AITO TI 2020

Travel Insights

2020

AITO.com

Produced by

SPIKE

In association with

Wild Dog Design

The Specialist

Travel Sector

This travel insights report explores the Specialist Travel market, diving into multiple trends seen in

the last few years – leading into the most popular activities and destinations of 2020. The intention

of this review is to give the reader a grounding of the sector’s customer base throughout the

booking journey: how do travellers want you to get in touch, how do they want to book,

where do they want to go, and what do they want when they get there?

HOW DO WE DEFINE

SPECIALIST TRAVEL?

Specialist travel is different from the

mass market holiday that has dominated

the tourism sector for decades. These

smaller, expert operators have a

real passion for the destinations and

activities they offer, often starting their

companies as a hobby and transforming

it into a livelihood. From Specialist Tour

Operators, customers receive a more

personal service as they can provide

detailed, first-hand advice on preferred

itineraries whilst accommodating

individual requirements where possible.

Many operators can use their intimate

knowledge of destinations to curate

tailormade experiences which are

unrivalled by the larger, profit-driven

generic holiday companies – proving to

provide an experience like no other.

WHO IS AITO?

AITO is a travel association comprising

of Specialist Tour Operator members,

tourist boards, business partners, and

travel agents. AITO’s family of 120

independent, Specialist Tour Operators

is a pillar of reliability in uncertain times.

Apart from strict membership criteria

before joining AITO, constant monitoring

by AITO’s HQ - and a mandatory Code of

Business Practice - encourage the highest

of operational standards and conduct.

Additionally, all members go beyond

current Government regulations – they

must, under the AITO logo, provide

100% protection for every holiday sold,

whether full ‘package’ holidays including

transport and accommodation or

accommodation-only trips. Notably, AITO

members are the only UK operators that

protect accommodation-only bookings.

OUR SAMPLE

This survey consisted of 26,406 responses

from the databases of 39 different

Specialist Travel companies consisting of

AITO Tour Operators and AITO Agents.

The majority of responses were from

the UK, with a small proportion from

overseas. Over 80% of respondents were

above the age of 50, with 48% being

retired and 30% in full time work. 55%

of our sample identified as female, with

43% identifying themselves as male.

2

wilddogdesign.co.uk | spikemarketing.co.uk

CONTENTS

The Specialist Travel Sector 02

The Specialist Traveller

is a Silver Traveller 04

What’s different? 06

Examining Sustainability 08

Top 10 Specialist Activities 09

A Study of Culture, Arts and History 10

Surveying the Walking and

Trekking sector 11

Spotting the Wildlife 12

Examining The Secondary Activity 13

Gaining and retaining travellers 14

The ‘B’ word 16

Top 10 Specialist Destinations 17

South America 18

Australasia 19

South-East Asia 20

Examining Guidebooks 21

Final Figures 22

Thanks to our business partners,

SPIKE and Wild Dog Design,

for making this report possible.

To contact AITO for further information call us on

020 8744 9280 or email us on info@aito.com

Produced by

SPIKE

In association with

Wild Dog Design

The Specialist Traveller

is a Silver Traveller

Over 80% of respondents within our survey

are above the age of 50, with the AITO

traveller having the mean age of 61.

undisclosed 18-24

25-29

30-39

80 and over

40-49

This is very exciting data for Specialist

operators. The 50+ market is only getting

larger, with the number of births over the

last 80 years far outweighing the number of

deaths. The second wave of the Baby Boom

generation (born between 1946 and 1964)

is starting to reach 60 this year, leading to the

55-75 age bracket being the most populous

of any bracket this coming decade.

The 55-64 age bracket also has the most

expendable income, accounting for 28% of all

median household wealth. This demographic

has shown itself to prioritise their health, fitness

and leisure time above all else – accounting in

part for their investment in their breaks away.

70-79

50-59

60-69

4


CONSUMER

CONFIDENCE REMAINS

STRONG AFTER

THOMAS COOK.

EXPERTISE BEATS PRICE.

Value for money comes in fourth

when considering reasons for booking

with a Specialist Tour Operator, with

knowledge and expertise taking the

top spot followed by being a preferred

specialism, and having a previous good

experience with the Tour Operator. This

shows that, on the whole, the Specialist

Traveller is not as price sensitive as

the mainstream holidaymaker. There

is a willingness to pay more for their

experience to make it memorable.

THE B WORD HAS NOT AFFECTED

PURCHASE INTENTION.

Similarly, when asked why a traveller

has not booked with an operator yet,

the trip being “too expensive” was

only third on the list – following “still

planning” and “booked with another

company”. This shows that conversion

is more likely should the operator

focus on the merits on the trip, rather

than the price of the product, when

marketing packages further.

79% of respondents were not influenced by the trajectory of Brexit when choosing

their holidays last year, and this drops to just 66% when asked if Brexit played a part

in holidays being booked into 2020. Of those who said that their holiday choices in

2020 will be affected by Brexit, 73% said they were less likely to travel to Europe.

