31 October 2023 , 16:21
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Could Britons be giving the cold shoulder to the traditional July and August summer sunshine holiday abroad?
Over the next 12 months UK travellers are increasingly planning to jet off for overseas beach and city breaks in May, June and October. The switch in dates to the ‘shoulder season’ spring, early summer and autumn is driven by budget-conscious holidaymakers seeking better value away from the main school break season - and the fact that some Britons are also planning to take more holidays next year and need to fit them in.
Research for travel association ABTA’s annual Holiday Habits report - released at its 2023 convention in Bodrum, Turkey - shows that May and June will be the most popular months for foreign breaks in the year ahead, with more than one in five (21%) of people planning to travel then.
They are just ahead of October (19%) and the traditional high summer holiday months July and August (both 17%). ABTA’s Emma Brennan said: “Going out of season is more cost effective than traveling in peak and more destinations are staying open for longer, for example Turkey and Greece.”
Some destinations in Greece are extending their season
She added that ABTA members had not been suggesting the move is driven by climate change heatwaves and wildfires. The report also showed that travel is recovering to pre-pandemic levels with the proportion of Britons taking an overseas holiday rose from 45% last year up to 52%, with Spain once again the UK’s favourite holiday destination for a third of Britons (33%), followed by France (a fifth), Italy (16%) and the USA (15%).
Appropriately, last year Turkey rocketed back into the UK overseas getaway top 10, rising six places to 8th as the choice for almost one in 10 travellers (9%) and a particular favourite among families, with 16% of them visiting.
Overall, city breaks have reclaimed their title from beach holidays as the nation’s favourite type of overseas getaway, with just over four out of 10 (41%) preferring an urban discovery last year ahead of the seaside (34%).
Cruises dipped 1% to 8% but a majority of those who go one one are hooked with 53% who went on a voyage in the last 12 months now planning to take one in the year ahead. Ocean cruises were the clear favourite, followed by adult-only and river, but the no-fly sailings and ‘seacation’ itineraries around the British Isles are ever more popular.
Despite the tough economic climate, more Britons are planning to travel abroad in the coming 12 months - 64%, up 3% from last year. The most enthusiastic foreign travellers are 18-24-year-olds, with more than seven out of 10 (72%) planning a trip. Families with under-fives are also keen for a getaway with 71% looking to jet off.
Around half of Britons (51%) are planning to spend the same amount of getaways this coming year as the last 12 months, with 28% planning to spend more, mostly to fund more trips. When it comes to the environment, 47% say they are conscious about the impact of air travel on the planet, but only 12% actually swapped the plane for an alternative form of transport.
The overriding national concern about the effect of holidays remains animal welfare, a factor for almost seven out of 10 Brits (68%), with two-thirds (66%) worried about waste and plastic pollution. ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer said: “Over the past 12 months, household budgets have continued to be stretched by the rising cost of living while travel has been hit by a variety of challenges – including wildfires and an unprecedented air traffic control outage.
“Despite this, people’s commitment to their holidays, and their confidence in travel, remain strong.”
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