According to booking figures from the homeworking agency, sales among over-55s since 1 September have jumped by 34% year-on-year – with the company breaking its August sales record halfway through the month.
Not Just Travel reported 42% of bookings over the last two weeks have been to long-haul destinations, while the group’s August cruise sales were up 41% year-on-year with 56 the average age of its cruise customers.
Co-founder Steve Witt said due to the company’s peak in the mature couples market, 46% of bookings are for holidays departing in the next eight weeks.
“The high cost of living and child care has meant grandparents have been relied on during the summer holidays more than ever before – yet many older travellers are affluent and resource-rich. We’re seeing the trend that exhausted mature travellers are rewarding their hard work with trips abroad,” he said.
Late August sales across all holiday types were up over 25% year-on-year and consumer spending also grew by on average £607 per booking. Top destinations among over-55s are Spain, Turkey, Cyprus, Florida, Mauritius and Maldives.
Not Just Travel has launched its own offers smartphone app, distributing new deals for its agents to share with their clients.
“Following a washout summer of mostly looking after children indoors, exhausted grandparents are also taking advantage of the tumbling prices, great deals to be had and extraordinary value that the ever-growing cruise market provides, especially in the shoulder months," said Witt, adding how the company was also seeing “a spike” in 2024 bookings for multi-generational holidays.
