Slow Travel - UK

Published by: Mintel International Group Ltd.

Published: Jan. 1, 2009 - 157 Pages

Table of Contents

Issues in the Market

Definitions

Abbreviations

Future Opportunities

The new austerity

Life after debt

Slow travel agencies

Nomadic Exploration

Changing mind-sets

Market In Brief

Feeling the pinch

Slow enthusiasts

There will be blood

Rail on track

Pleasures of the journey

Internal Market Environment

Key points

Tough times ahead

Figure 1: Overseas holidays volume and expenditure, 2003-08

Homeward bound?

Figure 2: Domestic holidays volume and expenditure, 2003-08

Alive and kicking

Figure 3: Scheduled passengers carried by main low-cost airlines, 2003-08

Package cuts

Figure 4: Inclusive holidays versus independent holidays, by volume and value, 2003-08

Focused spending

Figure 5: Percentage of adults booking UK and overseas holidays, 2003-08

Short breaks under pressure

Figure 6: How long spent away on last holiday abroad, 2003-08

Volume growth dries up in Med

Figure 7: Overseas holidays, by region 2003-08

Is the long-haul party over?

Turkey grows fat on Spanish leftovers

Figure 8: Top 25 Holiday destinations, by estimated number of visits, 2003-08

Wait and see

Figure 9: How far ahead last holiday abroad was booked, 2003-08

Small change in spending patterns

Figure 10: How much spent on last holiday abroad, 2003-08

Plane vs train vs car

Figure 11: Price and journey time comparison of air vs rail vs tunnel/car travel, travelling February 2009

Rail ups its game…

…but still lags on longer trips

Load factor critical for cars

Figure 12: Price comparison of fly/drive vs tunnel/self-drive travelling February 2009

High-speed rail takes off

London-Amsterdam in 3.5 hours

Teamwork

Open access potential…

…but major doubts persist

Broader Market Environment

Key points

Squeeze on services

Figure 13: Trends in personal disposable income and consumer expenditure, 2003-13

Figure 14: GfK NOP Consumer Confidence Index: Dec 2007-Nov 2008

End of easy oil

Figure 15: Crude oil prices, 2003-08

Implications for travel modes

Fluid and unpredictable

AB growth likely to boost slow travel

Figure 16: Forecast adult population trends, by socio-economic group, 2003-13

Empty nesters take it easy

Figure 17: Forecast adult population trends, by lifestage, 2003-13

Winning the short break battle

Figure 18: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, by gender, 2003-13

Currency takes centre stage

Figure 19: Sterling exchange rates at the beginning of each year, 2005-08

Slow counter-culture

Mainstream influence

Competitive Context

Key points

Figure 20: Total overseas trips, by mode, 2003-08

Fast vs slow travel

Strengths And Weaknesses In The Market

Strengths

Weaknesses

Who's Innovating?

Key points

Seat 61 fills gap in market

Rail groupies

Slow travel/food

Slow combo vs the aluminium sausage

Classic hols with a slow twist

Slow party

No more booze and fags

Luxury rail revival

Market Size and Forecast

Key points

Past and present

Figure 21: Total slow travel holiday trips, 2003-13

Figure 22: Total overseas trips by slow travel mode, 2003-13

Future

Factors used in the forecast

Segment Performance

Key points

French connection

Figure 23: Slow travel trips, by mode and destination, 2007

Northern light but little southern comfort

Figure 24: Slow travel share of total holiday market by destination 2003 and 2007

Booking window

Figure 25: How far ahead last holiday abroad by slow travel method was booked, 2003-08

Shorter breaks/lower value

Figure 26: How much spent on last holiday abroad, by slow travel method, 2003-08

Shorter tunnel/longer seas

Figure 27: How long spent away on last holiday abroad, by slow travel method, 2003-08

Market Share

Key points

Figure 28: Estimated overseas slow travel market share between UK and the Continent/Republic of Ireland 2008

Eurostar powers ahead

Struggle on the straits

Spanish steps

Stena strength

North Sea gets choppy

Companies and Products

Key points

Overview

Figure 29: UK-overseas sea and tunnel crossing routes and operators, December 2008

Brittany Ferries

DFDS Seaways

E Rail

Eurostar

Eurotunnel

Great Rail Journeys

Page & Moy Holidays

Planet Rail

P&O Ferries

Rail Europe

SeaFrance

The Man in Seat 61

Distribution

Key points

Agents eclipsed by DIY

Figure 30: How last holiday abroad was booked, 2003-08

Travel trade sticks to the skies

Figure 31: How last holiday abroad by ‘slow’ travel method was booked, 2003-08

Who Goes Where?

Key points

Overseas vs domestic distinctions

Figure 32: All holidays taken in last 12 months, October 2008

Independent vs package

Figure 33: Type of package or independent holiday taken in last 12 months, October 2008

Multiple empty nesters

Figure 34: Number of holidays taken in last 12 months, October 2008

Beach seekers up north

Figure 35: Type of holiday abroad taken in last 12 months, October 2008

Slow second homers

Who Spends What?

