Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Holiday demand remains high but Brexit concerns are having an impact
- Over-tourism is driving interest in more remote regions
- Companies and brands
- Premium escorted tour and adventure brands performing strongly
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- Figure 1: Selected leading specialist group holiday/escorted tour brands, by latest reported revenue, April 2019
- The consumer
- 23% of consumers went on a group holiday in past 12 months
- Escorted tour, adventure, hobby and voluntary work groups have growth potential
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- Figure 2: Future interest versus past experience in group holidays/escorted tours, UK or abroad, February 2019
- Specialist brands account for around one in four trips
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- Figure 3: Booking methods for group holidays/escorted tours, February 2019
- Adventure brands lag escorted tour operators in consumer recognition
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- Figure 4: Consumer awareness of leading group holiday/escorted tour brands, February 2019
- Convenience is the biggest selling point
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- Figure 5: Main attractions of a group holiday/escorted tour, February 2019
- Personalisation trend strikes a chord
- Small is beautiful for group holidays
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- Figure 6: Group holidays/escorted tours, preferences and behaviour, February 2019
- Women value security of a group holiday for solo travel
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- Figure 7: Attitudes towards group holidays/escorted tours, February 2019
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Older solo living trend will create need for new group holiday formats
- The facts
- The implications
- Travel with a purpose
- The facts
- The implications
- Group city breaks for Millennials
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Domestic holidays have fallen back after summer 2018 heatwave
- Brexit concerns are prompting bookings delays and demand for non-eurozone alternatives
- Over-tourism is driving interest in more remote regions
- Escorted tour destination trends
- Middle East/North Africa and Asia trending for touring/adventure holidays
- Over-55 opportunity to grow in years ahead
Market Background
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- Higher wage growth helping to sustain consumer spending amid uncertainty
- Domestic tourism has dropped since heatwave summer
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- Figure 8: Trends in the number and value of domestic holidays taken by UK residents, 2013-18
- Consumers postponing summer travel plans abroad
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- Figure 9: Trends in the number and value of overseas holidays taken by UK residents, 2013-18
- Turkey and Italy have seen increase in demand
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- Figure 10: Top 10 overseas short-haul holiday destinations, by number of trips, January-September 2018 versus 2017
- Shift to non-eurozone destinations
- Mexico, North Africa and China are fastest-growing long-haul destinations
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- Figure 11: Top 10 overseas long-haul holiday destinations, by number of trips, January-September 2018 versus 2017
- Over-tourism helping to drive off-the-beaten-track touring
- Long-haul dominates touring destination trends
- Influence of celebrity explorers
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- Figure 12: Titan Travel, top 20 overseas escorted tour destinations, January 2019 versus 2018
- Touring offers low-risk way of going beyond travel comfort zone
- Over-55 population growth favours escorted touring sector
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- Figure 13: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2013-23
- Rise in mature solos offers growing opportunities
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- Figure 14: One-person households, by age, UK, 2007-17
- Social isolation is creating need for new living (and holidaying) formats
- Over-50s coach holidaymakers prefer onboard Wi-fi to a cup of tea
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Shearings, Riviera and Newmarket are leading escorted tour brands
- À la carte touring
- Group adventure brands report strong revenue growth
- Just You is largest group singles brand
- Martin Randall and Specialist Journeys lead special-interest group sector
- New style of youth holidays from Thomas Cook
Group Holidays & Escorted Tour Brands
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- Escorted tour operators
- Leading brands
- General tour operators
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- Figure 15: Leading escorted tour operators, April 2019
- Group adventure brands
- Travelopia
- Other group adventure brands
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- Figure 16: Leading group adventure travel tour operators, April 2019
- Singles group brands
- Special-interest group brands
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- Figure 17: Selected special-interest group holiday companies, April 2019
- Voluntourism
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Flexible touring trend
- #MeToo tours
- Veganventure travel
- New Saga adventures
- Family adventure
- 18-30 holidays have grown up
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- 23% of adults went on a group holiday in past 12 months
- Escorted tours and small-group adventure are leading segments
- Expansion opportunities
- Shearings and Cosmos have the highest levels of brand recognition
- Convenience and stress removal are key selling points
- Consumers want more personalised trips
- Small-scale is key to success
Group Holidays & Escorted Tours Experience
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- Escorted touring and group adventure are the biggest segments
- One in 10 adults travel as part of a club/organisation
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- Figure 18: Experience of group holidays/escorted tours, UK and abroad, February 2019
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- Figure 19: Experience of group holidays/escorted tours, UK or abroad, February 2019
- Escorted tours peak at either end of the age spectrum
Group Holidays & Escorted Tours Future Interest
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- Escorted tours, adventure, hobby hols and voluntourism show biggest growth potential
- Faith and youth group travel show little room for growth
- Potential demand for city group breaks
- Older solos offer biggest opportunity for singles holiday market
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- Figure 20: Future interest versus past experience in group holidays/escorted tours, UK or abroad, February 2019
Group Holidays & Escorted Tours Companions
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- Group holidaymakers are most likely to travel with their partner
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- Figure 21: Travelling companions on group holidays/escorted tours, February 2019
Group Holidays & Escorted Tours Booking
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- 22% of group holidaymakers book via a specialist tour operator
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- Figure 22: Booking methods for group holidays/escorted tours, February 2019
Group Holidays & Escorted Tours Brand Awareness
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- Shearings and Cosmos are best-known group holiday brands
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- Figure 23: Consumer awareness of leading group holiday/escorted tour brands, February 2019
- Over-55s have higher awareness of escorted tour brands
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- Figure 24: Consumer awareness of leading escorted tour brands, February 2019
- Adventure brands show low levels of awareness amongst potential customers
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- Figure 25: Consumer awareness of leading group adventure travel brands, February 2019
Attractions of a Group Holiday/Escorted Tour
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- Group holidays can offer an ‘independent travel experience’ in a format of total convenience
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- Figure 26: Main attractions of a group holiday/escorted tour, February 2019
- Expertise of tour leader is a critical factor for specialist brands
- Security is a major driver for women
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- Figure 27: Main attractions of a group holiday/escorted tour, by gender, February 2019
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- Figure 28: Main attractions of a group holiday/escorted tour, by age, February 2019
Group Holidays & Escorted Tours Behaviours & Preferences
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- Personalising the group holiday
- Small-scale can be a critical success factor
- Premium potential
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- Figure 29: Group holidays/escorted tours, preferences and behaviour, February 2019
- Social media can be the catalyst for group holidays
Group Holidays & Escorted Tours Attitudes
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- Stress-free travel
- Countering negative perceptions
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- Figure 30: Attitudes towards group holidays/escorted tours, February 2019
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Definitions
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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