Consumers are paring back their holiday taking and expect to spend less in 2018 than last year on getting away, new research suggests.
People plan to take fewer overseas holidays in 2018 with just over six out of ten (61%) adults in the UK intending to take a foreign trip, down from 66% 12 months ago.
The corresponding figures for people’s intentions to take holidays in the UK are 63% and 75% respectively.
People are also looking to spend slightly less on their holidays. The budget for a main holiday has dropped from £816 per person to £779, the poll of more than 2,000 adults found.
This is giving a rise to increased numbers of UK city break bookings – 38% against 29% of those asked 12 months ago.
The corresponding figures for overseas city breaks are 28% and 19% respectively, the Sainsbury’s Bank Travel Insurance study shows.
Almost a quarter (24%) already booked their 2018 holidays before the end of last year and 14% plan to before the end of January. Only 6% intend to hold out for a last-minute deal.
Beach holidays are the most popular overseas choice for 39% of people, followed by city breaks (28%), cruises (14%), arts, culture, food and wine holidays (13%), ski or snowboarding (8%) and activity and sports (7%).
City breaks are the most popular domestic option planned by 38% of adults, followed by walking holidays (17%), spa/retreat breaks (16%), beach (15%), arts, culture, food and wine holidays (10%) and activity and sports (8%).
As many as one in five (22%) plan to get away without travel insurance with 6% leaving it until a week before departure to buy their cover.
Sainsbury’s Bank head of insurance Karen Hogg said: “We all love having something to look forward to, so we’d urge people to make sure they buy their travel insurance at the time of booking their holiday, to ensure their vacation is protected from the get-go.”