Travellers are spending nearly 11% more on their holidays this year, according to new research.
Payments technology firm Worldpay, which conducted the research, believes the trend means that holidaymakers will continue to look for holidays further afield.
It says its findings suggest that Brits are choosing fewer, larger trips after data showed Brits had spent an average of 10.9% more year-on-year per booking while the number of bookings overall was 2.2% down.
Worldpay also predicted a flurry of last-minute bookings, which its research found were typically 7.5% cheaper.
The biggest spikes in bookings to date were the weeks commencing June 18 and June 11, up 20.4% and 19.2% respectively, the research found. Worldpay suggested this could be down to exams finishing or parents with pre-school aged children looking to take advantage of the quieter holiday resorts.
The final week of June saw sales down 2.2% compared to the previous year. The UK heatwave was credited for contributing to that decrease in bookings. But Worldpay found July got off to a “busy start” helped by bookings to Russia to follow England in the World Cup. Flight bookings from the UK to Moscow surged by 330% following the team’s victory against Sweden in the quarter final.
Thomas Helldorff, vice president, travel and airlines at Worldpay, said: “With the summer holiday season just around the corner thousands of Brits will be looking to find themselves a bargain before school starts again in September.
“Looking at our data we predict a surge in last-minute bookings in August with holidaymakers taking advantage of cheaper prices on flights and accommodation, especially if we see a turn in the weather.”