April has been an exciting month in the world Travel, packed with technological advances and new stats. Here’s our monthly round-up for April 2019 – here are all the important headlines in one place! To ensure your travel content is up to date with the latest news, get in touch with a travel marketing agency today.
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Google has a bug problem
On 5 April, many brands reported that their URLs were being removed from the Google index. SEOs saw a large percentage of their sites not coming up in Google Search Console.
After many updates and tweets saying it would be resolved in 24 hours, Google finally released a statement on 10 April to confirm the issue had been fixed. If you’re still experiencing further problems, do contact Google directly for more information.
The rise of Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime now has more than 75 million subscribers worldwide.
According to Matt Bamford-Bowes, strategist at The&Partnership, more brands are considering Prime Video’s power as a distribution tool for content. Brands such as Shell and Jaguar Land Rover have taken to the platform to release short films telling product-related stories to increase sales. Amazon also pays royalties to brands based on user viewing length.
As the platform rises, it will be no surprise if travel brands take to releasing video content on the platform, too.
New cruise passenger record
For the first time, the number of British and Irish Cruise Passengers has passed the 2 million mark, according to a report from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
This news puts UK and Irish cruise passengers in second place in the European market behind Germany. Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland director, said: ‘As only the second European market to reach over two million cruises and the fourth globally, this figure demonstrates the continued strength of cruising as a mainstream holiday choice in the UK and Ireland, and is a testament to the industry’s resilience to economic and political changes.’
Fewer Brits holidaying in the EU
Travel giant Thomas Cook has revealed that 48% of Brits will be taking their summer holidays outside the EU – a 10% increase compared with last year. Political uncertainty over Brexit has been given as the key reason.
According to figures from the Post Office, the proportion of holidaymakers swapping pounds for Japanese yen rose by 12%, while purchases of Indonesian rupiah went up by 9%. The biggest growth has been the Egyptian pound which saw a rise of 687% year-on-year.
Despite news that more Brits are travelling further, Spain still sits at the top as the most popular destination.
Baring it all abroad
Holiday comparison site Icelolly.com has released a new set of deals aimed at nudists, naturists and other body-focused groups. The Naked Holidays Collection has been created to join the growing market of ‘nakations’ that have increased in popularity and also highlight the different types of getaways available.
Product director Claire Willoughby said: ‘Naturist, nude and hedonistic holidays were seen as quite niche in the past, but it is a rapidly growing sector, which is why we are giving it its own dedicated collection.’
This news comes alongside Channel 4’s new programme called Naked Beach that encourages body confidence through nudity.
Big name operators such as LoveHolidays, TUI and The Holiday Place will also be featured with the new collection.
From Google bugs to rising platforms, April has been full of big travel industry headlines. Don’t forget to check back next month for the latest news and views.
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