Quiet concerns for UK holiday market

The director of Turespaña, German Porras, warned the tourist industry, in particular market leaders such as the Balearics, not to ignore the growing competition from neighbouring and emerging Mediterranean holiday destinations some of which this year have seen the number of tourists rise by over 100 percent. Looking back at the World Travel Market in London last week, Porras said that this year's trade fair was one of the most “fruitful” for the Spanish tourist industry, but he did confirm fears that the British tourist industry is very “fragile” at the moment which is causing some concern in the Spanish market. Porras said that despite the continued strength of the Pound, “there does not appear to be the same sense of euphoria in the UK tourist industry as there has been over the past few years and that is having a marked effect on bookings.” In order to ensure that bookings do not fall any further, he warned the Spanish industry to put quality before price increases and he also warned the sector that UK tour operators may start to use the bookings slump as a negotiating tool to bring prices down further in order to shift package holidays. But Porras is optimistic that the British market will have picked up by the end of the year and said that there is no need for the industry to start talking of a “crisis or drop in demand.”