04 August 2009

Foreign holiday sales have lift off

Holiday bookings since the start of the school holidays have increased by 32% year on year, according to Monarch Flights and Holidays.

The Costa Blanca in Spain is the travel group’s most popular destination this summer, with sales up 216% over the same time last year.

Monarch attributed the boom in demand to dismal UK weather which has seen fed up families fleeing to warmer climes.

The group’s top selling destinations are:

- Costa Blanca +216% year on year
- Crete (Greece) +188%
- Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt) +143%
- Kenya +133%
- Fuerteventura +112%
- Larnaca (Cyprus) +95%
- Dalaman (Turkey) +87%
- Rhodes (Greece) +85%
- Luxor (Egypt) +64%

Monarch also claimed strong demand for scheduled flights, with 260,000 passengers jetting off at the start of the school holidays and load factors for July increasing by 1.39% compared to the same period last year.

Malaga on the Costa del Sol, Faro in the Algarve and Alicante on the Costa Blanca are the most popular getaways for flight-only breaks.

Monarch Flights and Holidays managing director Liz Savage said: "We are seeing strong demand for both flights and holidays this summer, which has been assisted by the dismal weather in the UK and the bleak August forecast sending fed up Brits looking for warmer climes.

"This year we are seeing that all inclusive holidays are proving hugely popular, with bookings up 60% YOY, especially with families, as they provide fantastic value for money and allow costs to be 'locked in' prior to travel.

"However, on the other end of the scale, self catering holidays are also proving to be a favourite with bookings up 62% YOY, as people look for the cheapest holiday deals available.
"Despite early indications that holidaymakers were looking to head east for their holidays this year to destinations where the value of the pound is stronger, it is interesting to see that the Costa Blanca still remains a firm favourite for both holiday and flight-only bookings this summer.

"It is very encouraging to see that despite the current economic climate people are not looking to forego their overseas summer holiday this year."

by Phil Davies