Dollars and Euro’s
The travel industry is doing good business. It’s a trend that seems to be a standard all over the world. Even while “normal life” is getting more expensive. Most people with regular jobs are not able to save anymore, so the little extra they have might as well be spend on a couple of weeks holiday. Of course, this doesn’t count for everybody, but it does seems like a trend at the moment.
While the travel industry isn’t doing to bad it’s the Disney parks that are really proofing how people will still spend there little extra they have to enjoy some fun. The numbers have been good for most of the Disney Theme parks (let’s leave the troubled Hong Kong park out of the list for the moment) and it doesn’t look like the trend will stop.
But (yes I was building up to some point) is it enough? Couldn’t the travel industry do more. Especially the US industry and, obviously regarding our “theme on this blog”, couldn’t the Disney company do more and even better if they would widen their horizon to the rest of the world. Or at least a part of that world, namely Europe. Looking at Walt Disney World in particularly and the people visiting the resort, I am sure more Europeans would make their way to the magic if the Disney company would grab the opportunity to better inform the Europeans.
Europeans are traveling, they are traveling a lot. I can see what is happening around me, Ski holiday in the winter to Switzerland, summer holiday to Spain and a weekend here and there to the seaside. It’s normal for many families and they all spend their money on this. Why isn’t Disney trying to lurk more Europeans to their park in the US? With the exception of the United Kingdom I never really seen any big advertisement on a US park holiday. And there is where I see a missed opportunity for the company. Not all people are like me and will go to Walt Disney World because of the love for the park. Some people need some help, extra information and convincing.
Looking at the market today, a Walt Disney World trip wouldn’t cost more then a trip to the sun in most other European countries. Sure, the flight might be more, but early bookings (like I do) will put that price down too. At this time it is the dollar that makes the trip to the US very interesting for us Europeans. The dollar is so low compared to the strong Euro, a trip over the big blue has become more accessible for many. I wonder why Disney isn’t jumping on the bandwagon and try to get these people to come to them instead of any other hot European country. Is the European market really that uninteresting for WDW?
I am convinced that with the right marketing in Europe, and not only the UK, more Europeans would find there way to the US parks. I’ll help, if I can! (My love for Disney has already brought some people to the US parks). I’ll inform people, I’ll talk about it, if they want I’ll come with them carrying there bags (I would…). But I can’t do it alone! Disney;… get the word out in Europe, tell the people a Disney travel is fun, magical and affordable. Yes, the strong Euro vs the weak dollar might be bad for many US companies (I am sure many other blogs are filled with stories on this), but WDW could take some advantage out of it and lurk those Europeans to come and visit their parks on affordable Disney holidays.
Remember, this is a personal opinion. Maybe I am missing some things the Disney company is doing in Europe. But in my experience I am not seeing it. But what are your thoughts on this? Let us know here!
March 13th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
I think you’re right, Andy; with the exception of the UK, there is not a lot of effort that goes into the rest of Europe by comparison. And they ARE missing a huge opportunity, as overall visitor numbers to the US in 2007 were up by more than 10% (including from Europe). The US saw 4.5million visitors from the UK alone, so the interest is strong and getting stronger (especially with the dollar continuing to slip). Disney just need to tap into that interest and let everyone know what a great place WDW is for a holiday right now!
March 14th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
First most Europeans than can afford a US vacation don’t want (at least I hope so) to spend all of their trip on the WDW Resort. They want to visit the “real” america as well. And Disney prefer the captive audience…
Then with a still strugling resort, they may not want to cannibalise the attendance of DLRP.
And with the threat of Global Warming, anything that would heavily promote more people to use airplane strikes me as bit of akwards…
March 15th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
[...] how I feel Disney is missing the opportunity to get more European visitors in the previous Dollar vs Euro blog entry I wanted to take the time and take it even a little further, proofing that the Disney Company [...]