No time for hanging about… holidays are going fast this year. ABTA has today advised people to book their summer holiday early as figures show a 6% increase in bookings compared to this time last year.
Portugal is especially popular with bookings up 32%, Spain 27%, Cyprus 14% and Malta 15%.
The Western Mediterranean is popular partly because hotspots such as Tunisia and Egypt are out of the equation this year, following terrorist incidents and the Foreign Office advising holidaymakers not to go.
More customers are also looking for a wider choice and good value. Mediterranean Eurozone countries have also responded to local economic problems by lowering prices in bars and restaurants and the pound is still relatively high against the euro.
Bookings to Greece and the USA are at similar levels to 2015. Travel trade associations in the Netherlands and Scandinavia are also reporting healthy bookings, which will result in increased demand and competition for accommodation, emphasising how important it is to book early this year.
Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, said: “The significant increase in summer holiday bookings to Western Mediterranean destinations is also being mirrored in other Northern European markets.
“So it makes it more important than ever that customers book early to obtain the best value and ensure they get the holiday of their choice.”