Whilst their longing for Europe decreased, Brexit either had no effect on 72%

of respondents’ appetite for the rest of the world – or, indeed increased their

desire to travel long-haul.

The Specialist Traveller, confident in

the security and protection of the

Specialist Operator, is undeterred

by the demise of Thomas Cook

and its subsequent ramifications.

Whilst the company’s liquidation

was to the dismay of hoteliers and

DMC’s worldwide, with effects of

seismic proportions, confidence in

the package holiday remains strong;

Thomas Cook’s sales were high even

in its last financial year, meaning the

package holiday product was not

the issue.

Before the collapse of Thomas

Cook, 52.4% of respondents said

they associated the term ‘safe’

with booking a holiday with a

Specialist travel company. After the

company went into liquidation,

this number not only stayed

resilient – but rose to 52.5%.

This demonstrates a stronger

confidence in companies perceived

to be Specialists, compared to the

mainstream brands. Compare this to

an independently-booked holiday,

and the results remain reassuring.

Independent travellers associated

this method of booking a trip as

an even less safe way to organise

their journey, with the percentile

dropping from 13.6% of travellers

feeling safe doing this to 13.1%.



5

What’s changed?

TRAVELLERS WANT TO

TAKE MORE HOLIDAYS

The number of AITO

travellers taking four or

more holidays has increased

from the year before, with

the number taking 5+

holidays increasing from

4.6% to 5.9%. This, tied

with a 3% rise in people

wanting to spend between

£500-£999 on a holiday,

indicates the potential to

foster relationships with

clients which lead to longterm

gains through selling

multiple, shorter-term

holidays including weekend

breaks. Whilst the majority

of respondents take two

or more holidays, and are

willing to invest more in

these, this rise in serial

holidaymakers shows that

the Specialist market is not

immune to the changing

attitudes accompanying

the rise of budget airlines.

Data from 2018 shows that,

in many case, more UK

residents have been abroad

over the course of the year

than the previous five

years combined.

TRAVELLERS WANT

TO STAY CONNECTED

Internet access is more

important to travellers than

the year before, rising from

40% to 55% this year. This

suggests that, contrary to

popular belief, travellers see

the value that access to the

internet has whilst on holiday.

As social media platforms take

a hold, and platforms such as

Instagram and WhatsApp rise

in popularity in the sector,

travellers require the ability

to share their experiences

with friends and family in

both real time, and at the

end of each day in the hotel

room – not just after the

holiday. Instagram’s hold

on the holiday experience

is consistent with its

demographic, as 11% of

users worldwide are within

the 45-64 bracket. With

Instagram’s monthly active

users rising at over one billion,

this accounts for a significant

number of its users.

6


CUSTOMER REVIEWS ARE

INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT

Verifiable customer reviews

are more influential than

ever before to the Specialist

Traveller, nearly doubling

from 19.9% of respondents

believing them to be a

key source of information

when booking their holiday

in 2019, to 39% in 2020.

Whilst this news indicates

the need to engage with

a reviews platform and

encourage customers to

leave reviews about their

holidays, it demonstrates

the importance of verifiable,

credible reviews. In the last

year, large reviews sites

have come under fire from

consumer activists and

journalists regarding their

inability to combat the rise

of fake reviews, often bought

from the vast array of

services available online. In

this climate, it is imperative

to ensure the feedback being

submitted is from genuine

clients. AITO’s own reviews

system, for example, has

measures in place to ensure

that those submitting

reviews to aito.com are

genuine customers.

CUSTOMERS ARE

MORE LOYAL

An annual survey from 2014

finds that businesses adopting

an omni-channel strategy

which enables customers to

have a seamless experience

from one touch point to the

next leads to significantly

highly customer retention

rates. This gives the ‘personal

touch’ in an age of chatbots

and endless FAQ pages.

Specialist operators have

been giving this personal

experience for decades,

accounting for the hold they

have on their customers –

with 63% of respondents

saying they are likely, if not

extremely likely, to book

with an AITO operator again

– rising from 59%. Whilst

technology is making it

easier for larger, mainstream

companies to provide the

illusion of personal service,

Specialist operators give

the real deal – often using

the technology available

to enhance their personal

service, not replicate it.



7

Examining Sustainability

A RENEWED INTEREST

Activists such as Greta Thunberg and political groups such as Extinction Rebellion

have reignited the fears and challenges surrounding climate change.

According to a recent Unilever survey,

one in three consumers are now buying

from brands based on their social and

environmental impact. To respond to

this renewed interest and demand for

sustainable practices, large corporations

and SME’s alike have had to alter both

their product offerings and marketing

strategies across all sectors.

This demand for sustainable practice poses

a challenge for SME’s – as committed as

they are, some reports suggest that 70% of

small businesses are struggling to turn their

ambitions into action due to a perceived

lack of funds or time. Restructuring to

increase focus on sustainable practice can,

however, not only reduce a company’s

overheads but generate revenue.

