Pangaea in the UK and GCC is powered by Four Agency
Four Agency is a leading independent, award-winning integrated agency. Founded in 2001, the agency has grown to a team of over 300 professionals across a global network of offices, including locations in the UK (London, Cardiff, and Sheffield) and the Middle East (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh).
Four is widely recognised as a global leader in travel and tourism communications. Its specialist division, Four Travel, was established in 1991 and is one of the UK’s foremost independent travel PR and marketing agencies. Four Travel provides fully integrated solutions tailored to client needs, covering PR, representation, campaign planning, media buying, social media, research, and digital innovation.
With deep expertise across all sectors of the travel industry—including destinations, airlines, tour operators, OTAs, hotels, attractions, and cruise lines—Four Travel is immersed in the world of travel. The agency also conducts its own travel trends research, offering clients valuable insights that help differentiate their brands in a competitive market.
Market Overview
The UK holiday market grew by 4.9% in 2017 to 105.9 million trips with expenditure increasing 6.5% to £46.2 billion. UK domestic holidays account for 56% of total holidays with 44% being overseas trips. In 2017 the most popular types of holiday were beach, city breaks and family holidays with rural/countryside and cultural holidays following.
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Brits are looking to travel more in 2018; however they are increasingly shopping around for the holiday options and will take a variety of holidays, from short breaks, long haul to summer sun during the course of the year. Over the last few years there has also been a shift away from ‘fly and flop’ holidays with more interest in cultural/experience holidays particularly in the pre/post family market segments.
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Figures show that 45% of holidays booked in the UK are done so independently with digital channels being the key research and booking tools.
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The ABTA Report 2018 highlights that 14% of UK holidaymakers are planning to take a cruise in the next 12 months, which is more than double the number that went on one in the previous 12 months
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A greater proportion of consumers are also taking long-haul holidays. Consumers do not seem to have been put off by the weaker pound and the ongoing Brexit negotiations. Low cost long haul airlines are driving much of this demand, with demand shifting from traditional destinations to newer ‘intriguing’ destinations.
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Full-service carriers still dominate long-haul travel; 71% of long-haul Passengers flew with a full-service carrier like British Airways or Virgin Atlantic, while 13% flew with a low-cost long-haul airline like Norwegian or WOW Air. From 2007-17, direct connectivity outside Europe (mid/long-haul routes) grew by 30.6%Â for full-service carriers and by 145.9% for low-cost carriers.
Team members
Rob Wilson
Head of Sales & Marketing TravelRob leads the representation team at Four Travel, overseeing a portfolio of high-profile clients past and present, including Oman Tourism (leisure & MICE), Costa Rica Tourism, New York State, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, Simon Shopping Destinations, and South Tyrol.
He brings extensive expertise in both trade and consumer markets, offering clients strategic guidance to ensure clear and effective positioning across sales, marketing, and PR initiatives. Rob has led strategic reviews for numerous travel clients, helping them to better understand their audiences, refine their value propositions, and implement targeted, innovative campaigns that deliver measurable return on investment.