Travel feeds the soul even in recession, tourism industry told

People who cater to tourists can "come to the rescue" in hard economic times, providing diversion, emotional respite and, in some cases, helping "the very souls of people who have felt beat up," tourism industry insiders were told Thursday at the sixth annual Utah Tourism Conference.

A recession isn't all bad news, and one piece of the good news is that people still get out and explore the world, although vacations change some during a tough economy, said Ken Foster, adjunct associate professor of communication at the University of Utah and a marketing researcher and consultant. He was the keynote speaker at the conference, which concludes Friday at the Davis Conference Center in Layton.

Travel, he says, will nourish family bonds, fosters independence, adds joy and creates global citizens. How people vacation in conditions like those posed by the current economy, though, tends to be more "do it yourself," closer to home and somewhat shorter in duration.

"Travel is probably the greatest educational experience you can have, a life-enriching experience," among other benefits, he said.

Foster is one of a growing number of economy watchers who believes the recession is ending, although unemployment will continue for some time, which is what usually happens after recession. Research shows that there's "little correlation between unemployment and consumer confidence for the most part," he says, so recovery will continue.

This recession, he noted, featured "contraction in retail spending far in excess of any contraction in incomes."

Consumers overreacted to bad news, became afraid and closed their wallets and purses. Most recessions are psychological, caused by consumers who are worried, he said. "I believe everyone will end up just fine in the long run," he told the 240 tourism industry folks who attended the conference.

Foster also cited a Washington Post-ABC News poll that found when it comes to optimism, we feel pretty good about our own situations although we're worried about the other guy. Respondents were divided between optimism and pessimism in terms of the national economy, 50 percent to 48 percent. But asked about their own family's financial position, 66 percent were optimistic, to 41 who were not. Those who are older and have lived through a few economic cycles tend to be most optimistic, by the way.

But people say they are getting back to basics, saving and spending less on frivolous or large purchases. Among the so-called recession-proof items are TV and Internet subscriptions, mobile networks, day-to-day banking, insurance, groceries, medical care and personal care. Fewer people are having expensive elective medical procedures. And they say they're more likely to repair than replace a big ticket item like a car.

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