Sustainable practices, when marketed

correctly, have shown to increase purchase

intention on par with price in some

sectors – accounting for the recent surge

in sustainability-focused start-ups.

The demand for Sustainable Travel

There are numerous examples of this

in the travel sector, with successful

accommodation platforms being launched

which guide travellers toward socially

responsible accommodation, whether

this be those with progressive food waste

management systems in place, keycards

with lower environmental footprints,

or lower maintenance footprints.

Highlighting these credentials when

marketing holiday packages have shown

to increase a brand’s reputation, if not

close a sale.

Concerns regarding carbon emissions are

in the media, discussing the role of the

travel industry – with particular focus on

the airlines. These stories have more than

doubled in 2019.

Travellers are demanding a response from

the travel sector, with an expectation for

companies to share their concerns. This

could be in the form of offering rail travel

where possible (as oppose to plane travel),

through responsible carbon offsetting, or

simply creating a sustainability plan and

communicating this to their customer base.

AITO’s role in Sustainable Tourism

AITO’s Project PROTECT, in association

with the University of Surrey, measures

the work of AITO members in developing

tourism that looks after the destinations

in which they operate. In the past two

years, more than half of AITO’s members

implemented 30-plus projects to make a

positive difference, including training for

guides and disadvantaged youths, raising

awareness about waste and single-use

plastics, and providing destinations with

much-needed food, water and other

essential equipment. With more operators

developing further initiatives in 2020,

AITO’s long-standing commitment to

sustainability remains hugely important.

Number of articles in mainstream media outletsper month about sustainablility

and carbon emissions in the airline industry

200

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

8


Most Popular

TOP 10

Specialist Activities SPECIALIST ACTIVITIES

1CULTURE, ARTS AND HISTORY

Remaining at the top of the list, the Specialist Traveller is fascinated by the

stories shared through a country’s cultural components; learning of the

significance of worldwide discoveries of Roman remains, studies of late

medieval and renaissance paintings, and the guided telling of times of war

continue to resonate with holidaymakers.

Find below the most popular

activities Specialist Travellers

want to primarily experience

whilst on holiday.

1

EXPLORING CULTURE,

ARTS AND HISTORY

“Cultural travel provides

insight and understanding

of our rich heritage”

2

3

WALKING AND TREKKING

WILDLIFE

Stephen Brook, Managing Director,

CICERONI Travel

4

SAFARIS

5

GASTRONOMY AND WINE

2WALKING AND

TREKKING

There is a real desire for taking a step

beyond the local park, with travellers

opting to walk amongst sandblasted

ruins and flower-filled meadows,

through elegant manor houses and

cobbled streets leading to sunlit seas.

These holidays vow to rebrand the

afternoon walk.

3 WILDLIFE

The Orangutans and Proboscis

Monkeys of Borneo, Leopards of

Malaysia, doves and wild parrots

of Papua New Guinea and Lemurs

of Madagascar are some of the

reasons why Wildlife holidays are still

immensely popular in 2020, with the

beauty of the natural world being put

front-and-centre.

6

7

8

9

10

SKIING/WINTER SPORTS

PHOTOGRAPHY

ARCHAEOLOGY

GARDENS

WELLNESS AND SPA



9

A Study of Culture,

Arts and History

Tour operators specialising in culture focus on

traveller immersion; dropping the customer fully

into a place within a city and expanding on

what is initially picked up by the senses.

As a Tour Operator specialising in cultural

getaways, you go out of your way to either

live like the locals – or do your best to tell

the story of those who lived there in a

bygone era. This may be through visiting

local villages, curated visits to art galleries,

lectures in historically significant locations,

or diving into gastronomical delights

whilst being presented with the history of

the components of your dish.

The profile of consumers wishing to

explore a destination’s culture, art

and history as their primary activity

whilst on holiday, within our survey, is

predominantly between 60 and 79, not

having a preference between tailor-made

excursions and group tours.

41% of travellers wishing to pursue this

activity would spend more than £2,000

per person on their main holiday, with

25% of our respondents willing to spend

over £3,000 per person. This is more than

the majority of other activities on this list,

suggesting that they are willing to invest

more for the expertise required to execute

a well-informed Cultural trip in return for

valuable knowledge about a destination.

“The profile of those wishing to

explore a destination’s culture,

art and history as their primary

activity whilst on holiday, within

our survey, is predominantly

between 60 and 79”

Whilst cultural holidays may be most

commonly associated with exploring

Roman Ruins, or appreciating the creative

renderings of the stories of Greek and

Norse Mythology, North America was

found to be the most sought after

destination for a cultural holiday, followed

closely by New Zealand. Whilst the two

are relatively young countries, they already

possess a substantial wealth of notable

cultural heritage. The USA has 24 UNESCO

world heritage sites, whilst New Zealand

has three, with eight on the list to be

considered for future UNESCO status.

