UK Travelers Avoiding USA, Says Skyscanner

The strengthening dollar, the credit crunch and recession woes have led to a 15 percent fall in UK-USA flight search traffic, reports Skyscanner (http://www.skyscanner.net/), Europe’s leading flight search engine.

In previous years, there has been an increase in flight searches to the USA at this time of year with many travelers heading to New York or Minneapolis to do their Christmas shopping, taking advantage of a strong pound to bag a bargain. The States have also been a popular ski destination, with world class resorts, reliable snow and good value food and accommodation on offer.

However, while flight search traffic remains high on the Skyscanner site, over the last month there has been a 15 percent fall in searches for UK-USA flights, suggesting that the credit crunch and the weakening pound have finally taken their toll on British travelers, and that they are forgoing their American trips.

It has been speculated in the travel industry that Obama’s victory will lead to an increase in the popularity of the USA in the coming months and years. The Bush administration was widely labeled as the most unpopular of all time, with foreign attitudes towards Americans and America dropping to an all time low. However, the newly elected Obama not only marks a change within the USA itself, but also a change in how the USA is perceived by Brits and the rest of the world.