More than a third (37%) of people are likely to book a summer holiday around this time of year, Tui research has found.
Most consumers would have started looking for this year’s holiday on New Year’s Day.
And it takes the typical adult an average of 53 hours to find their dream holiday.
After booking a break 65% said they were ‘excited’, 35% said they felt ‘satisfied’ and 34% felt more ‘cheerful’, according to the study of 1,000 people carried out in December ahead of peaks.
Tui said it is expecting this year’s sales to be stronger than January 2022 and the equivalent month in 2020, before the pandemic struck.
Previous research by the travel group shows that consumers get into ‘peak’ holiday feeling 43 hours into a trip and the average person loses this sensation around 3.7 days after unpacking their bags and more than two in 10 people book their next holiday less than a month after returning home.
Around one in three (29%) opt for a European beach holiday, with 30% choosing a week’s break, 12% opt for ten days and 15% book for two weeks.
Tui UK & Ireland commercial director Phillip Iveson said: “For years we have seen huge demand post-Christmas to search for, and book a holiday, and we expect this January to be no different.
“We know that people are keen to look for their future travel plans at this time, appetite for travel has never been greater and we are offering some incredible deals this new year.”
Meanwhile, new data from travel insurance firm AllClear suggests that more than three in four adults (77%) are planning a trip abroad this year, with 23% looking to have an early holiday before Easter.
Winter holidays are particularly popular with the over-55s, with nearly one in five (19%) older travellers planning trips between January and April. This age group is also looking at the autumn period for another holiday.
One in five (20%) people aged over 55 are taking advantage of the back-to-school period by going on holiday in September, and one in ten (10%) are travelling in October.
While the Mediterranean remains the top choice (42%), evidence is emerging that that more people are considering cooler destinations, with a three-fold rise in over-55s planning trips to northern Europe or Scandinavia – up from 4% to 11% since April 2023.