10


Surveying the Walking and

Trekking sector

British Specialist holidaymakers continue to prefer getting active

on holiday, as the 50+ market remains strong for the sector.

Walking holidays provide the opportunity

for close, intimate encounters with

destinations, giving a real feel to the

flower-filled meadows and cobblestone

streets walked upon. When engaging

in this activity with a guide, as part of a

group, a sense of belonging is instilled.

This explains why the data shows that

people who wish to engage in this

activity prefer small group tours,

than tailor-made excursions.

Both of our 2018 and 2019 reports

predicted the prolonged popularity of the

walking holiday, and this survey displays

this as walking holidays rose from the

third most popular activity last year, to

the second this year. Its popularity with

the over 50 market remains strong as

those who chose this activity are most

commonly between 50 and 69, proving

that walking holidays for this sector go

beyond the ‘Edie’ effect.

Consumers understand the preparation

that goes into devising an exceptional

walking holiday, and 50% of respondents

who select this activity would spend

between £500 and £1,499 – with the

most favoured pricing bracket being

between £1,000 and £1,499. This

demonstrates that a considerable

percentage of walking enthusiasts are

prepared to spend more for the right

destination. The Americas are emerging

for these price brackets; South America

is a key destination for walking holidays,

home to the Inca Trail, with parts of North

America also featuring high on the list.

“Both of our 2018 and

2019 reports predicted

the prolonged popularity

of the walking holiday”



11

Spotting the Wildlife

Increased interest in sustainability has travellers look towards what’s in need

of protecting, as birdwatching holidays and safaris are also amongst the most

popular primary activities to experience on trips abroad.

Beyond the traditional safari – wildlife

holidays encompass activities from

swimming with sea lions in the Galapagos,

kayaking through the Amazon jungle,

to tracking jaguars in Columbia. Wildlife

holidays, by their nature, cater to the

experiential tourist - with travellers often

interacting with animals in active,

yet responsible ways.

Despite South America being a

frontrunner, ideally suited for the

experiential activities above, Sub-Saharan

Africa climbs as a key destination for

holidays where experiencing wildlife is

the primary desired activity from survey

respondents. This indicates that the

popularity of the traditional African safari

holds strong, with India and South-

East Asia trailing behind. It can, in part,

be credited to the changing face of

African safaris – from being about simply

facilitating the travellers’ desires to get

a photo of the big five, to championing

conservation and instilling this mentality

into local villagers to protect the world’s

rarest species – including the black rhino.

Consumers within our sample wishing

to go on a Wildlife holiday were

mostly between the ages of 60 and 69,

consistent with the age profile of birders

– with birdwatching being a growing

niche market in nature-based tourism

throughout Europe, and accounting for

a sizable amount of the wildlife activities

sector. Considering the varied sub-sections

of birdwatching, and vast number of

notable species who lend themselves to

human interest, the preference of this

demographic to tailor-made over group

holidays is understandable.

The amount spent by those interested

in this activity as their primary activity

differed greatly, perhaps due to this

preference for tailor-made. It is this

personalisation that, perhaps, accounts for

30% of respondents with a keen interest

in Wildlife holidays being willing to spend

over £3,000 on their main holiday.

12


TOP 10

SECONDARY ACTIVITIES

Examining The

Secondary Activity

Building beyond the specialism

1

Find the most desirable

secondary activity to add

to the top 10 primary

activities below.

Primary

Activity

CULTURE, ARTS

AND HISTORY

Most Popular

Secondary

Activity

MUSIC

There are numerous specialisms in

the AITO portfolio alone – yet only a

handful repeatedly claim the top ten

spots, rising and diving between each

other. Whilst special interest holidays,

by their definition, attract a smaller

pool of travellers who either develop a

passion for the activity on offer, or are

looking for their passion to be facilitated

by an expert, it is interesting to uncover

which additional activities Specialist

Travellers would like to experience.

This year, we’ve not only asked

respondents for the activity they’re

most interested in, but for one other

activity they’d like to see as part of a

tour’s itinerary. This shows us which

activities are of interest, but are

perceived to be more suitable as part

of a longer experience.

activity to their primary reason for

going on holiday. Similarly, 89.7% of

respondents who would go horseriding

on holiday viewed it as a

secondary activity, in addition to a

primary activity such as a walking

holiday. Painting, cooking, and

climbing were also all viewed as viable

secondary activities.

A demand for the activities above,

therefore, does still exist. A suitable

secondary activity may increase

bookings of primary product offerings,

whilst also providing a testing ground

for products perhaps considered, but

not implemented. Similarly, those

specialising in an activity perceived to

be ‘secondary’ could package it with

‘primary’ elements to see if there is an

increase in interest.

