Out of 1,000 people surveyed by Savvy Marketing for BBC Radio 4’s consumer affairs programme You & Yours, nearly two thirds are still happy to book an Atol-protected package trip.

It also found 76% of package holidays are booked online versus 17% in store. 

"Ten years ago, everyone booked their holidays online. People thought they were saving money by booking travel and accommodation separately," said Jenny Lyons, head of sales at Polka Dot Travel, on the Radio 4 episode on 1 January. 

"But people want reassurance now and you can’t put a price on that. Nothing can take the place of the travel agent who you build a relationship with."

The Office for National Statistics has also reported a five-year growth for the package market. 

You & Yours spoke to some shoppers in Manchester, one of whom commented: "Yes, [I always book package holidays], for the security.

"I don’t book individually because I’d be scared if something went wrong when I am so far away from home."

TTG group editor Pippa Jacks also contributed to the Radio 4 programme.

She said: "You say package holiday to some people and they will think of everyone getting on the same flight, going for seven nights or 14 nights, a rep on the coach when you get there, a welcome meeting in the hotel on your first morning - but that sort of package holiday is evolving now.

"Tour operators are offering more flexibility and consumers want to be more adventurous.

"They might want to go on a cruise holiday or self-drive holiday or rail holiday or twinning different destinations, so what consumers want to do is definitely changing and the travel industry has responded to that." 

However, research for the programme conducted by Company Watch suggests a third of UK travel agents and a third of UK tour operators could go under in the next three years. 

Nick Hood, insolvency expert at Opus Restructuring & Insolvency, said: "These businesses are very fragile, around 15% of UK travel companies are in the commercial equivalent of negative equity - they owe more than their assets are worth. 

"And a quarter of travel companies have assets of less than £25,000. A puff of adverse commercial wind will blow these straw houses down."

He warned those figures do not take into account collateral damage from Thomas Cook.