Dubbed Sunshine Saturday by the UK journey sector, the primary Saturday of the New Yr is often the most well-liked day for reserving a break. And brokers have reported a stampede, with some seeing demand soar 500 % in comparison with the identical interval final yr.
Hays Journey stated Saturday was so busy many of the agency’s excessive avenue shops prolonged their opening hours yesterday to fulfill demand.
On-line contact centres can have prolonged hours for the following six-week reserving peak.
Dame Irene Hays, chair and proprietor of Hays, the UK’s largest impartial journey agent, stated: “Regardless of the cost-of-living challenges, the very last thing folks appear to need to quit is their annual vacation.
“We now have seen a particularly busy to begin to the height reserving season and have already got prospects searching for final minute sunshine, summer season holidays, worldwide cruises and metropolis breaks proper throughout 2023, and even for 2 years forward for Lapland adventures at Christmas in 2024.
“Remembering this time final yr, when the Omicron variant restricted journey bookings for the primary two weeks, we're feeling optimistic.”
The highest vacation spot for a right away escape is Spain, adopted by Tenerife and Lanzarote.
There may be additionally an unusually excessive variety of bookings for Italy, particularly Rome, in February, together with New York, a extra conventional Valentine’s Day vacation spot.
Spain, Turkey, Portugal, and Greece stay favorite summer season locations, with New York and Orlando the highest long-haul journeys.
Richard Slater, managing director of Henbury Journey in Macclesfield, stated: “You’d assume there can be a drop-off due to the price of residing disaster…however development has been good.”
Gemma Antrobus, chairwoman of the Affiliation of Impartial Tour Operators, added: “Demand is larger than I’ve seen it for a very long time.”
Mark Tanzer, chief government of commerce physique Abta, instructed customers had been preserving one eye on prices by choosing all-inclusive offers and occurring fewer, longer holidays.