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

WALKING AND

TREKKING

WILDLIFE

SAFARIS

GASTRONOMY

AND WINE

SKIING/WINTER

SPORTS

PHOTOGRAPHY

ARCHAEOLOGY

GARDENS

GARDENS

GASTONOMY

& WINE

GARDENS

COOKING

WELLNESS & SPA

COOKING

GASTONOMY

& WINE

MUSIC

Whilst only 11% of respondents

would go singing on their primary

holiday, over eight times more believe

singing to be a viable secondary

See right for the top secondary

activity for each of the most popular

primary activities.

10

WELLNESS

AND SPA

HORSE-RIDING



13

Gaining and retaining travellers

LEAD TIME

The duration between purchase decision and date of travel varies from traveller to traveller – with higher

value trips often having a longer break between a concrete booking and date of travel, demonstrating

a longer rumination period. The most common lead time across AITO is 6 to 12 months, followed by

3 to 6 months. Based on the season an operator is trying to sell, this knowledge can assist in marketing

communications to influence a booking.

MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS

By breaking your customers down by

their lead time, you can find what is most

important to them about this trip or your

business – hitting them with information

on your dedication to those factors. Those

that book only 1 to 4 weeks before their

trip, for example, are less affected by

an operator’s knowledge and expertise

compared with those with a longer lead

time. Ease of booking prioritises for these

customers, consistent with the profile of

an impulse buyer.

Those travellers who value an operator’s

specialisms, tied with their personal

service, are more likely to book over a

year in advance. This echoes the need for

investment in customers in order to ensure

not only higher value bookings, but repeat

customers through building loyalty.

Reviews

This loyalty is reflected in the appreciation

of a previous good experience with an

Operator, whether this be first or second

hand. Those with a lead time of over a

year value previous good experiences,

including customer reviews, significantly

more than those with a shorter lead

time. This shows the power of a review,

indicating that potential travellers

remember a review – good or bad – for

a considerable amount of time. Reviews

thereby increase a potential traveller’s

confidence in an operator, leading them to

part with their money sooner for a future

pay-out in experience.

Price sensitivity

Whilst we’ve seen that Specialist Travellers

aren’t as price sensitive as those used

to mainstream holidays, price is still a

concern. Impulse buyers with a shorter

lead time of 1-4 weeks are more price

sensitive than those booking in advance.

This demographic, however, only accounts

for 3.7% of the Specialist Travel sector.

Impulse buyers are more likely to take

more than five holidays a year due to

the perceived value for money of their

relatively cheap holiday. For the majority,

demonstrating knowledge and expertise,

personal service, and tailored specialism is

more likely to lead to early bookings.

Social Media

Social media marketing conventionally

favours early adopters. The positive

influence of social media on purchase

intention is undebatable, especially in the

travel industry – in a recent survey, 84%

of Facebook users admitted in a poll that

viewing their friends’ post influenced their

future travel plans.

On the whole, there is a negative

correlation between those that use social

media, and lead time. Whilst WhatsApp

was the most common platform used by

Specialist Travellers, the length of time

between the time of booking and the trip

shows that WhatsApp for business, whilst

being a relatively new addition to the

social media landscape, is more effective

when targeting bookers with a lesser lead

time than those with a longer lead-time;

expected with instant communications.

Facebook is the social media platform of

choice across the board, with Instagram

following close behind. Pinterest and

Snapchat account for a small number of

respondents in our survey, consistent with

their current average age profiles of below

40 and 13-24 respectively. A staggering

30% of respondents to our survey,

however, have said they do not use any

social media platforms.

14


Role of traditional marketing

As Aneil Bedi, CEO of Brand Agents

Ltd and former CEO of M&C Saatchi,

highlighted at AITO’s Overseas Conference

in Wroclaw last year, investment in social

and digital display advertising should

be done with caution – as, often, 46%

of apparent impressions online are not

viewable, with 65% of those apparently

viewed actually viewed – and 26% of these

are viewed for more than a second. This

leads to the viewing rate of digital display

advertising resting, on average, at 9%.

Instead of investing solely in digital,

having a varied marketing strategy to

cater to an operator’s demographic,

not ignoring the value of well-devised

brochures and direct contact with

potential clients, may prove more effective

in the long-term. Brochures, direct mail,

and customer magazines remain the

most prominent methods the 60+ market

would like operators to use to stay in

touch with them.

Devices used

Whilst a desktop or a laptop remains the

most used tool to research and book a

holiday, 21% of respondents use a tablet

when reaching the booking stage. This

number rises to 34% of travellers using

tablets on holiday, with over half using

a smartphone. This variation in device

suggests the need for both a responsive

website, and responsive support system –

customers should be able to easily contact

you, and view any booking updates,

from across their devices. A survey in

2016 shows that 94% of leisure travellers

switch between devices as they plan or

book a trip, with 60% of travel searches

starting on a mobile device. Mobile has

also encouraged last-minute booking

behaviours, showcasing the importance of

adapting targeting strategies by devices.

