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All-inclusive and package holidays continue to dominate summer bookings, according to the latest figures from analyst GfK.
However, total sales were down year on year in February after a strong start to the year.
GfK reported season-to-date sales for this summer up 1% on last year going into March, despite a 4% year-on-year decline in February. This followed a strong January when sales were up 3% on a year ago.
Yet package bookings in February were up 1% on a year ago despite the overall decline and all-inclusive sales were up 6%.
Bookings for the current winter season remain down on 12 months ago – with GfK reporting a 5% year-on-year decline in February to leave the season to date 1% shy of last year’s numbers. However, revenue was 1% up for the season to date.
Package holidays and all‑inclusive resorts also dominate the winter market. GfK recorded all-inclusive sales up 7% year on year for the season to the end of February and package bookings up 5%.
Seven-night holidays dominate both seasons, with GfK reporting these account “for just under half of all passengers” booked for summer 2014 and “virtually half of all family passengers” for winter 2013-14.
Leading retailers suggested some companies have outperformed these figures. Hays Travel managing director John Hays reported “a fantastic start to the year” with the company up 25% on sales and 28% on commission in January, and 11% up on both in February.
Hays said: “For a mature business these are wow figures – and I’ve been an arch-pessimist in terms of the economy and projections for the industry.”
Julia Lo Bue-Said, managing director of Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “February was strong and long-haul is doing very well, but it’s still a tough market.”