Half-term holiday prices have soared and are proving difficult to sell, according to travel agents at a roundtable debate.
Speaking during a VIP agents trip to Rhodes, hosted by bed bank youtravel.com, agents admitted winter sales were being affected by higher school holiday prices.
Travel Trust Association director Steve Clark said package prices for the October half term, which falls this week and next week in different parts of the country, were on average up from around £500 last year to around £650-750 this year.
Agents blamed the higher prices on the drop in flight capacity following the collapse of XL Leisure Group.
Qwerty Travel sales manager Matt Todd, based in Surrey, said: “No-one has put on extra flying for October so prices have gone up. People who would never have considered the Costa Brava are now considering it.”
He predicted holidaymakers would forgo the October and March half-term breaks and stick to their one main holiday for next year.
A1 Travel, managing director Chetan Patel of Ilford, added: “It’s just too expensive for people to book.”
Youtravel.com sales and marketing director Paul Riches admitted: “Winter will be very difficult and this will hit October and March half-terms.”