More than four in ten UK consumers are likely to book an overseas trip between now and Christmas, new research shows.
The study by the Civil Aviation Authority’s Atol division found that the average spend is expected to be £2,427.
The figure is “significantly higher” among 18–34-year-olds with around half (51%) saying they are planning to book an overseas trip this year.
Overall, 30% of those planning to book a trip said they plan to spend at least £3,000 on their holiday, with seven per cent planning an outlay of more than £5,000.
In the online survey of 2,301 UK adults in September, 43% of those polled reported they were very likely (19%) or fairly likely (24%) to book an overseas trip before Christmas either to travel in 2023 or 2024.
The positive levels of bookings this autumn are expected to drive holiday reservations back to pre-pandemic levels, according to the CAA.
The booking data suggests consumers are bucking the trend of the last couple of years and arranging last-minute October half-term getaways, organising winter sun or skiing trips or booking early for their 2024 holidays
The details were disclosed as new videos were released by Atol to mark the scheme’s 50th anniversary, telling the story of three consumers impacted when their travel firms went out of business in 2008 and 2019.
Head of Atol Michael Budge said: “There has been a trend for late bookings all summer and it looks as if this will continue into the autumn and beyond.
“We know from our research that people plan to spend thousands on their next overseas trip, so we would urge everyone to check their provider offers Atol-protected holidays, so they can then relax, knowing they won’t be left out of pocket should anything happen to their travel firm.”