Most important factors for those booking X months before travel

Decision Factors

Longer than

a year

6 to 12

months

3 to 6

months

1 to 3

months

1 to 4

weeks

Less than

a week

Knowledge and expertise 50% 48% 47% 43% 39% 39%

Ease of booking 11% 14% 16% 21% 23% 11%

Specialty in desired holiday 48% 47% 47% 41% 42% 28%

Can solve any potential problems 24% 21% 18% 18% 18% 11%

Previous good experience 41% 43% 41% 38% 32% 44%

Value for money 18% 25% 28% 31% 33% 11%



15

The

‘B’

Word

Brexit dominated many of

the headlines last year with

concerns surfacing from

both sides of the aisle.

Uncertainty shocks, still prevalent today

post-deal, have led to reduced investment

and employment growth – with estimates

suggesting a long-term reduction of UK

productivity by 0.5%. Major corporations

such as Unilever and Aviva announced

their intentions to move their assets out

of the UK, and immigration of talent from

abroad dropped.

In the travel industry, AITO council

member and former ABTA chairman

Noel Josephides warned the problematic

nature of a January leave date, citing the

industry’s “need for a booking pattern”

in order to plan capacity and budgets.

Looking at traveller perspectives, research

conducted at the end of last year

suggested that almost a third of those

surveyed by a currency exchange firm said

they believed that Brexit will affect their

holidays more than any other factors.

For the Specialist Traveller, the large

majority of travellers within our survey

were not affected by Brexit when booking

their main holiday last year – with almost

80% stating it had no effect on their

decision. This stand when considering this

year, with only 22% of respondents saying

that Brexit will have any effect on any part

of their booking process for 2020.

Those who have said that Brexit has

affected their decisions are far less

likely to holiday in Europe, with 73% of

respondents affected by Brexit saying it is

unlikely they will travel to the continent.

Brexit has, however, had no impact on

their travel plans to the rest of the world.

Those concerned about Brexit that usually

spend over £3,000 per person on their

main holiday are now less likely to spend

that money in Europe, but more likely to

travel longer-haul to the rest of the world,

whilst those that usually spend less than

£500 on their main holiday are now far

more likely to spend that money in the UK,

rather than on a short break in Europe.

For Specialist Travellers, Italy, France and

Spain continued to top the list of top

outbound destinations from the UK the

last few years despite the uncertainties

surrounding Brexit. There is no evidence

suggesting a shift from this short-haul

destinations, with findings from other

major research being conducted placing

the countries at the top of people’s lists.

Our focus this year is, therefore, on

longer-haul destinations from the UK.

16


TOP 10

MOST POPULAR

LONG-HAUL

DESTINATIONS

FOR 2020

Most popular long-haul

destinations for 2020

1

NORTH AMERICA

AUSTRALASIA

1NORTH AMERICA

The United States of America and Canada came at the top of our list – with

more travellers wanting to cross the Atlantic than in previous years. With its

diverse landscapes populated with varied cultures, the USA is a synecdoche of

humankind’s customs, food and architecture. San Francisco’s Alcatraz island,

Utah’s Canyonland, Texan cuisine and the melting pot that is New York City

are only a few of the vast experiences the country can offer. In Canada, the

mountains of the Yukon and coastal landscape of Nova Scotia provide sharp

contrast to the cosmopolitan cities of Toronto and Quebec – providing the

curious traveller with many stopping points on their journey.

As North America carves out more of a foothold in AITO itineraries, we’ll be able

to delve deeper into the extraordinary part of the world in the next few years.

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

SOUTH AMERICA

AUSTRALASIA

SOUTH-EAST ASIA

JAPAN

INDIA

CENTRAL AMERICA

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

NORTH AFRICA

SRI LANKA

2

SOUTH AMERICA

Sovereign states including Argentina,

Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia and Peru are

also close to the top of the Specialist

Traveller’s agenda, wanting to go to

and beyond the Inca Trail, explore the

depths of the Amazon rainforest, and

discover that Columbia is more than

Pablo Escobar.

4

3

AUSTRALASIA

Australia and New Zealand have not

lost their charm in 2020. Despite the

fires in Australia, the islands are still

high on our respondents’ itineraries

this year. Where it’s learning about the

Maori

-

people’s history in a traditional

village, or finally going diving at

the Great Barrier Reef, Australasia’s

popularity is unwavering.

“Specialist Operators prove

there is a lot more to

the Americas than just

theme parks”

Martyn Sumners

Executive Director, AITO

SOUTH-EAST ASIA

Australia and New Zealand have not

Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and

Vietnam each have unique historic

identities, blessed with the likes of

restored temples, freshwater lakes,

waterfalls and – of course – mouthwatering

cuisine ranging from countless

street food stalls, to Michelin-starred

restaurants.



17

DEEP DIVE

South

America

From the Amazon to Buenos Aires, South America goes from

one of the most anticipated ‘new destinations’ in our last survey,

to one of the most popular long-haul destination in 2020.

“An increase in

direct flights from

the UK has brought

South America to

the attention of a

wider audience.”

