EUROPE OUTBOUND EUROPEAN
EUROPE OUTBOUND EUROPEAN OUTBOUND TRAVEL UP 2.5% Europeans play it safe by switching destinations Europeans changed their travelling habits in 2016 by opting for safe destinations. This included stagnation of sun & beach holidays, while travellers went on more city trips. Overall, outbound travel by Europeans grew by 2.5% in the first eight months of 2016, according to World Travel Monitor figures. Outbound trips to destinations within Europe increased by 3% as travellers stayed closer to home, while trips to Asia grew only 2% and there was a 1% drop to the Americas. Top performers in terms of outbound growth were Poland and Ireland (both +7%), UK, Netherlands, Spain and Denmark (all +6%) while the German market grew by 4%, according to World Travel Monitor figures. The number of holiday trips by Europeans increased by a moderate 2% but there was a high 10% increase in the number of visits to family and friends (VFR) and other leisure trips abroad. “This suggests that a significant number of people preferred the safety of private homes to commercial accommodation this year,” commented Paco Buerbaum, CEO of IPK International. Changes occurred in the types of holidays taken by Europeans between January and August 2016, according to World Travel Monitor figures. The number of sun & beach holidays stagnated, while touring holidays fell by 5% yet city trips went up by 15%. The overall average spend per trip was stable at 910 euros. Dr. Martin Buck, Messe Berlin’s Senior Vice President, commented: “The flat growth for beach holidays reflects the concerns of many tourists about visiting some destinations that have experienced terror attacks. Some countries are growing well, and others are really struggling. However, the strong growth for city trips shows that Europeans are not being scared away from visiting cities.” The outlook for European outbound travel in 2017 appears more optimistic. IPK expects last year’s trends will remain broadly the same this year. “People will still go for holidays, they are just changing the type of holiday and the destinations. They are going to places that they perceive as safe,” said Buerbaum. IPK currently predicts a 4% rise in European outbound trips in 2017, based on its European Travel Confidence Index, which measures travel intentions for the next year. Confidence is highest in Ireland (+8%), Denmark and the UK (both +7%), while the outlook is also above average in Finland, Belgium, Switzerland and France. In contrast, Germany looks set for about 2% growth along with Russia EUROPEAN TRAVEL CONFIDENCE – IPK FORECAST PER SOURCE MARKET Spain Great Britain Poland Germany Europe France Russia Italy 85 90 95 100 105 110 Source: European Traval Monitor® 1-8 2015, IPK International Warsaw Vienna St Patersburg Dublin Helsinki The Hague Manchester Zurich Barcelona Hamburg Stockholm Brussels Munich Paris Moscow Madrid Rotterdam Berlin Amsterdam London 1.5 1.5 1.8 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.7 2.7 3.0 3.0 Source: Tourism Economics TOP EUROPE OUTBOUND CITIES CONTRIBUTION TO EUROPE OUTBOUND TRAVEL, 2015-2020 // % SHARE OF LOCAL DEPARTURES GROWTH 5.4 9.2 0 2 4 6 8 10
Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #33 2017 Winter Edition 39 HOTELS THAT MAKE EUROPEAN CLIENTS FEEL AT HOME Spotlight on the French guest: the dos and don’ts according to an industry expert would ask them what they really want to experience and send them to a restaurant with amazing food and decor related to this country. I am very happy that we have implemented digital newspapers and magazines at my hotel. Guests can find thousands of different titles for free from all over the world. The European clientele loves it. The TV is also a very important tool to make them feel comfortable, by including TV5 – the French language channel. In recent times, we have been working on creating a digital room service menu where guests can place the order directly in their own language. Franck Savoy Director, Casa Del Mar, Santa Monica Welcoming guests from France around the world takes more than a little “je ne sais quoi” if you really want to shine. French-born Franck Savoy is operations director of Santa Monica’s famed Casa Del Mar, member of Leading Hotels of the World and gives us the following interesting pointers. The French clientele is far from Europe, so it’s important to make them feel at home. There are not only language barriers but there’s also a different culture to respect, right down to the little things, such as the morning routines, or the way to talk to them, but also the suggestion of any attractions around the hotel. This clientele wants us to speak their language. So it is very important to have employees speaking different languages. It is very common that if guests don’t speak English that the front office agent will call me (if guests are French) to talk to them about the hotel, the city or some “cool” or different attractions. In this case, the client is put at his or her ease. Here, for example, I would never send a French couple to a French restaurant for instance but French guests do not want to be treated like tourists. They are very outgoing and have particular needs. For instance, in Food and Beverage, they need to recognise products. Therefore, you need to cater to: great croissants, a few French wines but you also need to provide an exceptional espresso: le “jus de chaussette” (eds: sock juice) coffee of the USA is something they detest. But the most important thing in order to take care of those customers is always checking on them during their stay and who knows, becoming friends. As I always say: if you take care of your guests and provide for their needs, then your business will grow IN RECENT TIMES, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON CREATING A DIGITAL ROOM SERVICE MENU WHERE GUESTS CAN PLACE THE ORDER DIRECTLY IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
