Late bookings expected for long bank holiday break
Tour operators believe there is pent up demand for the forthcoming long bank holiday break and expect a surge in last-minute bookings.
Seventy-percent of TIPTO members polled last week identified a trend towards late bookings for the long break, created by four bank holidays in a row – Good Friday, Easter Monday, the Royal Wedding Friday and May Day Bank Holiday.
"Whilst many UK customers have made their plans already there are still many undecided and with an ever later lates market there is still the chance for agents to maximise this opportunity," said TIPTO.
However, in a recent survey undertaken by London’s Metro newspaper 25% of those questioned said they had cancelled holiday plans altogether for 2011 whilst a fifth said they would holiday in Britain this year in a bid to save money.
This was backed up by a recent poll from price comparison website idealo.co.uk, which found that while flight bookings in March were down significantly on the same period of last year, searches for camping equipment hot shot up.
It found that flight bookings for Greece fell 39%, bookings for Turkey were down 35%, France -36% and Spain -28%, but purchases of tents had risen 56%, sleeping bags 303% and camping furniture 265%.
“Our own research has shown that families are struggling as pay packets stagnate," said Idealo’s Matt Hopkins. "Coupled with new tax measures that came into force this week consumer confidence is rightly low and it’s inevitable they’ll cut back on things like holidays abroad The upshot is that Britain’s tourism sector could see an unexpected boost over the summer as more of us choose to holiday at home.”
By Linsey McNeill
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
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