On Saturday (7 January), Hays said customers were keen to "beat the cost of living blues" by securing a break at a bargain price.

As a result of the uptick in demand, most of Hays’ high street stores will open on Sundays, and contact centres have extended hours for the six-week peak holiday-booking period.

Dame Irene Hays, chair and owner of Hays, said: "Despite the cost of living challenges, the last thing people seem to want to give up is their annual holiday.

"Remembering this time last year, when the Omicron variant restricted travel bookings for the first two weeks, we are feeling optimistic for 2023.

"We are focusing on the quality of our customer service, offering great value and, as an independent travel agent, the widest choice to help our customers find the holidays they’re dreaming about."

Sunshine Saturday is traditionally one of the busiest days during peaks, with customers taking advantage of low deposits, special offers and direct debit to spread the cost.

The most popular destinations amongst customers were Spain, Tenerife and Lanzarote. About a third of all bookings for Spain are for departures in the next 12 weeks.

The agency also reported a high number of bookings for Italy – specifically Rome – and New York in February.

Additional air capacity from Emirates has also led to an increase in bookings for the Middle and Far East, particularly Dubai and the Maldives.