Brexit delay boosts confidence in EU holidays
Holiday comparison site icelolly.com claims it hasn’t seen any sign that Brexit uncertainty is putting customers off booking holidays to the Continent this summer.
In fact, it says it has seen a steady rise in demand for holidays in Europe since the turn of the year, and a 5.5% increase in searches since the EU announced it was willing to grant the UK an extension to Article 50
Spanish resorts continue to be the most popular destinations, accounting for seven places in icelolly’s summer top 10. The popularity of other EU countries, including Portugal and Greece, is increasing, it said.
Concerns around currency fluctuations don’t seem to have affected travel to non-EU countries either, with the most popular non-EU destinations are Turkey, Egypt, Mexico, the UAE and the US.
The upturn in searches comes a week after ABTA welcomed the delay of Brexit until~October 31, stating it would provide ‘certainty’ for those looking to book.
Icelolly CEO Richard Singer said: "Unlike last year, where there was a strong peaks but softer lates market due to the warm UK weather and World Cup, the increase in searches to Europe suggest that the market is indeed growing healthier by the day, albeit with customers booking later in the cycle.
"Our stats suggest that the appetite to go on holiday has overtaken any reservations our customers might have had around the Brexit process."
The EU’s share of searches on the Icelolly sight has risen from 77% at the start of the year to 81% this month.
The company has also seen a doubling of searches for room-only packages, while searches for all-inclusives have fallen 5.4% since the turn of the year.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive