The total market for European Cities’ Tourism contracted by 7.1 per cent and the international market by disastrous 12 per cent during the first quarter 2009 and there is an expectation of negative all-year growth for European Cities’ Tourism during 2009 according to Claus Sager, author of a Special Impact Crisis Review (SICR) published by European Cities Tourism and Conventions (ECTC).
ECTC, a 134-member association of tourism offices and convention bureaus, published the special ICR in conjunction with its annual “European Cities’ Visitors Report".
The SICR provides an insight into market trends for the first quarter of 2009 and the results of business year 2008 across six source market segments.
Other key findings in the report include:
More than 60 per cent of the cities included in the review were facing dramatically decreasing bed night volumes during the first quarter 2009 with declines of their total bed night volumes between 10 and 32 per cent.
"In summer 2008 the global financial crisis showed its first noticeable effects on the European Cities’ Tourism business," said Sager. "For the first time, the total market for European Cities’ Tourism began to decrease by June 2008 it was down 1.7 per cent, followed in August 2008 by a decrease of 3.8 per cent and deteriorated until February 2009 progressively with a negative monthly growth record of almost 10 per cent.
"Further aggravating the down-turn is that the volume strong UK and overseas source markets were the most affected by the crisis. The bed night volumes of these source markets initially began their decline during 2007, and nose-dived during the second half of 2008. During the business year 2008 only the UK source market for city tourism declined by 4.4 per cent, the Japanese source market by 8.7 per cent and the US by 13.9 per cent.
The expectation of a negative all year growth seems to be a very likely possibility for European Cities’ Tourism during 2009 warns Sager.
"This forecast is seen in the light that the total and international bed night growth rates decreased from 7 per cent in 2006 down to 1 per cent in 2008, the dramatic slow-down in tourism demand during the second half of 2008, plus the fact of the disastrous negative growth figures during the first quarter 2009," said Sager. "The positive aspect is that, even in times of economic downturns, meetings and
conventions still do take place in large numbers all across Europe and that some major events (sport championships, European Capital of Culture etc.) have proven to be an engine for bednight volume growth for the host city destinations.
The Special Impact Crisis Review” is available from ECM Head Office in Dijon at a price of 175€.
Mail: headoffice@europeancitiesmarketing.com
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