Devon Accommodation

State of Tourism Trade

Britain Accommodation Websites get a constant flow of tourism information from Devon and Somerset advertisers, which allows us to keep a finger on southwest tourism trade pulse.

We believe Devon had an average 2007 season, difficult early and mid season due to poor weather, a busy high 6 week summer season, a quieter Autumn than in the past few years. Many hotels who have high overheads, have had a very tough year. B&B seems to have done OK, depending on price, quality and grade. The huge self-catering sector seems to have ticked over OK, often filling last minute by reducing prices. The outdoor camping and caravan sector which has seen growth over the last few years, must have felt a downturn due to the poor summer weather.

 

Overview: Posted 17th October 2007 : We think it has been tough trading year for many westcountry accommodation providers. Poor summer weather and the high value of the pound has deterred visitors. Increased global competition undermines trade, the home trade now book a cheap flight to visit anywhere overseas anytime.

We wrote in 2004 - The Uk tourism trade is experiencing a downturn in visitor spend and numbers, while at the same time accommodation providers have to contend with increasing overheads, these two factors seriously affect the bottom line profit. The reasons for the downturn within the UK tourism trade are many and varied. Without a doubt... the internet coupled with cheap low cost flights, has encouraged enormous expansion of last minute short breaks to Europe and huge growth in adventurous holidays to all corners of the globe. The tourism trade also is having to contend with a consumer spending cutback, unsettled weather, pension problems and record consumer debt.

We quote an economic fact. UK residents now spend £15bn more abroad each year than overseas tourists spend in Britain, further expansion of UK airports will lead to an annual deficit of £30bn by 2020" This situation is totally unsustainable!

Changing Tourism Trade: Two million UK residents have moved or bought a second home abroad, 50,000 have purchased a motorhome mostly to tour Europe, because we have ignored the need for stopovers and aires. Home owners use equity release to fund luxury overseas holidays and cruises. Asset rich many pensioners are, but suffering from juggling a low return of interest on savings against increasing household bills. Mature holidaymakers were the backbone of the southwest's early and late season trade, many are getting too old to travel, broke or backpacking to all corners of the globe. UK holidaymakers can journey to European destinations cheaper and faster than driving to the West Country.

Anybody who has been in the trade for 20 years has been aware that overseas visitors have been declining for years. The UK is an expensive destination, even free car parking abroad is the norm. In 2005 Visit Britain reported that England had a record amount of tourists from abroad. People in the trade outside London could only wonder? Did all these overseas visitors stay in London, were they visitors from Asia staying with relatives, or were migrant workers included in the head count? Now in October 2007, Visit Britain report a 13% year-on-year drop in tourists to the UK. As we said 3 years ago - maybe migrants were included in previous years head count or somebody at HQ can't count.

The Tourism Trade problems. A government who is hell bent on heaping more legislation and bureaucracy upon everyone, while encouraging huge regional airport expansion in order to satisfy the short trips abroad demand. This unsustainable policy is damaging to the environment, conservation, local communities and the United Kingdom's tourist trades long term viability. The boom in air travel is already and will continue to have a bad effect on the southwest's economy.

2007 Tourism Season: Not all doom and gloom - accommodation providers who have a good quality product at the right price and market themselves well and proactivly, with a constantly updated, good looking well designed website, seem to be doing quite well. The serviced sector seems to have had the toughest time. The Autumn seems to be slower than normal in Devon and south Somerset, other areas of Somerset seems to tick over all year round, Bath and Bristol are busy urban areas and not reliant on leisure guests. The Devon and Somerset 2006 season quiet early season, poor May and June, then a very busy July and Aug, Autumn seemed OK. 2005 had a dreadful early season a busy 6 weeks of summer and was very a disappointing year . The boom years of the 80s are over.

We do not agree with English Heritage press report in October 2007, implying that all UK tourism coastal resorts are shabby. Many do need urgent improvement, a few are appaling. However lots of southwest resorts are attractive and clean, but in desperate need of top quality indoor leisure facilities to extend the shoulder seasons and counteract wetter summer weather.

Tourism's Increasing Legislation & Costs: Accommodation providers now have to comply with the disability discrimination act, the draconian licensing act, annual gas and electrical safety checks. Children are not allowed out of school during term time, increasing demand for peak season weeks, but putting slack into the mid season trade, when families took advantage of cheaper holidays. Increases in business rates, fuel, taxes, employment costs, rubbish removal, environmental charges, insurance, building costs in fact everything.

Yet many in the trade are unable to increase price away from peak weeks, due to too much capacity. A planning policy that has allowed rather too many self catering conversions, to the detriment of long established tourism businesses. Established tourism businesses must upgrade constantly, in order to fulfil visitor expectations in order to stay in business, to pay the taxes that pay the public sectors wages. Why aren't Europeans flying here on low cost flights? Is England being actively marketed abroad? When did you last hear an MP of any party mention tourism, since the horrors of Foot and Mouth, tourism is the forgotten industry, except for increasing legislation. In Scotland and Wales, government allocates £4 per head for tourism, England just 20p.

The UK Tourism Trade requires Investment and Re Branding : With increased competion, the tourism industry needs to be funded far better than in the past. Tourism is largest industry in the World. This writer believes... it's time to rethink the marketing of Brand Britain which is fragmented and wasteful at local, regional and national levels, past its sell by date, not fit for purpose in the day of Internet Marketing... Britain's tourism product needs a ... Strength of Brand.

Britain needs to be more pro-actively sold, especially overseas in the face of increasing online global competition. And to replace the declining stay at home market who now have a taste for overseas travel. Other countries do not fragment themselves, but sell themselves as one country... our country is ... The British Isles... Brand Britain.

Re brand product Britain: Using Britain's USBs - unique selling points. A world class landscape. A thousand years of history and tradition. An easy to get to crossroads for the worlds travellers. Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland together make up The British Isles .... Together ...a World beating destination. By booking advance low cost flights, an any visitor can fly from Scotland, North Wales or Northern Ireland to Cornwall in a couple of hours for less than £30. Visitors coming from overseas tour all of Britain, why on earth are these individual British countries in competition with one another using tax payers money? A barking marketing policy!

Brand Britain Logo must be ancient, strong, inviting and reconised by everyone in the world instantly as representing Destination Britain ... easy peasy.... Stonehenge.

UK Tourism Growth:
There is growth in, last minute short breaks, camping and caravanning, motorhome ownership, cruising holidays, second homes overseas, fluid price structures, discounting, independent visitors. Visitors require wifi, hot tubs, internet access, real 4 poster beds, people search the internet using the word cheap, but are looking for good quality accommodation at a cheap price, a combination impossible to provide. The Internet has brought increased global competition with marketing challenges in uncharted waters.

Written by Tammy Cody-Boutcher ...a personal view.

State of Tourism Trade - Britain Accommodation Websites