Holiday searches rise as UK temperatures drop
A drop in temperatures in the UK has prompted a last minute rush for overseas holidays, according to Thomson and First Choice.
The brands, both part of TUI, say online searches have jumped as UK temperatures plummet to below 20 degrees for the first time since June and the forecast in many parts of the country is bleak and wet for the bank holiday weekend.
Thomson is reporting a 78% rise in searches on its website in the last week compared with the same period last year.
TUI said searches have also increased on the First Choice website but could not give a figure.
A spokeswoman said a rise in searches would suggest a rise in actual bookings, but could not confirm this correlation.
"This time of year is always popular for holidays, however with the predicted bad weather and the end of the summer of sport we’re seeing more customers rush to squeeze in a last minute break before the start of the new school year," said Andrew Flintham, commercial director for Thomson and First Choice.
"With highs of 33 degrees in Spain, 36 degrees in Greece and 44 degrees in Turkey versus just 15 degrees forecast in large parts of the UK on Saturday, it’s easy to see why people are keen to jet off."
Meanwhile, ABTA has predicted that more than two million Brits will go on holiday over the August Bank Holiday, up more than 200,000 on last year.
It said the Balearic and Canary Islands would again be the most-popular overseas destinations, along with Greece, Turkey and Tunisia.
But it also reported a rise in long-haul travel this year, particularly to Florida and Cancun.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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