Visitor/customer numbers

It is often the case that tourism businesses stop trading at short notice.  In the recent past, airlines have stopped operating during a weekend, leaving thousands of passengers stranded abroad.  Industry bodies such as ABTA then have the responsibility of making sure that people stranded abroad get a flight home.   

One of the best examples of how the tourism industry has changed in recent years is the growth in air travel within the UK and Europe.  This has been brought about by technological changes which have made it easier to book flights online and the growth of ‘budget’ airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet.  These, and other airlines, have provided cheap flights by cutting costs and charging customers for ‘extras’ such as taking luggage on board and choosing a seat.  The growth in customer numbers flying with easyJet, shown below, indicates how rapidly these airlines have grown.