Sarah Bradley

Managing Director

Journey Latin America

Patagonian glaciers, Andean peaks, and

the Amazon rainforest tied with the various

strands of the Inca trail explains why

those interested in South America prefer

walking and trekking, and/or immersing

themselves into the wildlife, as their

primary activity to experience on holiday.

This call for experiencing the natural

environment first-hand has not gone

unanswered, with initiatives in place

to strengthen Costa Rica’s capacity for

eco-tourism, and Columbia’s wildlife

inhabitants, for example. Chilean

Patagonia’s launch of the 1,700-mile

‘Route of Parks’ marks a marketing

initiative to encourage the development

of tourism ventures which help

protect the biodiversity surrounding

60 communities in the region – whilst

providing customers of all brackets the

true South American experience.

With Machu Picchu, The Amazon, Rio

de Janeiro, and Buenos Aires consistently

on the top of everybody’s agendas,

South America’s popularity has been

prominent over the last few years. The

LATA (Latin American Travel Association)

predicts a 4% year-on-year increase in

global bookings to Latin America, with

Nicaragua proving to be a key growth

country. Looking at the United Kingdom

in particular, despite total international

arrivals into the continent dropping by

1.6% in 2019, from the UK this figure was

only 1.2% - showcasing the UK’s market’s

affection for the destination.

18


DEEP DIVE

Australasia

The Great Barrier Reef meets Hanmer Springs, as Australia and

New Zealand emerge has two of the most popular long-haul

destinations in our survey for 2020.

“It’s no surprise

to us that clients

are wanting to

experience both

mighty mountain

landscapes and

Maori culture.”

Andrew Guthrey

General Manager

ANZCRO

Australia’s variety of beaches, from the

white sand of Queensland or coves of

Western Australia, tied with their proximity

to the big cities, only begins to shape

its merits as one of the most popular

destinations for 2020. Mount Augustus,

Tasmania, and Lake Hillier provide

further natural wonders, contrasting with

manmade architectural wonders like the

Sydney Opera House and the Dr Chau

Chak Wing building. Australia’s vibrance

and variety have attracted backpackers

and families alike.

Due to the recent bushfires, the

government has injected $76m into their

tourism ventures – leading to Tourism

Australia’s launch of the ‘Holiday Here

This Year’ campaign for 2020, taking a

grassroots approach to entice travellers

to come to the country. Specialist

operators will be able to ride this push,

whilst relieving any concerns that the

large number of potential customers may

have, and rebuilding Australia’s recent

drop in tourism by contributing to local

suppliers. British travellers to Australia in

2019 spent an average of 32 nights in the

country, favouring Sydney, Melbourne,

and Perth, spending on average over

£4,000 per trip.

New Zealand’s landscapes remain a large

selling point for international tourists,

as the country leans into ecotourism

according to a recent MBIE report.

Interacting with the local Maori culture,

history and stories remains supplementary

to the natural cliffs and rolling hills –

explaining why walking and trekking

remains the most popular activity in this

destination. Cycling also lends itself neatly

to New Zealand’s offering.

The country has also invested into

its tourism over the last few months,

primarily due to the effects of the

fears surrounding coronavirus. Whilst

the trajectory of the virus is currently

unknown, the promotion of the

destination by the tourist board could

align with current marketing strategies.



19

DEEP DIVE

South-East Asia

From Halong Bay to the temples of Angkor, South-East Asia includes

Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines

along with several other smaller islands.

“Southeast Asia is a

perennial favourite –

easy-going for the

traveller, and a region

offering such diversity”

Robin Ball, Director

Bamboo Travel,

Culture, Arts and History holidays remain

high on the list of those wishing to travel

to parts of South-East Asia, as these

countries are teeming with centuries of

diverse history working its way to the

present through a deep reverence for

tradition. Part of this tradition is expressed

through the creation of culinary delights.

South-East Asia’s rise in popularity in our

survey comes with the rise in travellers

wanting to experience gastronomy

and wine whilst on holiday – with the

activity rising from 29.9% to 41.6% of

respondants wanting to experience local

delicacies whilst on their trip. This is

consistent with a 2019 report showing

that 80% of consumers specifically seek

out local food on a trip, compared to

international chains. This is great news

for countries like Thailand. According to

a 2018 report, international visitors to

Thailand spent 20% of their travel budget

on food, with vast capacity for growth.

Street food hubs such as Yaowarat and

Nang Loeng market may be key to tapping

into the rise in food tourism.

Indonesia’s recently reopened Bogor-

Sukabumi train route allows easy

access to sites of historical significance

including Gunung Padang and several

tea plantations dating back to the Dutch

colonial era, along with the beautiful

Surabaya–Madura bridge.

As contingencies in place to tackle the

spread of coronavirus reduce inbound

Chinese tourists to South-East Asia, the

region sees an overall drop in tourists in

2020 so far – consistent with the effects

of uncertainty across the globe. This

suggests a change in strategy for these

countries as they pave the way to target

international visitors.

