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Are you putting the brakes on holiday spending next year because of inflation? After all, unlike rent or health insurance, travel is “dispensable.”
If so, you obviously belong to a minority. Switzerland is unlikely to save money on travel in 2024. This emerges from the statements of the five largest Swiss travel companies, which Blick asked about their 2024 prospects.
Travel budgets are increasing
Kuoni conducted a representative survey at market research institute Marketagent in November. This shows that nearly half of customers want to spend the same amount on holidays next year as in 2023, while 22 percent plan to budget as much or more. Only one in four people surveyed want to spend less or much less on a holiday.
Kuoni’s competitors confirm this analysis. “The current booking situation shows that travel budgets are sometimes more generous than last year,” Knecht Reisen CEO Markus Kohli (49) tells Blick. When it comes to room and cabin categories in hotels or cruise ships, the following applies:
TUI Suisse customers have also shown a high willingness to pay so far: “Travelers spend on average 10 to 20 percent more on their holidays,” says spokeswoman Sonja Ptassek.
However, it is worth noting that average prices are still 5 to 10 percent higher than in the previous year, Hotelplan spokeswoman Bianca Gähweiler said. The reason for this is that inflation, as well as flight costs, are high and, accordingly, fixed costs in the destination countries increase. After all, trips abroad remain attractive for the Swiss, thanks to the strong Swiss franc.
These are trend targets
According to Kuoni market research, one in three Swiss people will still spend their holidays in their home country. One in five people will travel to a destination outside Europe, with only four per cent planning a cruise.
It is already seen that Northern Europe (Spain, Greece, Turkey), as well as Southeast Asia and the Maldives, which are the classic beach holiday destinations of the Mediterranean, will continue to be popular in 2024.
Organizers also name North Africa, Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia), the USA and Canada, Australia, Japan, Costa Rica and Colombia, along with Egypt and Tunisia, as next year’s trend destinations. Rental cars and caravans are also in higher demand than in previous years.
Interestingly, it has been repeatedly stated that the cruise segment is a growing business, especially in the luxury sector. Train services to neighboring countries are also in high demand. “For destinations such as Munich, Paris or Milan, the rate of train travel is almost 100 percent,” says Kuoni spokesman Markus Flick. Hotelplan spokesman Gähweiler adds that not only city trips but also train tours are becoming increasingly popular, for example “in Italy, where the railway network is very well developed”.
This concerns travelers
So do we always travel “greener”? Probably. But sustainability is not at the center of consultations at travel agencies: “Safety is the biggest issue,” says Globetrotter spokesperson Sandra Studer, who represents all travel companies surveyed.
For example, people often ask whether Egypt is safe because the country shares a border with Israel and the Gaza Strip. But it’s also about making sure trips can take place as planned. Many travelers express concerns about flight delays and flight cancellations.
According to Knecht’s boss Kohli, this could lead to a large number of bookings being made in 2024 at short notice. In general, the Swiss are booking their trips earlier, on average around 100 days before departure.
This offers advantages: Those who book early have more options and can get the product they want, and they often get better prices. It is essential to make reservations long in advance, especially for caravans. Globetrotter spokesman Studer: “We already have several requests for trips in 2025.”
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
