Members of the public remain optimistic about taking a holiday in 2010, claiming the recession will not influence their travel plans.
An overwhelming 80% of the 917 people surveyed in the Thomson and First Choice Trends Report 2009 said they expect to take a holiday in 2010, with a similar amount claiming they would be undeterred by the economic situation.
About half said they were budgeting to spend the same amount on a holiday as this year, while a further 24% pledged to spend more.
The recession has even encouraged some Brits to trade up with 46% of those surveyed indicating they would use the recession to book five-star hotels at reduced prices.
Travellers may also consider travelling further afield, with 23% now looking to buy flights at the same price as those to short-haul destinations. A further 18% said they would purchase flight upgrades when available on offer.
A TUI spokesman said this was due to better-trained agents taking advantage of discounts to upsell, as well as the public responding to reduced pricing.
Of those who said the recession would impact their travel plans, about 6% said they had considered package holidays this year because of concerns about financial protection. That figure rises to 13% for 2010.
Unsurprisingly, the proportion of people who would consider an all-inclusive holiday rose from 10% to 16%.
A TUI spokesman said: “People are still seeing a holiday abroad as a necessity rather than a luxury and they are still a significant part of British life. This may signify the return of consumer confidence.”
He added: “We have also used our leverage as a tour operator to get very competitive prices so we can bring five-star luxury to people.”
The report also reveals responsible tourism remains popular. Six out of 10 people prefer to book with a company that uses business practices such as employing local people and sourcing local produce.