Almost a third (32%) of Travel Republic’s bookings in the past week have been for the upcoming half-term break, with nearly 40% of these trips being booked on an all-inclusive basis – up 10% on the same period in 2019.
Travel Republic said nearly half of families (46%) travelling during half-term would do so all-inclusive as opposed to 38% of couples, proof – the OTA said – "that Brits are looking for the security of knowing how much their total holiday costs will be before they leave home".
Antonio Fellino, Travel Republic managing director, said: “The cost of living crisis, coupled with the economic challenges being felt in the UK, are seeing Brits gravitate to all-inclusive packages for their breaks, which is totally understandable. It’s a great way to take a worry-free holiday.”
Fellino said the trend typically increases when consumers face economic pressures. “Our data tells us that on average it can be around 15% cheaper to book all-inclusive, rather than on a bed and breakfast or half board basis," he continued. "And that’s before you factor in the cost of the additional meals and drinks which would have to be paid for. So all-in, all-inclusives can mean both great value and worry-free holidays."
Travel Republic’s top-selling destinations for all-inclusives this October are Turkey, Egypt, Majorca, Benidorm, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Rhodes and Crete. Popular long-haul destinations, meanwhile, include the Maldives, Dubai, Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean.
For half-term, Turkey is seeing the largest growth in terms of all-inclusives versus 2019 according to Travel Republic’s figures, followed by Greece, Barbados and Bulgaria.
A third of the OTA’s bookings are for five-star hotels, with Brits choosing to spend more on the holidays they are taking rather than taking a greater number of breaks. This has driven up average booking values, which are 46% higher than they were pre-pandemic.
