Blue Bay Travel’s homeworkers are seeing more customers booking during post-payday periods, which the outfit said is creating "short, sharp" spikes in demand that are "replacing traditional peaks".
“This new behaviour highlights a more value-driven consumer, potentially driven by the rising cost of living," said The Personal Travel Consultants in partnership with Blue Bay Travel (PTCs).
The brand also claims it is seeing fewer late bookings, with more customers planning high-value holidays – those averaging around £8,000 per booking – some two to three seasons in advance.
This, though, is out of step with the outlook presented by others in the trade, including Blue Bay’s core agency business, which it said was "continuing to perform well with late bookings".
Blue Bay said its PTCs have seen an increase in long-haul bookings for summer 2026, with destinations like the Maldives, Mexico, Mauritius and Thailand proving popular.
In April, the US broke into the PTCs’ top 10 for the first time, with bookings to the US up by 44% year-on-year. It said destinations such as New York and Las Vegas are continuing to perform well, adding lesser-known US destinations may suffer due to the current political climate.
The brand’s group manager Abbie Heaton said: “We’re recommending agents stay nimble to capitalise on the new mini peaks emerging outside traditional trading times.”
Heaton stressed overall trading “remains strong, but a little different to previous years". "The recent three-week run of school holidays over Easter and the May bank holiday, combined with growing concerns around personal finances, could be driving this change in consumer behaviour," she continued.
“We’re seeing a clear preference for value with a focus on European destinations this summer, with Turkey, Greece, and Egypt topping the list.
“Looking ahead to summer 2026, high-end long-haul markets are showing growth, particularly among families, multigenerational enquiries and couples seeking luxury experiences."
