Heatwaves, soaring prices and flight meltdowns will not deter Britons from holidaying abroad next year in potentially record numbers, according to the annual travel industry snapshot.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) expect to go overseas in the next 12 months, after 52% went abroad in the first full year without Covid-related restrictions, the highest level since 2019.
About 84% of people surveyed by the travel association Abta had holidayed either at home or abroad, back at normal pre-pandemic levels but below the boom year of 2019.
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The research, carried out soon after heatwaves and coinciding with the disruption from the air traffic control fiasco at the end of August, suggested travellers would spread more holidays outside peak summer months, although value for money was likely to be as big a driver as the climate crisis.
Spain remained the top destination visited by some margin, with Turkey a notable riser, as a weak lira made it a much more affordable destination.
Mark Tanzer, the Abta chief executive, 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.”
The 64% planning to go away in the next 12 months to August 2024 would match the record set just before Covid struck.
An Abta spokesperson said: “It’s quite a leap from the 52% who did this year – it is a big if, but it would be firmly back into 2019 levels, which was a record year.”
The survey predates the outbreak of war in the Middle East, although Abta said its members had reported no effect on travel bookings to date.
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The research found a rise in people taking multi-destination “post-pandemic, bucket list trips”.
Aside from the cost of living, Abta said sustainable travel was a factor in how people were choosing holidays – but there was a significant gap between what people said they would do and what they booked.
While more than two-thirds claimed to be concerned about a range of factors, topped by animal welfare, and 47% said they were conscious of the impact of air travel, only 12% chose alternative transport, and half admitted taking no account of such considerations when booking.
An Abta spokesperson said: “There’s intention there and some people do go on to take action, but there is a bit of a say-do gap. It’s encouraging to see people are making decisions taking in account environmental factors.”
