It’s the word that apparently reflects the “ethos, mood or preoccupations of the passing year”, and was selected due to the “sheer scope” of its use. It’s a pretty damning indictment of 2018.

Travel has experienced its fair share of turbulence – from the Payment Services Directive 2 to GDPR and the new Package Travel Regulations. And yet, for all the turmoil (and political uncertainty), as we highlight in our review of the year, the sector has had reasons to smile in 2018.

Tunisia reopened its doors to British tourists; MPs voted overwhelmingly for a third runway at Heathrow; and who could forget the Beast from the East, which saw agents prove their worth by rushing to the rescue of stranded customers?

And in spite of all the political fallouts, holidays stayed high on people’s spending priorities. Even more significantly, they look set to remain that way – despite reports in The Sunday Times suggesting otherwise. Summer 2019 bookings are up 12%, says Abta, while Tui’s full-year profits show the UK is more than 20% booked for summer 2019.

Few could deny the UK faces a rocky time ahead, but with signs showing travel remains a priority for many, there are clear reasons to be cheerful.

Boosting consumer confidence will be integral during peaks, and it’s vital the industry works together to dispel concerns consumers might have about booking a holiday. So, with that in mind, I’d back “optimism” as the word for 2019. Here’s to a strong peaks, and a Merry Christmas for all!