One in three bookings with the consortium’s members for half-term is currently being made on an all-inclusive basis, rising to more than a third for 2024 bookings.
Advantage believes the trend towards all-inclusives is set to continue over the coming weeks and into next year as people tighten their belts owing to greater household bill pressures such as rent, energy and groceries.
According to data published by Advantage on Thursday (19 October), 32% of its members’ bookings for the October half-term are on an all-inclusive basis, while 36% of bookings for 2024 are for all-inclusives.
While Brits are seeking value and to save money, it is not affecting their willingness to prioritise spending on holidays, with bookings currently tracking 16% ahead of where they were at the same stage last year.
“Despite the pressures of the cost of living, people are continuing to prioritise holidays above other expenses,” chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said said.
In terms of destinations, most Brits are seeking some winter sun this October half-term, with Spain’s islands – such as Tenerife and Lanzarote – proving popular, as usual.
“Mainland Spain has also seen high numbers of bookings, and we are seeing late bookings for Greece and Cyprus,” Lo Bue-Said added.
City breaks are also proving extremely popular, representing 11% of total bookings, with Rome the biggest seller. Meanwhile, over the winter months, long-haul destinations such as the US and the Caribbean come to the fore.
“Long-haul trips are accounting for 20% of all 2024 departures so far, with 62% of those departing during the winter, and the top long-haul destinations are the US, the Caribbean and the Maldives,” she said.
Looking ahead to summer 2024, traditional destinations such as Greece, Turkey and the Canary Islands are currently proving the most sought-after, Lo Bue-Said added.
