One in four plan to spend more on 2016 holidays
More people are planning to spend more on their 2016 holidays, with many opting to travel somewhere new, according to research.
ABTA’s Travel Trends Report 2016 says almost a quarter (23%) of respondents expect to spend more this year – up from 20% in 2015.
Almost one in five (18%) will travel to a country they have never been to before – twice the number who said they would travel somewhere new last year.
In addition, another 23% say they will try a new resort or city (even if they have visited the country before) compared to 10% who said this last year.
Perhaps not surprisingly, those with the most disposable incomes are splashing the holiday cash.
Almost four in 10 (39%) people with top jobs (in social grade A1) say they are planning to spend more on holidays in 2016, compared to the average of 23%.
People in social grade B are also more likely than average to spend more next year with 27% stating that they plan to do this.
The report reveals ‘tried and trusted’ Western Mediterranean destinations, in particular Spain, are set for a bumper year with bookings for summer 2016 tracking ahead of previous years as 2015 comes to a close.
However, long-haul holidays are no longer the preserve of the intrepid traveller.
Wider availability of new aircraft, such as Boeing’s Dreamliner and the Airbus A380 is making long-haul travel more attractive, as is the abolition of Air Passenger Duty (APD) bands C and D in April 2015, which is expected to save British holidaymakers £200m a year.
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.
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