Sandals and Beaches Resorts’ UK tour operation has reported that clients travelling in 2020 are staying longer than the last two years.
Stays booked with Unique Caribbean Holidays Ltd. are 16% longer this year than last, which was the same as 2018.
Booking data shows holidaymakers travelling to the firm’s Caribbean resorts in 2020 are staying an average of 11.4 nights in total – up from 9.8 the last two years.
Karl Thompson, managing director of Unique Caribbean Holidays Ltd. (UCHL), said: “Most clients are used to the idea of having Covid tests before they travel now but if they are going to pay for these tests and decent travel insurance cover, they really want to make the most of their holidays.
“We have seen an influx of customers who are happy to travel and want to extend their stay with us before they depart, and we’ve even had some who extend last minute when they’re in the destination. Many people have gone without their well-deserved holidays this year so if they are able to get away, they’re really making sure it’s worth the wait by treating themselves to more time in the sun.”
Resorts in Barbados and Antigua are offering visitors the opportunity to ‘work from home’ on extended working visas which may also attribute to the trend.
UCHL bookings for 2021 departures are averaging at 9.89 days so far – a slight increase on 2019 – but Thompson predicts this will increase. He added: “A large proportion of our 2020 business is now last minute as people want to make sure they go on holiday before the rules change, so it’s likely that when we get closer to 2021, this duration will also increase dramatically.”
Departures in 2022 and 2023 booked so far are also longer than previous years, at an average of 10.21 and 10 days respectively, which the firm said could be attributed to customers celebrating special occasions such as anniversaries or significant birthdays.