More than 50% of Not Just Travel bookings are currently for winter sun destinations; around a further third are for summer 2024, while nearly 15% are for as far out as winter 2024/25.
Co-founder Paul Harrison said top destinations included Spain and its islands, as well as Greece and Florida. He also revealed nearly 20% of all Not Just Travel bookings in December have been for cruise.
Other popular destinations include Dubai, Abu Dhabi, the UK, Italy, Cyprus, Australia, Cape Verde and Lapland – with bookings for the latter fuelled by clients seeking to book ahead for next winter.
Steve Witt, who co-founded the business with Harrison, said a combination of Boxing Day sales, festive downtime and payday weekend looked set to prolong the festive booking flurry.
"We can expect clients to be celebrating the end of the year by bagging a booking bargain," said Witt, who revealed couples and solos were leading the way, with only about 30% of bookings currently coming from families – a trend he expects to change in the new year.
"With Christmas being very much a family holiday, the normal trend is for family holiday sales to increase in the new year as operator TV campaigns increase and ‘free child places’ are more prevalent," he added.
"We expect to see the biggest ever increase in holiday sales for Not Just Travel in 2024. With more and more clients wanting the advice, support and quick and easy access to a personal travel consultant that is all part of the standard service."