20


Examining

Guidebooks

As we consider the role of traditional marketing

material in an increasingly digital world, other aspects

of the ‘traditional’ must be brought under the microscope.

From the research within our survey commissioned by DK

Eyewitness, it is clear that the humble guide book remains

essential for the Specialist Traveller.

The guidebook remains a vital tool

for the Specialist Traveller, as 64% of

our respondents used a guidebook in

2019 – influencing their travel plans,

along with giving them extra insight

into the destinations they visit. Maps

are the most important feature of a

guidebook to the Specialist Traveller,

followed by the highlights of a

destination – including their cultural

and historical background.

The common misconception is that

print is on the decline as an increasing

amount of consumers find their

content online. This generalisation

ignores sector segmentation, as

sorting by the type of content

consumed leads to different

narratives. Considering magazines,

for example, several current affairs

publications are increasing in sales

year on year whereas celebrity gossip

and fashion titles are decreasing in

performance.

When looking at guidebooks, some

destinations are outperforming others.

DK Eyewitness in 2018 experienced a

sales growth for books to mid to longhaul

destinations such as Istanbul and

Egypt, consistent with our research

which showed that travellers are more

likely to use a guidebook on a longhaul

trip, than on a city break in the

2019/2020 period.

Whilst content on the internet is

the most common source of travel

information throughout a traveller’s

booking journey, and whilst on

holiday, over 70% of respondents

within our survey have said that

guidebooks are moderately to

extremely important to them when

City Break

Short haul trip

Long haul trip

When visiting

a destination

visited before

deciding which holiday to book.

This implies that travellers may not

trust internet sources as much as

guidebooks, along with highlighting

that people may not have consistent

internet access everywhere on holiday.

“DK Eyewitness Travel Guides

hold a firm place in the

traveller’s backpack.”

Victoria Sturley, Marketing Manager

DK Eyewitness Travel

How likely are you to use a travel guide book for the following types of trips?

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000



21

Final Figures

It’s often valuable to have the raw data at hand.

Find below some of the key figures from this year’s research.

In a typical year, how many holidays does the Specialist Traveller take?

0 1 2 3 4 5+

At home 9% 26.6% 33.3% 17.6% 7.6% 5.9%

Abroad 4.1% 27.9% 36% 18.7% 7.9% 5.3%

Who does the Specialist Traveller

go on their main holiday with?

Companion %

As a couple 57.4%

Travels alone 14%

With immediate family 12.5%

With friends 9.5%

Join a group / escorted trip 4.7%

Other 1.1%

The majority of respondents in our survey take

at least two holidays abroad every year.

Where has the Specialist Travelller

stayed over the last 3 years?

Accommodation %

Chain hotels 75.8%

Boutique hotels 63.6%

Luxury hotels 49.8%

Apartments 45%

Airbnb 36.1%

Villas 28.1%

Lodges 27.3%

Mobile homes 7.8%

Which phrases are most associated with the following booking methods?

Specialist Travel Company Independent booking

Easy to book 43.1% 18%

Safe 52.5% 13.3%

Value for money 24.3% 41%

Authentic 55.8% 37.5%

Expensive 66.9% 17.2%

22


What is the main currency used to pay for a holiday?

Currency %

Pound Sterling 76.5%

US Dollars 10.2%

Euros 9.1%

Other 4.3%

What are the best ways for travel companies to keep in touch

with customers about new holidays, destinations and offers?

Communication method %

E-mail 84%

Brochure 41.3%

Mail (in the post) 27.7%

Customer magazine 20.9%

Social media (Facebook, Twitter etc.) 13.1%

Other 2.4%

Telephone 1.6%

Brochures continue to have a role in the booking journey,

providing potential travelers with exciting information.

Which of the following payment methods do Specialist

Travellers mostly use when paying for a holiday?

Payment method %

Credit card 80.7%

Debit card 43%

Bank Transfer 17.3%

PayPal 7.3%

Cheque 3.9%

Other 1.8%

Which of the following social media platforms do

Specialist Travellers use?

Platform %

Facebook 47.8%

Twitter 13.7%

Instagram 18.9%

Pinterest 6.6%

Snapchat 2.2%

Whatsapp 51.1%

What is the Net Promoter Score of AITO members?

67.1

‘World Class’

Promoters 72.6%

Passives 21.9%

Detractors 5.5%

NPS, gained by asking if customers would recommend a

business to a friend, is indicative of the level of service and

quality offered to a traveller. Any positive NPS is considered

‘good’, with 67.1 being a ‘World Class’ Net Promoter Score

showing that AITO members are providing the highest levels

of customer experience.



23

TT-COC-002610

18 Bridle Lane, Twickenham, Middlesex TW1 3EG

Tel: 020 8744 9280 | Email: info@aito.com | Website: AITO.com

AITO TI 2020

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