There is no need to tell you that the past couple of years have not
been the greatest for the travel industry wars, economic woes,
SARS, etc. But fret no more, my friends. There are plenty of
reasons for optimism in the new year. All recent signs indicate
that the economy is coming back in a big way. With that, naturally,
comes increased consumer confidence and spending.
These trends are clearly illustrated in Carlson Wagonlit
Travel’s 2004 Travel Trends Survey. For instance, 83 percent of the
survey respondents said that their bookings are even or up when
compared to the same time in 2003, and 85 percent said they are
“very optimistic” or “fairly optimistic” about their business for
2004.
And the news is particularly good for the West. Agents were
asked to forecast the top domestic destinations for 2004 based on
their bookings to date. The results: Seven of the top 10
destinations are in the West.
It just goes to show what TravelAge has always known: The West
is not only home to the best travel agents, but to the top
destinations as well. Which is why we are so excited about bringing
you “all the travel you can sell” each issue.
(For full survey results, visit www.carlsontravel.com)
