Kuoni has reported a rise in its average sale price and says customers are either booking late for immediate travel, or far into the future.
The operator revealed several emerging trends in its forecast for 2021 and beyond, including how people are coming to Kuoni with a list of trips after putting special occasion holidays and honeymoons on hold during the pandemic.
Business class flights, helicopter transfers and extra experiences, such as hot air balloon flights, have increased the average selling price per booking with Kuoni from £8,549 to £9,231 per person.
Enquiries and bookings for departures more than a year out are “well ahead of where they’d usually be at this point”, the long-haul specialist said, noting “people anticipate a return to more normal life beyond the pandemic”.
Kuoni added that another section of the market wants to get away quickly, with a surge in bookings within eight weeks of the departure date. It recently set up a concierge service to cope with additional late demand.
Online searches for isolated retreats are 50% up year on year. According to Kuoni, villas with private pools are one of the most requested holiday types.
Kuoni expects there to be strong demand for the Maldives (pictured) in 2021. Kagi Spa Island in North Male Atoll opened this month and is expected to drive demand for the archipelago state next year.
Customer interest in Botswana for early 2022 is also highlighted by Kuoni. Botswana is currently on the UK government’s travel corridor list.
Kuoni anticipates “strong demand” for Thailand in winter 2021-22.
The forecast also focuses on Antigua in the Caribbean; Sri Lanka; Bali, where the operator is seeing interest for next year; Kenya; Japan; Greece and the Seychelles.
Derek Jones, Kuoni’s chief executive, said: “Travel plans have been put on hold this year along with so many other parts of our life but there is a determination out there to make next year’s holiday one to remember. Our phone lines are busy with new enquiries to places like Greece, Italy, The Maldives, Antigua and Kenya which are trusted favourites as well as adventurous multi-centre itineraries to destinations such as Botswana, Japan, the Seychelles, Thailand and Sri Lanka.”