We’re off! The Great School Holiday Getaway is about to start – 2.3 million Brits are flying abroad this weekend.
ABTA says the Western Mediterranean is the most popular destination and airports across the UK are set for a busy weekend – with those in the South East seeing a seven per cent increase in travellers over the summer.
There’s 530,000 people leaving from Heathrow, 350,000 from Gatwick, 128,000 from Stansted and 80,000 from Luton.
Across the country, 60,000 are expected to fly from Birmingham, 55,000 from Newcastle and 15,000 from Cardiff. Eurostar, ferry ports and the Channel Tunnel are also expecting a busy weekend.
The Western Mediterranean is the summer hotspot, with significant increases in bookings to destinations including Portugal (23% increase year on year), Spain (22%) and Cyprus (16%). Greece continues to be popular with bookings for summer up 5% year on year.
Long haul destinations, including the USA and Mexico, have also performed well, with Florida a top summer family destination. City breaks across Europe are also popular.
Following a drop in the value of the pound, more people are staying at home with ABTA members reporting an increase in bookings since the Referendum. The traditional beach break is leading the way with Devon, Cornwall and the Channel Islands seeing strong sales.
Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, said “This weekend is one of the busiest in the travel calendar, with millions heading away for the start of the school summer holidays.
“While most of the those heading away will have booked some time ago, those looking for last minute deals should always book with an ABTA Member so they can travel with confidence.”