Key points

High spending ABs

Figure 36: Cost of all holidays in uk (including transport, accomodation and spending) in last 12 months, October 2008

Figure 37: Cost of all holidays abroad (including transport, accomodation and spending) in last 12 months, October 2008

Cost Concerns

Key points

Figure 38: Holiday intentions for next 12 months, October 2008

Drivers of change

Holiday cutbacks

Figure 39: How increase in expense would affect holiday intentions, October 2008

Value hunters

How do Travellers Feel about Slower Modes?

Key points

Challenging assumptions

Figure 40: Agreement with statements regarding holidays abroad, October 2008

Figure 41: Attitudes towards rail and sea travel, October 2008

Carbon credentials

Room with a view

Sea food wins out

Too slow but romantic

Rail explorers

Figure 42: Attitudes towards slow travel, October 2008

Heavy baggage

Targeting Opportunities

Key points

Target groups based on statements towards ‘slow travel’

Figure 43: Segmentation of attitudes towards slow travel into target groups, October 2008

Figure 44: Classification of attitudes towards slow travel and response to them, October 2008

Slow enthusiasts

Figure 45: Target groups’ enthusiasm for rail travel after open access in 2010, October 2008

Rail optimism

Rail romance

‘Short breakers’

Figure 46: Target groups’ enthusiasm for short breaks, October 2008

Curious but unconverted

‘Petrol heads’

Figure 47: Target groups’ enthusiasm for european self-drive touring holidays, October 2008

The open road

‘Off the rails’

Figure 48: Target groups’ agreement with statement: I am put off rail holidays abroad by bad rail services in the uk, October 2008

UK rail deterrent

‘Not interested’

Appendix - Who Goes Where?

By demographics

Figure 49: All holidays taken in last 12 months, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Figure 50: All UK, European and holidays abroad taken in last 12 months, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Figure 51: Type of package or independent holiday taken in last 12 months, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Figure 52: Place of package or independent holiday taken in last 12 months, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Figure 53: Number of holidays taken in last 12 months, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Figure 54: Type of holiday abroad taken in last 12 months, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Appendix - Who Spends What?

By demographics

Figure 55: Cost of all holidays in uk (including transport, accomodation and spending) in last 12 months, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Figure 56: Cost of all holidays abroad (including transport, accomodation and spending) in last 12 months, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Appendix - Cost Concerns

By demographics

Figure 57: Holiday intentions for next 12 months, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Figure 58: How increase in expense would affect holiday intentions, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Appendix - How do Travellers Feel About Slower Modes?

Demographics

Figure 59: Agreement with statements regarding holidays abroad, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Figure 60: Attitudes towards rail travel, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Figure 61: Attitudes towards sea travel, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Figure 62: Attitudes towards slow travel, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Appendix - Targeting Opportunities

Demographics

Figure 63: Target groups, by detailed demographics, October 2008

Figure 64: Target groups, by attitudes towards slow travel, October 2008

Figure 65: Target groups, by attitudes towards rail travel, October 2008

Figure 66: Target groups, by attitudes towards sea travel, October 2008

Figure 67: Target groups, by agreement with statements regarding holidays abroad, October 2008

Figure 68: Target groups, by attitudes towards changing travel habits if it became more expensive, October 2008

Abstract

This has been the era of cheap, fast travel, with 14% growth in holidays by air over the past five years. However rising demand has led to growing congestion, the ‘war on terror’ has imposed security checks and delays, and concerns have grown over the effect of CO2 emissions on the environment. This presents opportunities for ‘slow travel’ modes to entice disgruntled fliers with an attractive cocktail of space, comfort, green credentials, efficiency and a revival of the ‘pleasures of the journey’.

Green altruism alone will not convert people from planes to trains and boats, and there is still plenty of life in the low-cost airline model. But in the long run the likelihood of high oil prices may spell the end of bargain basement flights and drive up demand for alternative modes.

This report provides an overview of overseas slow travel, investigating the core market factors, strengths and weaknesses, company developments/innovations, consumer dynamics, and likely future trends.

Main report themes:

• General holiday trends. Who goes where on holiday?
• How people’s holiday intentions are being influenced in the face of changing economic conditions.
• The demographics of slow travel and attitudes towards using different travel modes. The key selling points of rail and ferry travel.
• The key companies involved in the slow travel sector and their market share, available products, services and innovations.
• The impact of European high speed rail infrastructure, the Railteam alliance and “open access” in cross-border rail travel from 2010 on the slow travel market.
• How competitive are overseas rail and self-drive options with air travel in terms of time, cost and more intangible factors?
• Where will future growth in the slow travel sector be likely to occur?

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