Fewer UK visits to US due to weaker pound

A weakening pound and tighter credit are leading to fewer trips planned to the US by UK shoppers and skiers.

Travel Insurance News - 24/11/2008

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The online flight search website, SkyScanner, has reported that UK-USA visitor traffic on the site dropped in October by 15 per cent, indicative of a downturn in travel to the US, for both skiing and holiday shopping.

Overall traffic on the website remains high, despite the decrease in UK-USA searches.

Barry Smith, the co-founder of SkyScanner and the company’s business development director, noted: “We know the Obama victory was a popular one, not just in the USA, but also around the world. It’s likely that this will lead to increased interest for the USA in future, but right now, the stronger dollar means the US is about 25% more expensive than it was this time last year.”

The company executive added: “Despite the current economic gloom, traffic is still very strong, and there’s every indication that people are continuing to make travel a top priority – perhaps because we need holidays to look forward to more than ever. But it’s not surprising that we’re seeing a fall in UK-USA flight searches, and Brits seem to be shopping and skiing closer to home this year.”

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