BARRHEAD Travel, one of the UK’s largest retail travel agencies, says it is expecting a “holiday stampede” this weekend as people rush to secure this summer’s getaway.
The first Saturday of January, informally coined ‘Sunshine Saturday’ by the travel industry, is typically the most popular day of the year for travel bookings as people look ahead and start planning holidays. Many families will be hoping to lock-in travel deals for the school summer, Easter and October holidays.
Barrhead Travel reports that, historically, the first weekend of the year is one of their busiest of the year and is anticipating high demand over the weekend.
The Glasgow-based travel group says holidaymakers have been turning to travel agents this week with bookings across the first few days of January breaching 2019 levels. Holiday duration is trending up with almost half of new bookings for 10 nights or longer.
All inclusive holidays are the most popular type of holidays for summer 2023, accounting for more than 25% of bookings. This chimes with ABTA’s recent Travel Trends report which found that 29 of British holidaymakers plan on taking an all-inclusive holiday in 2023 to help with budgeting.
Alongside demand for the all inclusive holiday there is a noticeable growth in cruising, particularly amongst the family market, which Barrhead Travel says points to interest in seeking great value-for-money.
So far, family favourites such as Tenerife and Majorca are taking the top spots for Barrhead Travel holiday bookings this summer while cruising from Southampton and Miami is also favoured by both families and couples.
Jacqueline Dobson, President of Barrhead Travel, said:
“When the festive period draws to an end, many of us start thinking about locking in our holidays for the year ahead. It’s one of the best times of year to book – not only because many operators, hotels and airlines have fantastic January sales on, but having a holiday to look forward to later in the year is always welcome.
“This weekend in particular, ‘Sunshine Saturday,’ is usually the busiest booking weekend and we’re very excited to be showcasing incredible deals, savings, added value and low deposits for our customers currently planning their annual holiday calendar.
“We’re seeing signs that people will continue to prioritise holidays this year. Longer durations and more upgrades are a common theme at the moment, while multi-generational breaks continue to make up a notable portion of our bookings. Spending time with loved ones is a priority and getting the family together for a holiday is a great way to make cherished memories together.
“The desire to book with a travel agent increased during 2022 and that trend is set to grow this year. Our experts across the country are very excited to work with their customers – old and new – to help people get the holiday they’ve been dreaming of.”
Barrhead Travel’s retail network is open seven days a week until late as well as offering evening support through their online service, call centres and social media channels. Find your nearest Barrhead Travel store by visiting https://www.barrheadtravel.co.uk/storelocator
