After Turkey this year overtook Greece to become Cook’s second most popular summer holiday destination, Cook believes holidaymakers are ready to branch out and start exploring the country, its culture, cuisine and landscapes, beyond its major resorts.
Cook’s forward bookings for Dalyan and Ozdere are already up 12% and 7% year-on-year respectively, while demand for B&B and self-catering options are up 14% and 11%.
Turkey also has the highest number of return customers of any Cook destination.
Based on UK booking data and customer insight, Cook published its latest travel trends report on Tuesday (11 September), which reveals family bookings to Tunisia have more than doubled year-on-year.
Family sales to Tunisia are up 50% for this winter versus the same time last year and, looking ahead to next summer, Tunisia shows no sign of slowing down with overall bookings up 25% year-on-year.
Cook said as a non-Euro destination, Tunisia offered good value, family-friendly expeditions and plenty of soft white sandy beaches, plus a year-round Mediterranean climate.
Other areas of North Africa are also proving popular with families, accounting for 49% of bookings to Morocco and more than 50% of Egypt bookings this summer.
Cook will open its fifth Casa Cook hotel in El Gouna, Egypt, this winter – its second, after Chania, designated family-friendly.
Another key trend highlighted by Cook is the shift towards multigenerational and split-generational family holidays. According to Cook, 64% of families either already go on, or are considering, multigenerational holidays, up from 57% two years ago.
However, Cook believes split-generational holidays, where grandparents take their grandchildren away giving their parents a break or chance to save up annual leave, are “the next big thing in the world of family holidays” with more than a third of Brits either already sending their kids away with their grandparents, or considering doing so.
Will Waggott, chief of tour operating at Thomas Cook UK, said: “The six million British customers who holiday with Thomas Cook every year are looking for affordable holidays in charming places, the opportunity to open their children’s eyes to new countries, and lasting memories with loved ones across split-generations.
“Turkey and North Africa are destinations we’re falling back in love with – they tick the value-for-money box thanks to being non-Euro, and we expect these countries to continue to appeal to families well into next year and beyond.”
