The ITB World Travel Trends Report prepared by consultants, IPK International and commissioned by ITB Berlin shows that recently holidaymakers are increasingly favouring car and train travel rather than air travel. According to the analysis (for the period January-August 2008) presented in the report, which was published recently, in in Europe, holiday trips by car and train increased by five per cent compared with the same period in 2007. At 50 per cent, air travel still retains a larger share than car travel, which stands at around 30 per cent.
Dr. Martin Buck, Director, Competence Centre Travel & Logistics at Messe Berlin said, “This year, the long-standing preference of holidaymakers for air travel has come to an end for the first time. This is a remarkable development, particularly in view of the record fuel prices this summer.” According to the report, this slump in air travel growth can be mainly attributed to the price increases charged by airlines due to the higher cost of fuel prices. |