The US price is right

Tour operators’ loss could be your clients’ gain as far as many 2009 US package prices are concerned. Most operators’ ’09 programmes were based on dollars purchased in 2008 at around the $1.80 to the pound level which means that a lot of ’09 prices are similar to ’08, representing a real bargain.

UK visitor numbers to the USA finished the year 1.5 per cent higher than in 2007 with the first three quarters of the year performing well. The total number of visitors for 2008 was 4,560.8million.

However, comparison of the different quarters demonstrates the enormous impact of the current financial woes. Statistics for the first nine months of 2008 showed a 6.1 per cent increase in UK visitors to the US while the last three months recorded a 9 per cent decrease. December alone was a disappointing 14 per cent down on the same month in 2007.

Peter Moss, Chairman of the Visit USA Association said: “Clearly 2009 is turning out to be a very difficult year for all of us involved in the travel market and is affecting all destinations alike. However as far as the USA is concerned, it is also clear that the British still retain a lively interest in their favourite long-haul holiday destination.

“The USA continues to be high on the list of consumers’ long-haul holiday options despite the economic situation and the drop in the value of the pound from last year’s peak”.

Moreover, VUSA members are reporting that travellers are still intent on maintaining their USA holiday plans. While they are committing to their holidays later and biding their time before booking - they still plan to stay with their chosen US holiday.

Even if visitor numbers have tapered off, the Visit USA website has never been busier. It has achieved massive increases in the number of hits, reaching 3.7million, with unique visitors up to 102,000, a highly impressive 356 per cent higher than last year.

Brochure requests are now expected to beat last year’s total of 20,000 in spite of the benefit of the US Government advertising campaign in 2008.