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The need for sunglasses on holiday is becoming more and more important due to the latest statistics. Following in depth research on holiday details, holidays and the need/desire for sunglasses can be positively correlated. Statistically speaking with over 55 million British overseas holidays per annum, and sunny destinations taking up a large percentage, the need and demand for sunglasses is ever increasing.
The International Passenger Survey (IPS) estimates the number of holidays abroad to be 56.8 million in 2000, which represents an increase of 173.4% on the number taken in 1991.
As is very clear, most of these more popular holiday destinations are sunny areas (the most popular destination in the US is Florida) and this is the main relevance of these data to this report. The prospect of warm, sunny weather on holiday will increase the incidence of purchase of sunglasses overall while activity holidays such as skiing will encourage the purchase of sunglasses specific to active sportswear. Of course not all of that purchase directly benefits the UK market, since a proportion of holiday-oriented sales inevitably occur overseas or are tax-free and, as a result, are outside Mintel's definition. As a partial countermeasure, a proportion of holiday visitors to the UK could also be expected to buy sunglasses while in the UK.
However, holidays abroad can have a more diffusive effect on attitudes as well as stimulating purchase. To some extent simply being in a part of the world where sunglasses are more of an everyday accessory would tend to habituate the visitor to their use and possibly encourage more regular wearing at home. In addition the UK holidaymaker abroad may be exposed to more fashionable product than they commonly see at home, especially given the non-UK origin of most fashion brands and designer labels.
Those taking holidays abroad during the UK winter will often still need to buy sunglasses, so extending demand in the UK if they are bought domestically. In addition, holidaymakers in many locations can become used to wearing sunglasses in more types of weather and in winter as well as summer, so giving a small additional stimulus to an extended market through the year.