conference & Marketplace, held at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge in Phoenix AZ, November 26-30, 2018.
- 6 Factors to Consider While Choosing the Best Travel Insurance Online
- Srirangam Homestay: A harmonious blend of art, culture, and comfort in Shantiniketan
- White beluga whale Hvaldimir, dubbed 'Russian Spy', found dead off Norwegian coast
- Uzbekistan's historic city of Samarkand will host the UNESCO General Assembly 2025
- Make My Trip, Air India Express forges partnership to launch 'Xpress Holidays'
- Delhi airport roof collapse: One dead, six injured, flights disrupted; Opposition targets Modi
- Air India Express launches splash sale, can you guess the lowest fare offered?
- Australian Tourism rides Kolkata’s iconic tram with Raima Sen to promote their country in India
- Luxury hospitality group Jumeirah announces 2024 Global Wellness Day initiatives
- Tata-owned Air India unveils additional flights to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Milan
Jazeera Airways, Kuwait’s leading low-cost carrier, is offering 50% off on fares to all destinations across its network from July 28 to 31.
New Delhi : Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India and a part of the Tata group, has launched its "Time to Travel" sale on the airline’s website, airindiaexpress.com, the Air India Express mobile app and other major booking channels.
Tokyo: Airlines were forced to cancel over 300 flights following the collision between a Japan Coast Guard aircraft and a Japan Airlines passenger plane at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Tuesday evening even as reports said the plane was cleared to land ahead of the tragedy.