Consumer research for Travel Weekly suggests a majority of consumers planning an overseas holiday will book through intermediaries, but it found no evidence of a swing away from booking independently among a significant minority.
One in five respondents (18%) planning a holiday abroad by next April said they would book through a high-street travel agent and an additional one in six (16%) said they would book direct with a tour operator.
A further one in three (33%) intend to book with an online travel agent, meaning two-thirds (67%) would book through an intermediary.
One third of respondents intending to take a holiday abroad (35%) said they would book a flight or other transport and accommodation separately, up from 29% when researchers for Service Science and Kantar asked the same question in October-November last year. The responses exceeded 100% as some respondents picked more than one option.
Strikingly, two in four respondents aged 25-54 (38%) expected to book through the trade using an agent or tour operator and 44% of those aged 65 and over.
Those aged 55-64 appeared most likely to book flights and accommodation separately with 47% saying they would do so compared with 33% among 16-34 year olds.
Service Science and Kantar surveyed 1,278 UK adults on behalf of Travel Weekly on May 4-6 and found almost one in three (31%) intend to travel overseas on holiday by next April.