The Latin American Travel Association (LATA) is a membership association that promotes Latin America as a tourist destination and stimulates travel growth to the region. As part of this LATA has launched the first travel trends report extensively researching and analysing consumers, travel agents and tour operators. The report provides insight and understanding into the perceptions of the destination, the challenges and opportunities for increased visitor numbers and also looks at potential barriers to further growth.

The full LATA Travel Trends Report 2016 can be visited HERE, but please find the below key findings outlined:

Consumer findings

 Who visits?

1,001 consumers were polled of which an overwhelmingly positive 950 said Latin America appealed as a travel destination for them.

 Only 51 said they did not intend to visit Latin America for the following reasons:

• Destination does not appeal
• Security and safety concerns
• Will be holidaying elsewhere

 98 of those polled had visited Latin America in the last 12 months.

335 intended to visit in the next one to five years. This is particularly encouraging as while the 98 visitors represented a low positive visitor rate compared to destinations such as Europe and USA the intent to travel is very strong equalling Canada and only over taken by the USA and Australasia and New Zealand.

 Whilst 24 - 35 year olds are the most likely to have already visited, intent to visit is strongest in the 35 - 44 age group where disposable income is traditionally higher than younger age brackets.

 Why do people visit?
Research was undertaken to ascertain the driving forces for visits to Latin America.

Consumers were asked to rank Latin America from 1-5 (1 being not appealing and 5 being very appealing) against a set of destination offerings.

Latin America scored very highly against Food and Drink with a score of 3.6, only being topped by Europe.

The destinations of Chile and Argentina have particularly driven this with their development and marketing of wine tourism. Brazil and Peru have helped to underpin this with a recent explosion of restaurants, such as Lima and Ceviche linked to these destinations, opening in London.

 Against History and Culture and Adventure the research shows there is scope to enhance perceptions here with Latin America ranking just 3.3 in both categories whereas with Beach, Latin America ranked alongside South East Asia at 3.5 losing out to the traditional beach destinations of the Caribbean and Indian Ocean that both gained a score of 4.

Travel agent findings

 How do agents sell Latin America?

130 travel agents were asked about how they sell Latin America ranked against five other destinations; the Mediterranean, the USA, Australia and New Zealand, South East Asia and Sub Saharan Africa.

 To give some context 54 agents polled reported selling the Mediterranean daily and 55 reported selling it weekly.

 The Caribbean is the second most sold destination with 29% selling it weekly and 38% monthly.

 Latin America is the fifth most sold destination with 38% of polled agents selling it monthly and 45% stating that they sell the region less often than monthly. Only Sub Saharan Africa was sold less.

 What was positive is that 27% of agents surveyed state that their product knowledge is good with 47% claiming it is average.

 Popular countries

The most popular places in the region for agents to sell is:

• Mexico
• Cuba
• Dominican Republic
• Cost Rica
• Brazil

 Interestingly Mexico is the country most visited by agents in Latin American so this directly correlates with the frequency with which it is sold.

 Barriers to growth

Lack of product knowledge and confidence in selling the region and lack of customer demand for the region are cited as the two main reasons the destination is not sold more often.

Agents surveyed requested more online training courses and more consumer marketing would be the best ways of offsetting this and helping to create demand and growth.

Tour operator findings

 Booking patterns

Out of the 18 tour operators questioned, including specialists, results show that bookings are overwhelmingly up and that tour operators expect Latin America to continue to do well throughout the rest of 2016.

 January – March is the key booking periods for the region but these three months are also the peak time when most people visit.

 Over 50% of tour operator clients are visiting for a two week holiday with almost all clients booking between three and six months and more in advance.

 Who visits?

Almost 100% of tour operators stated that it was the couples market that was the most popular with just 10% of those asked stating that the destination attracts the family and friends market and the solo travellers market.

 In terms of what is on trend – the majority of tour operators responded that Culture and History and Wildlife were drivers for visitors.

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For further information, please email press@lata.org or contact Kate McWilliams or Lucy Keenan at Lotus (0207 953 7470).