Author: Bob Cartwright
With every pundit trying to forecast how the wave of economic woes will hit consumers, a report by GKF NOP of how people are cutting back their spending plans may offer a glimmer of hope for the short city break market.
One in five Britons, and that's a whopping 12 million people, say they are thinking of cutting back on their main holiday this year. Many say they will instead go for shorter-break options. Only one in twenty, in contrast, say they are cancelling plans for a short city break.
For many, a bigger issue will be the state of the pound against the Euro. Yesterday, the pound fell to its weakest position yet with tourists only getting €1.20 to the £Sterling, a drop of over 20% in the past year. With French hotels and restaurants still relatively good value compared with their counterparts in Britain, however, it's likely the short breal holiday market in cities like Nice will continue to be attractive.