The Advantage Travel Partnership has reported “all-time high” sales for last week, with Saturday marking its “busiest day every recorded”.
The partnership said bookings for last week week were up 14% year on year and revenue was up 23%, while Saturday 13 saw its partners take a 19% share of the whole weeks’ trading.
In comparison to the first week of January, bookings last week were 35% higher and revenue was up 41%, Advantage reported, while the average booking value had increased by 5% on the previous week and 7% year on year.
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Of those bookings, summer 2024 was the top-selling season with a 51% share of all bookings, the partnership said. June was the most popular departure month followed by February.
The Canary Islands were the most booked destination, up 25% on the previous week and 62% year on year. More than half (52%) of the bookings were to depart in January or February which the partnership attributed to the cold weather in the UK. All-inclusive was the most popular board basis accounting for 47% of all Canary Islands bookings.
Mainland Spain was the second highest selling destination, accounting for 28% of the week’s bookings, with 56% for travel in the summer.
The partnership said Greece, Turkey, Portugal and the Balearics all performed well last week, having increased sales compared to the previous week and the same time last year.
Long-haul holidays accounted for 22% of all bookings, 45% of which are to depart in the summer, while city breaks took a 9% share.
Cruise sales were claimed to be up 158% compared to the same week last year. The consortium reported that 43% of bookings were for summer 2024 sailings with Europe and the Mediterranean the top selling itineraries.
A total of 18% of the week’s bookings were for holidays departing by the end of February and 28% were to depart within 12 weeks showing “demand for late bookings is still strong”, Advantage said. Bookings for summer 2025 were up 63% compared to the previous week.
Chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said said: “It is already proving to be a record year for Advantage and our travel agency partners, reflecting the monumental demand for travel from the British public.
“Holidays remain a priority for so many in this country and we are continuing to see people opt to save for a getaway over other expenses.
“There are fantastic value deals on offer for all travellers across the product range bookable through travel agents at the moment and we are seeing consumers looking to take advantage of this.
“For those looking to book a holiday, we recommend contacting your local travel agent who will be able to use their expert knowledge and experience to help book the perfect holiday for you.”