Activities of travel agencies, tourist offices and tour operators, structural business statistics, 2004

In 2004 there were 1 387 local kind-of-activity units (KAUs) in the industry group. This is an increase of 105 local KAUs compared with the previous year. Since 2001 the number has increased with 302 local KAUs, or about 28 per cent. The subgroups tour operators , tour guides and leaders and adventure , event and activity operators have experienced the highest growth in number of local KAUs. There has been a similar trend on enterprises level.

Increase in gross turnover

The industry had a gross turnover of almost NOK 28 billion in 2004, 2 per cent more than the previous year. The subgroup travel agencies constitutes about 75 per cent of the total turnover in this industry, but was at the same time the only one not to experience a rise in the gross turnover from 2003 to 2004. The travel agencies had a gross turnover of NOK 20.5 billion, a decline of per cent.

Improved profitability

The operating margin¹⁾ increased from 0.6 per cent in 2003 to 1.2 per cent in 2004. Tour guides and leaders had an operating margin of 12.5 per cent, which is the largest of the subgroups. Tourist offices , on the other hand, had an operating margin of only 0.2 per cent. Value-added in the industry increased with NOK 283 million to NOK 2.3 billion.

Three out of four local KAUs had less than five employees

Almost three out of four of the local KAUs employed four people or less. In 2004 these KAUs had a gross turnover of NOK 6.4 billion and an employment of 1 298. Only 52 of the local KAUs had more than 20 employees, but had a gross turnover of NOK 11 billion and almost 2 262 employees.

Local KAUs and enterprises

Figures on the enterprise level will usually deviate from figures on the local KAU level. This is due to the fact that the enterprises are registered in the industry subclass that comprises the main part of the activity of the enterprise, and therefore may be registered in a different industry than some of the local KAUs.

Comparison with previous years

Starting in 2004 the methods for gathering and estimating employment were changed. Employment figures are now collected directly through the Registrar of Employers and Employees (Arbeidsgiver- og Arbeidstakerregistret, a.k.a. AA-registret). The change makes it difficult to compare employement figures over time. For more on this change and other definitions see “About the statistics”.

Tables:

• Table 1 Activities of travel agencies, tourist offices and tour operators. Main figures, by industry subclass. Local kind-of-activity units. 2002-2004
• Table 2 Activities of travel agencies, tourist offices and tour operators. Main figures, by number of people employed and industry group. Local kind-of-activity units. 2004
• Table 3 Activities of travel agencies, tourist offices and tour operators. Main figures, by industry subclass. Enterprises. 2002-2004
• Table 4 Activities of travel agencies, tourist offices and tour operators. Main figures, by number of people employed and industry group. Enterprises. 2004