The research is a snapshot of sentiment following months of headlines featuring EU Entry-Exit System (EES) queues, travel disruption and Middle East restrictions, and speculation over jet fuel prices and availability.
Compared with data from last summer, there are two areas where attitudes have changed in a significant way.
These are ‘seeing government advice the destination is safe to travel to’, with 40% of people now saying this is essential to give them confidence to travel, up from 36%, and ‘knowing the company I’ve booked with is an Abta member’, which has risen from 42% to 46% believing this to be ‘essential’ for confidence.
Travellers' main confidence builders include knowing ‘they have the right travel documents in place’ (69% say this is essential) followed by being ‘able to get home if my travel company goes bust’ (60%).
Abta says all these areas are ones travel providers, including agents, can focus on in their consumer communications to help give people the assurance to book.
At the other end of the scale, just 15% say it’s essential for their confidence they ‘travel to somewhere I feel familiar with or have visited before’.
And, despite the difficult rollout of EES this year, only 32% of consumers say ‘being able to easily travel through the airport or port’ is essential for confidence – the same proportion as last summer.
Graeme Buck, Abta's Director of Communications, said: “In turbulent times, many people will want more reassurance than usual before they take the plunge and splash out on their holidays. Our research indicates the conversations which can be had with customers, and included in marketing, to give potential customers a confidence boost.
"With FCDO advice gaining more traction as a confidence builder, it reinforces the positive impact we may see among people following last week’s relaxation of guidance on travelling to the Gulf. It’s also a reminder of how important it is to talk to customers about official travel advice and Abta has guidance for members on how best to do that."
