Budget-conscious Brits are increasingly looking out for good-value all-inclusives and package holidays as Brexit looms, On the Beach has said.
All-inclusives account for half of all On the Beach bookings to date this year, up from a 46% share in January 2018. The OTA says Brits are looking to safeguard against currency fluctuations, control their budgets and in-resort spend, and get maximum value for their pounds.
Nearly two-thirds (62%) of On the Beach’s family bookings during January 2019 were for all-inclusives, up from 58% last year, while 44% of couples’ breaks and 39% of group getaways have so far been booked on an all-inclusive basis.
Package holidays, meanwhile, accounted for 91% of On the Beach bookings in January, up from 87% last year.
Alan Harding, On the Beach marketing director, said: “All-inclusive holidays are not only great for relaxing, but also give greater control over holiday budget and in-resort spending.
“While we have seen little evidence Brits are holding back on booking their holidays, it seems more holidaymakers are looking to book money-saving all-inclusive breaks this year.”
Spain is so far proving the OTA’s most popular destination, with Tenerife bookings edging out Majorca to date, followed by Greece where Crete has overtaken Corfu as On the Beach’s the most popular Greek island.
Turkey’s resurgence continues, leapfrogging Portugal to rank third, with Cyprus fifth and Egypt sixth, closely followed by Malta, Morocco, the UAE – a new entry at ninth – and Tunisia as more Britons consider long-haul for a week’s fly-and-flop.
“As expected, Spain will dominate in popularity this year, but our booking data shows that destinations such as Greece, Portugal and Cyprus will all be very popular,” said Harding.
“Turkey is back on the map, now our third most popular destination, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see it push for second place over the coming years.”