More than a third (36%) of respondents to YouGov's survey of 2,089 UK adults said they expect their summer travel budget to be higher than last year, while three in 10 (30%) said they expect it to stay at about the same level.
The rising cost of living remains the biggest factor affecting people's travel plans, cited by 42% of respondents, while nearly one in five (19%) are opting for domestic breaks rather than an international holiday.
"The findings suggest that while financial pressures and geopolitical uncertainty are shaping travel behaviour, many households — particularly families with children — still plan to prioritise summer holidays," said YouGov. "For many, that means adapting travel plans through domestic trips, alternative destinations, or higher overall spending."
Other factors affecting people's decision-making include hotel and accommodation costs (32%), airfare prices (29%) and safety or geopolitical concerns (19%). Interestingly, 15% cited weather or climate concerns and 12% destination overcrowding.
To manage costs, among those adults planning to travel this summer, the most common changes include opting for a domestic rather than international break (19%), reducing spending during the trip (18%), selecting cheaper destinations (17%) and taking shorter trips (16%).
YouGov said this reflected "a wider trend" towards staycations and shorter-haul travel in response to rising travel costs and uncertainty around disruption.
YouGov also found parents were more likely than non-parents to switch to a domestic break (21% versus 16%), while non-parents were more likely to save by opting for cheaper destinations or spending less during their trip.
Another common money-saving strategy, shared by just shy of a third of respondents (31%), was to travel during off-peak dates. Overal, 41% of the respondents said they had not changed their summer travel plans at all – rising to 43% among parents and falling to 39% among non-parents.
The YouGov data comes after Hoseasons parent Awaze claimed the UK heatwave prompted a flurry of last-minute bookings for coastal breaks; it said coastal bookings made in the past seven days with cottages.com increased by 50% in northwest England, while bookings for Hoseasons' seaside homes in northeast England went up by 62%.
Tui, meanwhile, claimed the recent heatwave has given Brits a "taste for more" summer sun, with sales for June up by 20% year-on-year. Tui UK and Ireland said Spain's island have seen the strongest demand, with bookings for the Balearics up by 60% year-on-year during the heatwave period, and the Canaries by 50% year-on-year.
