Online bookings and mobile transactions were chosen by British travelers in 2023, with total bookings increasing by 19%, and according to Phocuswright’s ‘U.K. Travel Market Report 2023-2027’, online bookings are predicted to continue their meteoric rise, highlighting the further transition to digital platforms and the high rate of internet penetration in the UK.
The airline sector performed particularly well, contributing significantly to the overall performance of the market. Although challenges, such as inflation, continue to affect the robustness of the market, the industry remains on a positive trajectory, with modest forecast growth and technological developments shaping the future of UK travel to 2027.
Here are the 5 trends that will dominate the UK travel market in 2024 and beyond:
- 2024 is expected to be another year of double-digit growth in bookings, with mobile booking revenue playing a major role in the UK online travel market.
- The UK airline sector accounted for an impressive 56% share of all total gross supplier bookings in 2023, and airlines are expected to maintain their dominant position through to 2027.
- Net Zero starts with Jet Zero: The Net Zero strategy outlines the measures needed to enable the UK to meet its zero-carbon target by 2050. A key pillar of the strategy is to make the UK a world leader in the development, production and use of sustainable aviation fuels.
- The UK government has ambitious plans to modernize the railways, including both the electrification of lines and the digitization of ticket sales. The railways also play a critical role in the government’s Net Zero initiative to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050.
- The UK’s traditional travel agencies are proving resilient and many are reopening their doors and leaving behind the losses associated with the pandemic in digital distribution.
