“The UK’s Outbound travel industry was recently cited as the key driver that avoided the UK slipping into recession, and is also responsible for creating consumer retail spending prior to holidays driving consumer pre-holiday spend to the value of £51 billion. Our travel agency partners have found that 18% of bookings in the last month have been for travel in August, which is an incredible increase on the 4% we would normally expect to see for late bookings in the peak summer months.
“The leading destinations for these late bookings are Spain, Greece, Turkey and Italy demonstrating that the hot weather in Europe this summer has also not had a significant impact on UK travellers wanting to book holidays abroad, particularly those in seek of guaranteed sunshine at this time of year. The number of all-inclusive bookings also remains high at 37% of bookings compared to 13% in 2022 demonstrating not only that Brits are looking to manage their budgets and travel, but also that people are looking for peace of mind. All-inclusive options provide holidaymakers with the opportunity to book a holiday last minute get-away, without having to think too much about logistics and extra expenses on the ground.
“For those looking to book a holiday to escape the glum weather predicted to continue well into August there are still some amazing deals to be had, with current availability showing a seven-night break in Crete for a family of three at £1185 or seven nights in Tuscany for a family of three for £1275. As always we advise to book with a travel agent as they have access to millions of holidays and can also provide that added peace of mind should you need any support whilst you are travelling or overseas.”
