More Brits heading off on holiday
More Britons headed off on holiday in the 12 months to late July 2019, according to ABTA’s latest Holiday Habits Report.
Nearly nine in 10 (88%) took a holiday this year, the highest figure since 2011.
Holidays abroad, particularly longer holidays of seven nights or more, are proving especially popular.
The number of foreign holidays of seven or more nights has increased to an average of 1.1 per person in 2019, up from 1.0 in 2018 and 0.7 in 2016.
More than six in 10 Brits (64%) took a foreign holiday in the 12 months to July 2019, up from 60% the previous year, and the highest figure since 2011.
More than half the population (51%) took a package holiday abroad during the year, with value for money the number one reason for picking a package.
UK holidaymakers are looking to make their money go further by cutting their spending before and during their holidays.
Compared to two years ago (2017), people are spending on average £98 less before and during a short overseas break and £94 less on a longer overseas break. Spending is also down for shorter and longer holidays in the UK.
Mainland Spain, the Canaries, the Balearics, Greece and Turkey are the nation’s favourite overseas package destinations, while France, North America and Italy feature as favourites among holidaymakers taking a variety of types of holiday.
However, other destinations have proved popular this year, creating competition for the Western Mediterranean.
Good-value package destinations including Egypt, Turkey and Bulgaria have seen double-digit growth. Long-haul travel is also booming, with 25% of people saying they visited Asia alone, up from 15% in 2018.
Families are fuelling the growth. Families with children over five years of age took an average of 5.6 holidays during the year – half in the UK and half overseas. Families with children under five took an average of 3.9 breaks.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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