Whereas their better known cousins the MICE

Whereas their better known cousins the MICE are serviced by specialist divisions within major hotel groups, travel agencies and dedicated Government programmes, the SMERFS are often below the radar and therefore harder to measure.They are hardy and budget-conscious travellers which make them ideal for developing or recovering markets or as a complementary segment in peak markets, Mr Birch continued.The Prada Sunglasses,SMERFs helped sustain the US hotel and airline industry in the period following the 9/11 terrorist events, and have shown themselves to be very resilient in the face of international in the face of international events, Don Birch said.

Who are the SMERFS?The SMERFs are part of a wider trend in the travel market towards more outcome based travel for a purpose other than just to see things, and they're more prepared than ever to travel abroad to achieve their aims according to Mr Birch. This seemingly diverse group is united by a willingness to travel despite the economic cycle, to go off-peak and even off the beaten track if that is what it takes to track down budget transport and accommodation, Don Birch said.Social travel traverses the fields of sports, special interest, ethnic, talent and dance organizations, with more and more diverse ethnic and professional associations adding to the growth. Examples include women’s groups, volunteer workers and social sports teams travelling domestically or Louis Vuitton Sunglasses,inter country for tournaments.The growing number of car owners joining clubs in Singapore such as BMW.sg, TeamChevy Singapore and the Toyota Club Singapore, are a case in point.

Aside from their regular monthly meetings where enthusiasts exchange tips on the technical aspects their cars, these clubs also serve as a rallying point for trips overseas, either to Sepang in Malaysia for a day of track racing or to other regional destinations for leisure trips. Further afield, fans of the Lord of the Rings have travelled to New Zealand in their thousands to experience in person some of the magic of the film. A guide book to the filming locations has now sold over 300,000 copies becoming the fifth largest ever selling non-fiction book in New Zealand in the process.