Fly-Drive Holidays - UK - March 2005

"In line with the general long-haul market, the fly-drive market is now beginning to recover, after a difficult couple of years where the fly-drive market retracted in terms of volume.

Although fly-drive holidays do take place within the short-haul market, they are popular in long-haul destinations and English speaking countries tend to dominate. They are usually featured in US and Canada brochures and increasingly in Australasia and southern Africa brochures too.

There are many indicators suggesting that the fly-drive market will continue to show, as the exclusive consumer research for this report shows a substantial potential market, the number of those holding driving licences continues to increase and the British are generally becoming more adventurous on holiday."

About Mintels research...

Using the latest consumer research, market size data and trend analysis, Mintels report offers you vital new insight into the current state of the market, its prospects and the attitudes of key target audiences. You can use Mintels market research to:

• Build consumer-focused marketing strategies to maximise sales throughout fly-drive sectors
• Discover new ways of tempting key target groups towards high-price points.
• Measure market sizes and assess the scope for new player and product entrants
• Create realistic sales strategies based on market forecasts and insight into market drivers.

Intriguing findings include...

• Some 81% of men hold a driving license compared to just 61% of women in 2002/03
• Men have a greater propensity than women towards fly-drive holidays, as they do cars and driving in general and in terms of age it is the 25-54-year-olds who are most likely to have been on a fly-drive trip in the past two years.
• The proportion of those hiring a car for leisure usage has fallen to 3.4% in 2004 from over 5% in 1999
• 9% of respondents agreed that fly-drive has some appeal but they are not sure where they would like to go yet and only 2% agreed that they have been on a fly-drive trip but would not go again.