Some 40% of respondents to a recent Jet2 survey told the airline and operator they typically book their summer holidays in January, with beach breaks (28%) proving the most sought-after.
However, the poll revealed some other findings about British travellers; more than three-quarters (77%) of respondents named sun cream as their favourite "smell of summer", with 16% confessing to wearing sun cream year-round to boost their mood.
As a result, Jet2 sought to combat the seasonal blues – and boost sales – by wrapping 40,000 copies of Monday's Metro London newspaper (19 January) in sun lotion-scented paper.
This was reinforced with an experiential event at London's Victoria station on Monday, aiming to bring to life "the smells and sounds of summer" featuring a choir singing summery songs while using atomisers to release the aroma of sun lotion into the air.
There were also giveaways and other "bursts of sunshine". "We were very surprised to see how much people’s moods can be impacted by the smells of the season," said David Hills, chief customer officer at Jet2holidays.
"Scents evoke cherished holiday memories and it is easy to see why people want to book a holiday now, so that they can look forward to indulging their senses in the sunshine."
The tour operator is also offering an extra £25 off per person on all holiday bookings this Blue Monday (19 January), which comes in addition to a current sale offering £100 off per person.
It comes after January's cold snap saw peaks take off over the past fortnight, with several agencies reporting record-breaking days earlier this month.
The survey also revealed that around 60% of participants will only book one getaway this month, while people in Coventry have been named the top bookers with one in five booking three holidays in January. This was followed by Sheffield (19%), Cardiff (18%), Leicester (17%), and Nottingham at 13%.
